Buzz Away Product Review

For many that are concerned about the toxic effects of DEET on human health, they are looking for an effective and safe alternative to chemical insect repellents when they go outdoors. As I was concerned with DEET products, I set out to find an effective insect repellent that would not cause a toxic accumulation for the body - causing more health concerns at a later date for me, my family, my patients, or my friends.

I hate going outdoors at dusk when the mosquitoes come out in full force. Without proper insect repellent, a properly planned and fun evening can be cut dramatically short.

The most popular products on the market for repelling insects include the active ingredient DEET, or N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide. DEET is a chemical that acts on the olfactory receptor of mosquitoes, causing an unpleasant response to their nervous system. It is produced from m-methylbenzoic acid and diethylamine, both of which are classified as harmful chemicals on the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). As an unnatural chemical with little known about its long-term side effects, many people are wary about using DEET on their skin and especially using it on their infants.

As an alternative, I came across Buzz Away by Quantum at a local Farmer's Market grocer. It comes in a 6 fluid ounce spray bottle and contains citronella oil as the active ingredient, as well as the essential oils of cedarwood, peppermint, lemongrass, and eucalyptus. It is effective repelling mosquitoes, gnats, blackflies, and "no-see-ums".

My initial application took me by surprise with the pleasant odor - I was expecting that sour smell of DEET products. I immediately went out into the dusk to harvest vegetables from my garden. While outside for over 1 hour, I did not receive one insect bite. In fact, I watched a few mosquitoes come within about one inch of my skin and then fly away elsewhere as if disinterested. I was amazed by the effectiveness of Buzz Away!

Doing some research, I discovered that citronella oil has been registered for the use of an insect repellent with the United States since 1948, long before the advent of DEET. In fact, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) considers citronella oil a biopesticide (natural pesticide) with a non-toxic mode of action. Moreover, in over 60 years, it has had no reports of adverse effects. The same could not be said about DEET, that has had received reports of seizures, insomnia, mood disturbances, impaired cognitive function, and death.

My new favorite insect repellent is Buzz Away by Quantum. I would even use it on my newborn!