Reach For This Overlooked Oil To Help Deter Ticks

Ticks may be tiny, but getting bitten by one poses considerable risks. You may be wary of joining the nearly half a million Americans diagnosed with Lyme disease each year or feel aghast at the thought of never enjoying a steak again due to alpha-gal syndrome (a condition makes people allergic to red meat). Perhaps you have heard you can repel ticks with the simple solution of using geranium essential oil, but not everyone finds this option effective. So, you may want to give an overlooked option like neem oil a try instead.

Maybe you're already familiar with people using neem oil in gardens or on houseplants to treat infestations of unwanted insects. This oil from the seeds of the neem tree (Antelaea azadirachta) is used as a horticultural oil to kill or deter pests, as well as to treat fungal problems on plants. In addition, it serves as an ingredient in many skin care and beauty care products. And of interest to outdoor enthusiasts, neem oil contains compounds that also make it an effective tick deterrent. You could even view it as an alternative to the popular synthetic ingredient, DEET.

There's no denying that DEET is effective at repelling both ticks and mosquitoes. However, some of us prefer to seek out natural alternatives for repelling those tiny and potentially disease-carrying arachnids we encounter in the outdoors. As one of the overlooked but simple ingredients that can help you stay safe from ticks, neem oil is effective due to chemicals such as azadirachtin. It not only repels these and other problematic pests, but can even kill them. However, you should not use this product to remove an embedded tick. Attacking it with oil at that point could trigger a release of disease-causing fluids.

You should also note that this tick repellent has a pungent smell that can make applying it at full strength unappealing. Instead, use it diluted at 1% to 2% in a carrier oil and rub it onto your skin. Neem oil is considered fairly safe for humans, but it shouldn't be used during pregnancy.  It's best to avoid exposing cats to this substance as well. When hiking or camping trips, you should keep it away from bodies of water since it can harm fish and other aquatic life.  There is one more caveat — it can stain fabric. So when applying the product, be careful to avoid getting any on your clothing.