How To Stop Skin Irritation From Insecticide-treated Net

If you are experiencing skin irritation from using insecticide-treated mosquito nets, this guide will help you stop the skin irritations and prevent it from reccuring another time.

Mosquito nets
How to stop irritation by mosquito nets

If you are living in malaria endemic zones where mosquitoes are predominant, you must have known about the usefulness of insecticide-treated mosquito nets in preventing mosquito bites and thereafter, malaria. Malaria is a disease caused by Plasmodium species transmitted via the bites of female Anopheles mosquitoes. There are different types of malaria depending on the species of plasmodium involved, namely;

  • Plasmodium falciparum
  • Plasmodium ovale
  • Plasmodium vivax
  • Plasmodium malaria
  • Plasmodium knowlesi

Each of these has different ways and severity of presentation, with the most severe form of malaria caused by P. falciparum.

Malaria has gained significant recognition globally due to its high degree of morbidity and mortality, especially in children and non-immunized adults. It has been said that nearly every minute, a child under five dies of malaria. In 2021, there were 247 million reported malaria cases globally and 619,000 deaths. Of these deaths, 77 percent were children under 5 years of age (that is 409,000 deaths). But the disease is very easily preventable and treatable.[1]Malaria – World Health Organization

Due to the health burden of malaria, especially in Africa, India, and other tropical areas of the world where the disease is endemic, several preventive measures have been discovered for the prevention of the disease. Here, you will see these prevention strategies briefly with emphasis on the insecticide-treated net and its adverse effect of causing skin irritation in many people.

Malaria Prevention Strategies

Malaria is a leading preventable and treatable cause of death among susceptible groups like children under five years, pregnant women, and unimmunized migrants who migrate to malaria-endemic zones. Hence, its prevention and treatment have been prioritized by public health organizations and agencies, including the World Health Organization.[2]Malaria Worldwide – Impact of Malaria | CDC

Some prevention strategies for malaria include;

  1. Use of mosquito nets when sleeping in places where malaria is common
  2. Use of malaria prophylaxis drugs
  3. Coils, vaporizers, and insecticidal sprays
  4. Use of mosquito repellents containing DEET, IR3535, or Icaridin) after dusk.
  5. Protective clothing.
  6. Recently, the malaria vaccine (RTS,S/AS01 vaccine) was made available for children living in regions with moderate to high P. falciparum malaria transmission.[3]Malaria – World Health Organization

Of these preventive strategies, the use of insecticide-treated mosquito nets is the cheapest, the most available, and it is equally very effective in preventing malaria infection among vulnerable groups like children, adults, and pregnant women in malaria-endemic regions.

However, it has a commonly reported side effect of causing skin irritation or a burning sensation when some people make skin contact with it while sleeping. Despite its effectiveness, this side effect of causing a burning skin sensation has deterred many people from using one in their bedrooms.

Why Do Mosquito Nets Causing Skin Irritation?

I just stated that mosquito nets cause skin irritation in most people who use them. You might be one of such people or you know someone who might be experiencing a burning sensation while we speak, after sleeping under the mosquito net. Here is what happens.

Mosquito nets offer a protective physical barrier against mosquitos by preventing them from coming in contact with your body to take a blood meal and transmit Plasmodium. In addition to this physical barrier, it is conventional to incorporate anti-mosquito insecticides known as pyrethroids, into the mosquito nets. This is what has been attributed to be the cause of the skin irritation or burning sensation you might experience when you sleep under the mosquito net.

Pyrethroids are a set of organic compounds with a basic cyclopropane carboxylic ester structure. This basic molecule can be modified to carry different side chains to enhance efficacy and effectiveness. However, these all perform their functions through the same mechanism of blocking sodium nerve channels resulting in paraesthesia, or what you may describe as a burning sensation or skin irritation.[4]Safety of pyrethroid-treated mosquito nets – PubMed

Permethrin, allethrin, deltamethrin, and cypermethrin are examples of pyrethroids. These are used in tropical countries where malaria is common. Mosquito nets are commonly treated by soaking them in deltamethrin as part of malaria prevention strategies.

