Are Mosquito Bites Bugging You? It Might Be Your Soap
A new study explores how the type of soap you use can influence your odds of getting bitten by mosquitoes. The findings were surprising.
Ever wondered why some people seem to attract more mosquito bites while others remain unaffected? A new study suggests that your soap choice could play a role.
Previous research has shown that mosquitoes are more attracted to pregnant women, people with higher body temperatures, sweat, diverse skin bacteria, and those with darker skin. Some studies also suggest that blood type may influence bite probability, with people having type A blood reportedly getting bitten less often than those with type O.
Fragrant body products are known to attract mosquitoes, particularly females that need the proteins in our blood to lay eggs.
According to the new study, the soaps we use can affect the chemical compounds in our bodies that mosquitoes respond to, potentially increasing or decreasing the likelihood of bites.
The study examined four types of soap: Dove, Simple Truth, Dial, and Native. Each soap contains limonene, a compound found in citrus peel oil known to repel mosquitoes. Surprisingly, mosquitoes were drawn to fabric washed with these soaps, except for Native, which had a coconut scent. "Interestingly, despite the dominant scent of limonene, known for repelling mosquitoes, three out of the four soaps actually increased mosquito attraction," the researchers noted.
They added that the study supports previous findings: "Mosquitoes don’t seem to favor coconut-scented products, so our safest bet is to use them," they advised.
"With about 3,600 species of mosquitoes worldwide, further testing is needed," said Patrick Leach, an insect diagnostics lab manager in Wisconsin. "Nevertheless, this research demonstrates how our personal care routine can influence the volatile substances on our skin, potentially affecting our overall attractiveness to mosquitoes."
