Mosquito repellent bracelets, are they really safe? A question that we have all certainly asked ourselves at least once. We explain why it would be better not to let the little ones wear them
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Anti mosquito bracelets, are they really safe? A question that we have all certainly asked ourselves at least once. A French study conducted by Que Choisir revealed on the one hand their ineffectiveness, on the other the fact that they are even dangerous for babies and children.
Sold as an alternative to mosquito repellents, bracelets should be used with care according to Que Choisir. According to the Agency for Health Safety (ANSES) in the country there have been several reports to poison centers, reports that in some cases concerned the bracelets containing capsules with essential oils, others those with platelets. Unfortunately, accidents have mostly occurred among young children.
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What bracelets count
According to tests conducted by Que Choisir, mosquito bracelets contain various active substances that spread slowly in the air to ward off mosquitoes and protect the wearer.
We wanted to make sure that mosquito protection is real by running two types of tests: one for the forearm, such as for repellent sprays, and another for which a user wearing a bracelet is in a room infested with female mosquitoes.
Que Choisir explains. The products were classified based on the overall evaluation obtained during the tests, based on a protocol established by the experts. Unfortunately, however, the analysis was carried out only on its three products but the results, in all three cases, were very bad.
The dangers for children
Children are the main victims of bracelets. They have been reported cheek burns after prolonged contact with essential oils during nap:
A child who wore the bracelet had convulsions, possibly due to the passage of the product through the skin into the blood. Another child developed a generalized rash after oral contact. Several eye problems have also been reported. The capsules burst when the children played with the devices. In adults, accidents are less serious: these are irritations related to wearing the plastic bracelet.
Are they effective and safe?
According to Que Choisir, the risks are disproportionate given the poor performance revealed by tests on mosquito bracelets. According to the analysis, the bracelets are not enough to protect the whole body from mosquito bites:
ANSES recommends that these bracelets be avoided by infants and small childrenthe. Allergic people and pregnant women have every interest in following this advice: the essential oils used against mosquitoes (geraniol, citrodiol) are often allergenic, irritating at best, and not recommended for a certain public because they contain terpenes.
Unfortunately, the test analyzed only 3 bracelets, a sample that does not seem significant enough in the face of the large offer of these products on the market. However, it is enough to sound an alarm bell about the safety of these products.
We hope that other, more up-to-date analyzes will be carried out and that more products will be examined.
Sources of reference: QueChoisir
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