Could a Loofah Save your Life?

Could a Loofah Save your Life? - Less Mosquito

 

Could a Loofah Save your Life?

As part of our Perfect Preparation for Pest Prevention it certainly could…

The humble loofah. Could bring back nostalgic memories of childhood bath times. Might remind you of shopping for White Musk and strawberry lip balm at The Body Shop.

But did you know they’re part of a process that could save your life if you’re heading to a tropical climate?

If you’re going to a territory where mosquitoes dwell, then you’ve probably thought about (or even bought) the repellent you’re going to use when you get there. But, did you know that you could start protecting yourself from up to two weeks before?

Many people are bitten within 72 hours of disembarkation, so it’s important to be prepared from the off, and our insect camouflage experts have put together some useful hints…

Step One: Give your skin some loofah love.

Just like humans are attracted to each other’s pheromones, insects such as mosquitoes are attracted to our kairomones.

What are kairomones I hear you say?

In short, kairomones are substances emitted by an organism and detected by another species which benefit the other species in some way.

One of the main kairomones humans emit is carbon dioxide, much of which resides within the bacteria and dead skin which builds up in our pores.

This is where the secret weapon comes in, the lovely loofah! By using a loofah every few days for a couple of weeks before you travel you can ensure your pores are as clear as possible, making you less noticeable to insects. Our loofah also comes with a bar of our luxury soap inside, making your camouflage even more effective.

 

Step Two: Ditch the scented lotions and potions

But you can have them back after your trip (we promise!).

We all have our favourite shower gels and soaps, often chosen because we enjoy that particular scent. Well, insects are no different and are also attracted to these flowery, fruity or spicy scents.

Again, the aim of the game is to camouflage ourselves from the small things which bite, not attract them. A couple of weeks before travel ditch the scented lotions and potions and use products which contain no perfume or scent or even better ones which also contain citronella. For instance, our hair and body wash contains Java Citronella to camouflage you from insects, but also tea tree and bergamot for their gentle cleansing and antiseptic qualities.

 Step Three: Layer, layer and then layer some more.

As with any camouflage, the more pieces of kit you have the better, and it’s the same for camouflaging your skin from insects. Once you’ve used a loofah with a perfume free wash or soap, don’t undo all your good work by using your usual deodorant or body cream.

The more layers of camouflage you can apply to the skin the better, so opt for a natural crystal deodorant, a body lotion containing citronella, and SPF that’s free from synthetic fragrance.

Mosquito repelling products.

 

Step Four: Spray before you land

A final quick tip, before you land make sure you’ve sprayed yourself with your chosen insect repellent and if you’re prone to bites make sure your legs, arms and neck are covered. This way if you need to be outside at any point during the journey post aeroplane, you’re safe and protected.

 

So, there you have it, by following our tips and preparing in advance you can build up your defences and increase how camouflaged you are from insects.

It’s true, a loofah really could help save your life.

 

 

Back to blog

Leave a comment