Ahead of grave visits and outings during the Chuseok holiday, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety urged consumers not to mistake scented mosquito bracelets and stickers sold on the market for quasi-drug mosquito and tick repellents. Not a single bracelet- or sticker-type product is among the quasi-drug repellents currently approved by the ministry.
The ministry on the 22nd issued guidance on how to choose and use mosquito and tick repellents properly, as outdoor activity increases over the Chuseok holiday. Quasi-drug repellents are products that block or drive away mosquitoes and ticks approaching a person.
When buying a product, consumers should check whether the container or packaging carries the "quasi-drug" label and look up its approval or notification status on the ministry's Drug Safety Country database. Scented bracelets and stickers are general manufactured goods and differ from repellents approved by the ministry.
When using repellents on children or infants, the minimum age for each active ingredient must be checked. Products containing diethyltoluamide (DEET) at 10% or less can be used from six months of age, while products with more than 10% and up to 30% can be used only on those aged 12 and older. Icaridin cannot be used on infants under six months, and use of IR3535 on infants under six months requires consultation with a doctor. Para-menthane-3,8-diol can be used from age four.
Application method also requires care. Repellents can be sprayed or applied in a thin layer on exposed skin such as arms, legs and the neck, or on clothing, socks and shoes. They should not be sprayed directly on the face; instead, the product should be poured onto the hands and applied while avoiding the area around the eyes and mouth. Because children frequently touch their eyes and mouth with their hands, guardians are advised to pour the product onto their own hands first and apply it to the child's skin.
The repellent effect generally lasts about four to five hours per application. Using more than necessary or repeatedly applying the product over long periods can cause allergic or hypersensitivity reactions, so additional application within four hours should be avoided. After returning indoors, skin treated with repellent should be washed with soap and water, and clothing and socks should be laundered before being worn again. It is safer not to apply repellents to wounds or inflamed areas, mucous membranes around the eyes and mouth, or skin reddened by sun exposure.
The ministry urged consumers to check a product's active ingredients and permitted age range before choosing a repellent suited to the user, and not to buy unapproved products in the mistaken belief that they are mosquito and tick repellents.
