May 13 2009
Sunscreen or Insect Repellant?
Most of the time I use insect repellant like Off or Deepwoods when I am working outside. I don’t put sunscreen on any part of my body except for my face. Lately though I have noticed the skin on my arms and legs getting dry and sun damaged. I decided right then and there that I needed to start using Sunscreen when working in the yard.
A few days later I checked my list of projects that need to be done this spring. One of the tasks was cleaning behind the barn. Pine straw had built up next to the barn as well as an old hose pipe, fence posts, wire, and other odd junk. I needed to rake the area and get rid of the junk.
I covered my legs, arms, face, and neck with Sunscreen. I then grabbed a box of trash bags, my gloves, and the insect repellant. Just as I was about to apply the insect repellant it hit me that it might not be a good idea to use both. Would they interact with each other? Could it cause a rash or even cause sunburn? Can you use both at the same time? I debated for a while finally deciding not to risk using both at the same time. Hoping that the Sunscreen would keep the bugs off, I took my supplies and went to the barn.
I had been working for about two minutes when I happened to look down at my legs. At least fifty Deer Ticks were crawling up my legs while more were crawling onto my shoes. I ran for the water hose but ticks have the ability to hang on even under water pressure. I had to pick them off one at a time. That is really hard to do when you are jumping around and yelling. I even found those awful pests in my shoes. Now I have to make a decision. Do I wear Sunscreen and get covered in ticks and Redbugs or have skin like Leather but no bug bites or itching?
There are sunscreens with deet in them in some stores…. I think I would go with the bug spray and risk sunburn given the choice with all those ticks around.