Message from Dr. Jen (Permethrin is your FRIEND)

[kimberlogic.livejournal.com]

There are signs that this might be the worse year for Lyme disease EVER in New England.  So as you pack for our favorite annual weekend in the woods a la mode, please consider what you can do to avoid getting bitten by ticks.    

One trick is to wear long pants, and tuck the pants into your socks.  The ticks can't find their way to your skin.  Plus, this is a great way to show off the purple-and-pink argyle socks you've been saving for a special occasion.

Another trick is to use tick repellents. Products with DEET are good insect repellents -- they do a pretty good job at keeping mosquitoes away -- but ticks aren't insects.  For them, look for products containing permethrin.  Spray your socks and the bottom part of your pants  (inside and out for the pants!) with the repellent. Permethrin goes on the clothes, DEET goes on the skin.  Now, some folks may be sensitive to permethrin.  If you've ever had a bad reaction to Elimite or Nix (creams and shampoos used for scabies and lice), you might not want to use permethrin on your clothes.  Also, cats are REALLY REALLY sensitive to this stuff.  If you have a cat, don't put this stuff on your clothes when you're at home; wait until you get to the mountain.

If you do get bitten, the chances of getting Lyme are greatly reduced if you get the tick off within 24 hours.  But ticks are small, and you might not be able to see them yourself.  We'll bring the magnifying glass; you decide who you'd like to ask for a tick check.

Thanks!
- Dr Jen

Comments

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

Can someone recommend some products that contain permethrin?

[jeneralist.livejournal.com]

Checking at the REI and Campmor websites, I've found Sawyer Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent; Sawyer Spray Tick Repellent; "Jack's Juice" tick repellent, and Ben's Clothing and Gear Treatment. I haven't used any of them (yet!), so it's not exactly a recommendation. They're all 0.5% permethrin.

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

Looking at the directions for "Sawyer Permethrin Pump Spray" (first product I found on the website listed as being in stock at my local REI), $16

http://www.rei.com/product/751264/sawyer-permethrin-pump-spray-12-oz

Their video and FAQ are informative.
http://sawyer.com/video-perm.html
http://sawyer.com/tech-bugs1.html

They say one 12oz bottle will treat two outfits (shirt, socks, pants). They recommend spraying on your clothing (while not wearing them and then letting them dry for a couple hours), so this might be something to apply to your clothing in your backyard at home. They say that once it's dry, it's harmless to humans, but when being sprayed on, the volatile stuff in the spray is harmful to humans. They also say, you can safely spray it on your tent.

And keep your clothing away from cats while it's drying.

[deguspice.livejournal.com]

LJ rejected my reply as spam, so I'll try a shorter message. According to the REI website, my local store has the Sawyer brand spray in stock.

The Sawyer website has an FAQ. A 12oz bottle is good for two sets of clothing (shirt, pants, socks). It takes 2 hours for the clothing to dry, so you might want to do it at home before Baitcon. Once dry it's harmless to humans, but it should be sprayed in a well ventilated space because of the volatiles in the spray. While wet, you should keep it away from cats. You can also spray it on your tent.