The new test by Altroconsumo, protagonists the anti -media repellents for children: the result is disappointing, since many products do not ensure effective protection. In the end, Only one in 31 has obtained a good overall scoreconfirming themselves as a recommended choice for those who want to really protect the little ones from the stings.
Many products do not protect as they promise
With the arrival of summer, the protection of children from mosquito bites becomes a necessity for many families. However, it seems that numerous sprays and specific repellent for children do not guarantee promised security on the packaging. This is demonstrated by the Altroconsumo test, which highlighted how Several products are less effective than they declared on the label and sometimes not very suitable for the delicate skin of the little ones.
Here, then, what emerges from the analysis and how to identify a really safe and effective repellent.
The results that emerged from the test
Altroconsumo he examined 85 repellentsof which 31 specific for children. From this analysis it was clear that the “baby” or “Kids” label does not automatically represent a guarantee. Many of the products labeled for the little ones do not qualify as repellents but as simple cosmetics based on essential oilsnot very useful against mosquitoes and sometimes irritating for the most sensitive skin.
The indication “for children” is often found on the packaging, but in reality it is not regulated by official guidelines. It may happen that a product with this wording is a simple fragrant cosmetic and not an authentic repellent. According to Altroconsumo, Only the products recorded as a “medical surgical garrison” or “biocida” offer guarantees of effectiveness and safetyin which both the active ingredient that his concentration.
Some sprays use active ingredients such as Deet, very effective, but not recommended in children for its aggression. In the end, few products proved suitable and safe for children from 2 years old.
The best anti -media repellent for children
Among all the products analyzed, only one gets full enough: it is theAutan Kids Gelwho conquered the summit with 60 pointsresulting the only one with a good overall score. The product, available in a 100 ml bottle at a cost of about 8 euros, Use Icaridine as an active ingredientensuring real effectiveness combined with good tolerability for children’s skin.
The ranking of other products
To follow, there are products of medium quality:
At the bottom of the ranking, products of low quality:
How the test took place
The test focused on Three parameters: effectiveness, risk and ease of use, including information on the label. The repellents, available in spray, lotion or wipes form and can be purchased in large retailers or in the pharmacy, have been applied on the arms of volunteers to evaluate the duration of the protection.
THE’effectivenesswhich recorded for the 60% On the final score, she was tested following the WHO-WHOPES (2009) guidelines. The volunteers inserted the arms treated in a cage containing 100 female mosquitoes of the species Aedes Albopictuscalculating the protection time until the first puncture.
The riskwith a weight of the 20%was evaluated considering dangerous symbols, warnings and safety systems such as hermetic closures. The last 20% concerned the Packaging and label quality in terms of readability, completeness and environmental impact.
Altroconsumo also evaluated the consistency between the indications of use and the real characteristics of the productspenalizing the words not supported by real data.
When to use repellents for children
Before the 2 years of the other, it recommends avoiding the use of repellentspreferring other solutions such as mosquito nets, protective clothing and safe environments. From 2 years onwards you can choose repellents with low concentrations of active ingredients, Better in gel, wipes or sticksto reduce the risks of inhalation or ingestion.
Which active principles to privilege
Altroconsumo reports as more indicated:
Altroconsumo recalls that the concentration of the active ingredient affects the real effectiveness of the product. Under 5% of the active ingredient, the protection is generally insufficientAnd. For children, repellents are recommended with one concentration between 10% and 15%trying to Avoid percentages above 20% to prevent irritation.
How to recognize an effective and safe anti -media repellent
A valid repellent must report the wording “biocida” or “surgical medical garrison” together with Authorization number of the Ministry of Health And clearly indicate the active ingredient and its concentration. In the absence of these indications, the product is a cosmetic without real effectiveness, as reported by the experts of Altroconsumo.
