CDC: Prevent Mosquito Bites 　

Emergency Message System

July 14th, 2023

When used as directed, EPA-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

Protect Yourself and Your Family from Mosquito Bites

Use Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered insect repellents with one of the active ingredients below. When used as directed, EPA-registered insect repellents are proven safe and effective, even for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

DEET
Picaridin (known as KBR 3023 and icaridin outside the US)
IR3535
Oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE)
Para-menthane-diol (PMD)
2-undecanone
Find the right insect repellent for you by using EPA’s search tool.

Tips for babies and children:

Dress your child in clothing that covers arms and legs.
Cover strollers and baby carriers with mosquito netting.
When using insect repellent on your child:
Always follow label instructions.
Do not use products containing oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE) or para-menthane-diol (PMD) on children under 3 years old.
Do not apply insect repellent to a child’s hands, eyes, mouth, cuts, or irritated skin.
Adults: Spray insect repellent onto your hands and then apply to a child’s face.
Tips for everyone:
Always follow the product label instructions.
Reapply insect repellent as directed.
Do not spray repellent on the skin under clothing.
If you are also using sunscreen, apply sunscreen first and insect repellent second.
Natural insect repellents (repellents not registered with EPA)
We do not know the effectiveness of non-EPA registered insect repellents, including some natural repellents.
To protect yourself against diseases spread by mosquitoes, CDC and EPA recommend using an EPA-registered insect repellent.
Choosing an EPA-registered repellent ensures the EPA has evaluated the product for effectiveness.