Pyrethroids act by delaying the closure of voltage-gated sodium channels in both mammals and insects, but because insects have increased sodium channel sensitivity, smaller body size, and lower body temperature, pyrethroids are about 2250 times more toxic to insects than humans.[5]Poisoning due to pyrethroids – PubMed

Mammals, including humans, are protected from the effects of pyrethroids especially in low concentrations, because of poor absorption through the skin and rapid metabolism to non-toxic metabolites. But in commercial preparations, pyrethroids may be complexed with chemicals that make them last longer without being degraded easily. This can increase their toxicity on the skin when contacted, and cause the typical skin irritation or paraesthesia when some people use the insecticide-treated net.[6]Poisoning due to pyrethroids – PubMed

How to stop skin irritation (burning sensation) from insecticide-treated mosquito nets

If you are experiencing skin irritation after sleeping under mosquito nets at night, chances are that you had moved your skin to touch the mosquito net while sleeping. Mosquito nets with high concentrations of pyrethroid insecticides tend to produce more skin irritation than those with little or no pyrethroid insecticides.

Here are some tips to stop the feeling of skin irritation experienced following sleeping under the mosquito net.

1. Identify the true cause

People do not react the same way to pyrethroids when they come in contact with it. The properties of your skin can influence how much of the skin-burning experience you have after making contact with the insecticide-impregnated net, such that everyone would not experience the skin irritation equally.

The first thing to do when you notice a burning skin sensation is to confirm that nothing else could have been responsible for it. Insecticide-treated nets can cause this type of skin irritation but they are not the only things that do. So, it is important to cast your mind on other things you may have come in contact with in order to exclude them as the possible cause(s) of your skin irritation.

If you experience the skin sensation persistently upon waking up from your mosquito-netted bed every morning, this could point out to the net as the true cause of the skin irritation you are experiencing.

2. Wash off with soap and water

It is common practice to wash off any contaminant that comes in contact with our skin. Washing off with soap and clean water can help remove most contaminants from the skin.

In the case of pyrethroids, they do not produce immediate effects. It takes a few seconds to minutes before you may start experiencing skin irritation. This paraesthesia usually resolves spontaneously within 12-24 hours and specific treatment is not generally required but topical application of dl-alpha tocopherol acetate (Vitamin E) may reduce their severity. However, the application of water may worsen sensory skin irritation caused by pyrethroids.

The face is the most commonly affected part of the body. This is because it is often bare while sleeping, it has large pores that favour absorption into the skin, and it is most likely to move to come in contact with the insecticide-impregnated net during sleep. Following exposure and paraesthesis, sensory stimulation like heat, sunlight, scratching, or sweating can exacerbate skin irritation, including the application of water as previously noted.

Washing with water may not be very effective in reducing or relieving skin irritation but it may be a necessary first step to wash off the area with soap and water.

3. Apply natural oils or vitamin E

In my own experience, using water to wash off the insecticide from the skin does not do so much help but applying oils does. For example, when experiencing skin irritation from mosquito net insecticide, apply olive oil or palm oil on the affected area and leave for some (20-40) minutes. Thereafter, wash off with soap and water. Applying oils to the area can give you some immediate relief from the action of the pyrethroids.

Natural oils are a good medium for dissolving organic chemicals like pyrethroids. Hence, they may help adsorb it from your skin and make it easy to wash off with soap and water. Also, natural oils are rich in vitamin E and other antioxidants. This help to detoxify the chemicals and provide immediate relief to your skin.

If you have access to a Vitamin E cream, applying it on the affected area can also be very helpful in stopping skin irritation caused by mosquito nets. Vitamin E is a potent anti-oxidant, and these creams are commercially available in the market in case you want to buy them for future purposes.

