A bug repellent sunscreen combination is a product designed to keep pesky insects away while also protecting your skin from the damaging rays of the sun. If you are spending a long period of time outdoors hiking, backpacking or just hanging out in the backyard, you typically will need to use bug repellent and sunscreen; however, using them together has advantages and disadvantages.
Function
The purpose of using a bug repellent and sunscreen combination is that you can ward off pesky insects and help prevent a sunburn at the same time. According to Mustapha Debboun, Stephen P. Frances and Daniel Strickman, authors of "Insect Repellents: Principles, Methods and Uses," sunscreen is a common mixing agent for bug repellent because it helps create a barrier between your skin so that if an insect lands on you, it is not able to bite you.
Effects
Insects can carry many different germs that can cause illness or diseases, such as West Nile or Giardia. Bug repellent works by deterring insects that land on your body from biting you. If you are able to avoid being bitten by a disease-carrying insect, you can decrease your risk of catching dangerous germs that could make you sick. When used properly, bug repellent combined with sunscreen can help prevent a painful sunburn at the same time.
Disadvantages
According to Leslie Baumann, author of "Cosmetic Dermatology: Principles and Practice," the effectiveness of combination bug repellents and sunscreens have not be shown, so you may not able to rely on the product doing what it claims to do. Most commercial bug repellents rely on DEET, the active ingredient that protects you from bug bites. The sunscreen in combination formulas may cause your skin to absorb the DEET much faster than what is considered safe. The DEET may also decrease the strength of the SPF in the sunscreen so you are actually getting far less sun protection than the bottle claims. If you believe you are using and SPF 30, you may only be receiving an SPF 15 or 20 instead.
Solution
It is recommended that you use a separate bug repellent and sunscreen, according to Baumann. Using two products will ensure you are adequately protected from potentially dangerous bug bites and sufficiently protected from the sun. In most cases, you should only apply bug repellent once in a 24-hour period, and using two different products will ensure that you do not use more DEET than what is considered safe.
Warning
Most sunscreens require you to reapply every two hours to maintain proper sun protection. If the bug repellent sunscreen combination you choose has a high concentration of insect repellent, you may apply far more than you need. Some bug repellent sunscreen combinations can have up to 30 percent DEET; most contain between 5 and 7 percent. Debboun, Frances and Strickman indicate that you cannot be 100 percent protected no matter how much of the product you use, and it is important to avoid using too much since the long-term effects of bug sprays have not been determined.
References
- "Insect Repellents: Principles, Methods and Uses"; Mustapha Debboun, Stephen P. Frances and Daniel Strickman; 2006
- "Cosmetic Dermatology: Principles and Practice"; Leslie Baumann; 2009
