Hi babrada,
Here's a quote from one several published articles I've written on this question:
"The danger and bother of insects can be substantially reduced by these precautions:
(1) Wear long sleeves and pants, avoiding dark or bright colors, especially at dawn and dusk. As an extra precaution, you may treat clothing with permethrin (As in the easy to use
Sawyer® Products - Water Filtration, Insect Repellent, Sunscreens and More) In real problem areas, protective clothing, such as the "Buzz Off" brand (
Insect Resistant Clothing - Buzz Off Outdoor Wear), can be treated with permethrin and worn.
(2) Try to stay indoors at dawn and dusk when many flying insects are most active (although the mosquito that transmits dengue is most active during the daytime), and avoid sandy areas as much as possible at any time of day, especially when there is no breeze. When making reservations, make sure the resort has screened windows;
(3) Wear insect repellent. The best protection against these and other insects arguably is full strength DEET. Some divers like things such as Avon's Skin-So-Soft and Cactus Juice, less toxic products than DEET, by the science is solidly behind DEET for long-lasting effectiveness.
Most DEET containing repellents are the 15-30% range of concentration. The testing of various strengths of DEET has shown that after about 30% little additional effectiveness is to be had by upping the strength, and even less after about 50%. As such, there is simply no point in exposing oneself to more potent brews. UltraThon at 32% (
Amazon.com: 3M Ultrathon Lotion: Sports & Outdoors) appears to be a good product. Used as directed over relatively brief periods of time, say a week, DEET has been shown to pose no significant risk when applied to exposed skin. If you wear lightweight, loose fitting clothes, it generally is safe to use DEET underneath. Doing so with heavy, snug fitting clothes can result in dermatological problems and worse. Be aware that DEET can dissolve synthetics like plastics, rayon and nylon, so it's best to wear natural fibers and keep it off of your gear.
Relatively recently, picaridin-based repellants have been found to be quite effective and much less irritating to the skin and malodorous than DEET. The line of Cutter's Advanced products is an example. However, based on the published scientific research some of these products contain questionably small amounts of picaridin, e.g., Cutter Advanced Wipes at 5.75%. It is therefore recommended that a product like Cutter Advanced Aerosol-Sport (
Amazon.com: Cutter 15% Picaridin Advanced Sport Aerosol 6 oz.: Health & Personal Care) be considered.
(4) Avoid scented toiletries and perfumes;
(5) Upon arrival, treat your room with a bug spray. Touch up as needed."
Regards,
DocVikingo
PS: Use all products only as directed & exercise good sense.