Unfortunately, most DEET products contain more. The American Academy of Pediatrics goes further, saying that 10 percent DEET should be the upper limit for children's products. Doubts about DEET have spurred interest in alternative insect repellents based on the aromatic oils of certain plants, particularly citronella, a lemon-scented tropical grass. In field tests, the researchers found Treo as effective as DEET in repelling mosquitoes, biting flies, and the ticks that spread Lyme disease. Because these tests were financed by Biopharm, they do not carry the weight of Consumer Reports' independent tests, but corporate sponsorship doesn't necessarily invalidate the findings.
Many pharmacies carry non-DEET insect repellents.
Skin So Soft 3-Way licenses Treo's citronella formula. In addition, he has written for newspapers and magazines such as The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle and Examiner, The Nation, Sierra, Redbook, Self, and others. He has taught health and medical writing as an adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California at Berkeley. To use this article in your online or print publication, click here .