According to the Center for Disease Control,
- A product containing 23.8% DEET provides an average of 5 hours of protection from mosquito bites.
- A product containing 20% DEET provides almost 4 hours of protection from mosquito bites.
- A product with 6.65% DEET provides almost 2 hours of protection from mosquito bites.
- A product with 4.75% DEET provides roughly 1 and a half hour of protection from mosquito bites.
These examples represent results from only one study and are only included to provide a general idea of how such products may work. Actual protection will vary widely based on conditions such as temperature, perspiration, and water exposure.
Choose a repellent that provides protection for the amount of time that you will be outdoors. A product with a higher percentage of active ingredient is a good choice if you will be outdoors for several hours while a product with a lower concentration can be used if time outdoors will be limited. Simply re-apply repellent, following label instructions, if you are outdoors for a longer time than expected or start to be bitten by mosquitoes. Content source from http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/qa/insect_repellent.htm and http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/IN419
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