Mosquitoes are both irritating and can spread disease. No repellents actually "repel" mosquitoes. The most effective repellents simply mask the odors and humidity that attract mosquitoes.
While some people really do seem to attract mosquitoes more than others, the chemical compositions that work to mask what attracts mosquitoes appear to be the same. A fair amount of research has been done by the military and private companies to find the best chemistry and manner of using that chemistry to protect people against mosquitoes.
The CO2 given off by breathing and from skin, along with body heat and humidity, all give mosquitoes a target to shoot for. Some chemicals in sweat also attract them.
What to Look for
The two chemicals that seem to have the most effective masking ability to fool mosquitoes are DEET and picarin. Both have been recommended by the Center for Disease Control as effective for keeping mosquitoes away. Products with these two compounds must be put on the person's skin. They can't just be soaked into a wrist band and worn to be effective. Look for products that have about a 20 percent mix of DEET or picarin.
Since DEET doesn't kill insects, but just repels them, it isn't a pesticide and has had a good safety record. No products other than DEET and picarin have been shown to be effective in controlling insect bites, although there are those who disagree based on anecdotal reports.
Citronella candles have been used to draw mosquitoes away from people, but they don't seem any more effective than any other candle producing heat, CO2 and moisture. Other bug zappers and noise emitting devices seem to have no provable results according to research from places like the CDC, Cornell University and medical journals.
Common Pitfalls
The sales tactics of a "new approach," technical "miracle" and celebrity endorsements won't help when you're suffering from mosquito bites. Since DEET has been proven through research and over many years to work, the wise choice is to use it until something provably better comes along.
For camping and summer residential prevention, still bodies of water or things like old tires that catch rain water are breeding grounds for mosquitoes and should be avoided.
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