Applying oils and vitamin E to the skin area where you are experiencing skin irritation is not such a hard thing. Ensure the area is dry, then apply your cream or oil and leave for about 20-40 minutes. Then wash off and wipe dry with a clean cloth.

Prevention of contact with pyrethroids is key

We cannot talk about how to stop skin irritation from mosquito nets if we don’t also mention how to prevent them in the first place. We are now aware that the burning skin sensation noticed after using a mosquito net is caused by skin contact with the pyrethroids. It is therefore important that you prevent contact with high concentrations of pyrethroids as much as possible. Here are some ways to achieve that.

1. Follow the manufacturer’s pre-installation instructions

To reduce contact with the toxic chemical impregnated in mosquito nets, manufacturers often advise users to air-dry the mosquito net for 24 to 48 hours after removing it from the bag. This is to ensure that the chemicals dry completely on the net before use, as moisture can increase how much of it comes in contact with your skin.

Air-drying for up to 4 days may be necessary to prevent skin irritation from mosquito nets particularly if you need more time to dry it properly.

2. Cover your body completely while sleeping

By wearing a full-body cloth or sleeping pyjamas, you effectively reduce the amount of skin area available for contacting pyrethroids on the mosquito net. The mechanism is simple and straightforward. You are simply preventing contact with the toxic chemicals on the mosquito nets that cause burning skin reactions or paraesthesia.

You can also devise other means to prevent contact with the insecticide on the net. Ensure that there is large enough space inside the mosquito net to allow you to roll as desired without coming in contact with the net. This is possible if you opt for a large-sized mosquito net. If you have a small-sized net, you can create demarcations with pillows to prevent you from rolling too to make contact with the mosquito net.

3. Use untreated mosquito net

Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) provide the most protection against mosquito nets when properly used. This is because they provide a physical barrier against mosquitoes, as well as chemically kill them when they inadvertently land on the net. Remember, the toxicity of the pyrethroids on the mosquito is far greater on insects and mosquitoes than on humans.

Even though pyrethroid-impregnated nets provide good protection, untreated nets also provide modest and adequate protection against mosquitoes and malaria when properly used. Proper use of these insecticides entails that you avoid creating openings through which mosquitoes can fly into your net chamber. When they gain entry into the inside of the net, they can land on your skin and infect you with plasmodium while taking a blood meal.

Final words

Many people who use insecticide-treated nets report having experienced skin irritation as a result of their use, but maybe a few others might not, even following prolonged contact with insecticide-treated nets. This could be due to differences in their skin thickness or method of use. The exact reasons for these differences are unknown but most people I have encountered using the mosquito nets reported to have experienced the skin sensations.

The burning skin irritation can resolve on its own within 12-24 hours, in most cases, within 30 minutes to 3 hours but the feeling can be very distressing. Thus, it becomes important to look for an intervention that can help stop skin irritations caused by pyrethroids or reduce the duration.

This guide offered you practical ways to stop skin irritation experienced after using an ITN and to prevent such skin irritations from occurring in the first place. I hope this was helpful.

I am a medical doctor, a seasoned writer and passionate blogger. Thanks to many years of trials, failure, and near successes. I am the founder of Knowseeker and our content are geared towards enlightening and making you a better and happier audience.

6 thoughts on “How To Stop Skin Irritation From Insecticide-treated Net”

  1. Nice write up but I think this has happened to me since childhood, anytime I use this type of net I’ll feel that hot spice burning in my face like right now since I woke up by 10am. It’s now 12pm n burning. Can’t seem to find a cure

    Reply
    • Hello, Succesful

      I’m so sorry to hear that. If you tried any of the above tips, it might help. However, the reactions should stop any moment.
      Sorry about the whole thing.

      Reply
  2. Good job @author what works almost instantly for me was an activated charcoal mixed with little palm oil applied on the area. Itching stops few minutes later following a hot sensation.

    Reply
  3. I got into contact with a treated mosquito net but I tell u this is one worst skin irritant ever I feel like am on fire already and I can’t access the creams at this time 😭

    Reply

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