(NewsNation) — If you are looking to avoid mosquito bites this summer, scientists say eating garlic or rubbing it on your body won’t help.
While studies in recent years have found that applying essential oils to skin, including garlic oil, can briefly deter mosquito bites, experts say there are far more effective repellents.
“As a repellent, I think it’s extremely mild at best,” Daniel Markowski, a technical adviser for the American Mosquito Control Association said in an interview with The Washington Post.
According to the AMCA, a chemical mixture known as DEET has been considered the gold standard of mosquito repellents for more than 50 years. It can be applied directly onto skin or clothing and is available in a variety of formats, including liquids, sprays and lotions.
In 2014, the Environmental Protection Agency conducted a review of DEET and did not identify any risks of concern to human health. It is important to note that DEET can cause skin irritation, so experts advise against using it in excess, inhaling it or using it on skin that is already irritated or has wounds.
The AMCA notes that there are more than 3,000 different species of mosquitos throughout the world, 176 of which are recognized in the U.S. While most mosquito bites result in small, red, itchy bumps, experts advising seeking medical attention if symptoms worsen as mosquitos can spread illnesses like the West Nile virus and Zika.