A repellent must be chosen based on the destination and the user :
Destination
- Temperate zones (North America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, etc.),
- Areas with high density of mosquitoes and risk of diseases (tropical zones, Africa, Asia, South America, Oceania, etc.).
In temperate zones, mosquito species are not the same as in tropical areas. They are less active. The concentration of active substance needed for the repellent to be effective is lower.
Therefore, preference should be given to products suited to use in temperate zones, at lower dosages but for which the efficacy has been proven by studies, to avoid unnecessary overexposure to this type of product.
- Temperate zones : IR35/35 at a concentration of 20%,
- Tropical and high-risk zones: IR35/35 at a concentration of 25%.
The person using the product
Children under 3 months
It is not recommended to bring a child under the age of 3 months to an area with a high density of mosquitoes.
If this cannot be avoided, it is very strongly recommended to apply repellent products.
The only recommended protection is the cradle mosquito net and application of repellent to the baby's clothing whenever it is taken out of the cradle.
Between 3 and 30 months
According to the recommendations of experts from the AFSSAPS (Agence de Sécurité Sanitaire des Produits de Santé), applying repellents is not recommended.
However, the CSHPF (Conseil Supérieur d’Hygiène Publique de France) considers that "faced with the risk of contracting a serious disease, whether in an epidemic context or for a brief stay, no method of protection against mosquito bites should be neglected, and the use of a repellent cannot be totally ruled out."
Certain products containing IR35/35 have been the subject of studies and can be used starting at age 12 months.
Children between 30 months and 12 years
It is recommended to use repellent products at lower concentrations than those used for adults.
Pregnant women (not nursing)
Only IR35/35 is recommended for pregnant women, due to the harmlessness of its action.