Dengue Defender is simply the safest mosquito repellent that we know of that is commercially available to date (2014).
We say this for several reasons:

1. Dengue Defender's actives are a natural in a unique complex (thiamine is a vitamin and vanilla is what you know from the ice cream flavour).
2. Our actives are pharmaceutical grade (highest industry standard of purity) with Dengue Defender made under stringent pharmacy conditions.
3. Dengue Defender is water-based. Being free from alcohol avoids any stinging sensation or dehydrating effect on the skin.
4. Dengue Defender is DEET-free. DEET at high concentrations is recognized as the most effective insect repelling agent but can be harmful to human skin if used extensively over a long period even at low concentrations.
5. Dengue Defender is free of essential oils. While we recognize the value of different essential oils like lemon grass, eucalyptus, geranium, citronella, lavender, peppermint as having various studies to back their effective and natural use in an insect repellent, any essential oil insect repellent can also cause a stinging sensation to certain skin types, requires care to avoid mucous membranes like the eyes and lips, is usually dehydrating to the skin in the long-term and likely should not be used on the very young.
6. Dengue Defender is protected with 2 different parabens that are antimicrobial. Parabens have a long history of safe and effective use in pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and related preparations. When you use Dengue Defender on your skin, these parabens also exert their antibacterial and antifungal effects to ward off skin infections. We are also confident when we say Dengue Defender preserves itself in opened bottles through it's full shelf-life. Insect repellents that don't use parabens either use less strong preservatives or don't have anything that preserves the formulation. It's difficult to ascertain firstly how well such insect repellents would work with time once opened and how safe those formulations are in terms of introducing contaminants to your skin.

Dengue Defender is so safe that you can even eat it! (We've tried it ourselves). Dengue Defender is not meant to be ingested but in the event that young ones accidentally spray it into the mouth, you can rest assured that it won't cause them any harm.

The active ingredient in most chemical-based mosquito repellents is DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide), developed by the US military in the 1940s. This powerful chemical is absorbed readily into the skin, and should be used with caution. Common side-effects to DEET-based products include rash, swelling, itching and eye-irritation. often due to over-application. If you need a DEET-based repellent in relation to your specific lifestyle/activity, for safer use, consider the following:

• Repellents used on children should contain no more than 10% DEET. Parents should assist children in applying DEET-based products.
• Lotions can be applied more effectively than sprays. Only a thin layer should be used.
• Be careful to avoid areas near the eyes or mouth.
• Wash skin exposed to DEET after coming in from mosquito areas.
• Minimize exposed skin areas by wearing long-sleeved shirts and long pants, if possible.

Recent research suggests that DEET products, used sparingly for brief periods, are relatively safe. Other research points to toxic encephalopathy associated with use of DEET insect repellents. DEET should not be used in combination with sun-screen whether available in single products or applied separately because DEET is not meant to be reapplied often.

Essential oils have a variety of positive use in insect repellents. Oils from natural plants that have studies backing their use in insect repellents include lemongrass, eucalyptus, peppermint, lavender, citronella and geranium among others. Having such plants around in your home or garden is a simple way of warding off mosquitoes. The aromas that these plants produce also give the environment pleasant scents and an uplifting feel with mood modulating effects.

Essential oils are volatile in nature usually with formulations having actives that evaporate fairly quickly. This results in an invisible layer of warding on a wearer that dissipates quickly too. Such repellent bottles upon opening should not be kept too long in exposed conditions as the repellency of the remaining bottle content reduces quickly.

Essential oils are also often formulated in oil or alcohol. The oil aspect can leave a greasy feel on the skin which is particularly unpleasant in hot humid climates especially after the desired repellency period has passed. Formulations that have alcohol are dehydrating to the skin if used over a long period of time. Using a moisturiser regularly with any long-term alcohol-based skin products is a prudent way of maintaining healthy skin.

Importantly, alcohol-based formulations and essential oils themselves can cause a stinging sensation to sensitive skin and should never be applied to mucous membranes like the lips or eyes. Avoid also with those too young to manage appropriate application and prevent toxicity.

Yes, if your pet is a mosquito magnet, it can benefit from protection with Dengue Defender. Dengue Defender's ingredients are formulated for safe long-term use with the whole family and that includes common domestic pets like dogs and cats. For use with your pet, spray Dengue Defender liberally to external skin/fur. Avoid spraying near the eyes, nose or mouth of your pet. While harmless even if your pet licks or sniffs body areas with Dengue Defender, it may be irritated to be sprayed on/near the face.

When applied based on the label externally to intact skin that may be exposed to mosquitoes, the Dengue Defender formulation is safe for use throughout the stages of pregnancy from the best available scientific data that we have. When we started formulating and fine tuning the Dengue Defender, it was with long-term safety of the product in mind throughout family lifecycles. We've analysed each ingredient's safety data along with combinations and concluded on the safe use of our formulation in pregnancy.

We haven't found any age restrictions for use of Dengue Defender in the young when applied based on our label. Our ingredients and formulation components are in the same tier as those of the top global baby product companies. For infants and toddlers, please remember that an adult should apply Dengue Defender for them. Our formulation is safe even if they accidentally consume a little by mouth.

When a new bottle of Dengue Defender is first opened, the pump mechanism needs to be primed (the top pressed a few times) during which time spray may not come out. This is normal. After 3-4 presses, the pump becomes active and you should see the first spray. Subsequently just spray the desired content externally onto intact skin or clothing that could be exposed to mosquitoes in relation to your specific activities and attire. If not sprayed directly onto the body, Dengue Defender can also be first sprayed onto the palms of your hands and hence applied from your hands to the desired skin areas. A thin layer that you can feel on your skin upon application is usually sufficient to provide effect. If an opened bottle has not been used for some time, the pump mechanism may need to be primed again. This is normal.

If you are applying Dengue Defender to a young one, the same process can be followed. For sensitive areas closer to the eyes, mouth or broken skin, first spray Dengue Defender onto your palms and spread onto the intact external skin of your child to better avoid accidental exposure into eyes, mouth or broken skin.

If you are applying Dengue Defender to a pet, spray across the fur coat over the body from tail to paws. If you look to apply to the animal's face or ears, it is prudent to spray onto your palms first then spread onto the desired areas of your pet's head, thereby better avoiding spraying into it's eyes or mouth.

Dengue Defender is meant to be applied/sprayed externally to intact skin or clothing that could be exposed to mosquitoes based on the nature of your intended activities and associated attire. If you wear socks and shoes on going out for example, you would not need to spray the feet. If you are clothed out and about wearing slippers in your neighbourhood or garden in a tropical environment associated with insects, it is useful to apply to all exposed areas of intact skin including feet/hands/arms/legs/neck/face and to your clothing if it is thin.

If you desire household protection, it can be prudent to spray Dengue Defender regularly onto areas of windows, doors and other openings that can otherwise allow mosquitoes into your home.

A thin layer that you can feel on your skin upon application is usually sufficient to provide effect. The vanilla smell can also be an indicator of how much to apply especially if you spray on clothing. When you can smell it on the site of application/spray, there is usually sufficient current repellency effect.

Dengue Defender is recommended for household and travel use whenever you or family may be exposed to mosquitoes, especially when outdoors in unprotected urban or semi-rural environments over short periods between 1-4 hours. If you anticipate going into the wilderness or exposure to aggressive mosquito species and related seasonal swarms of insects that you may not be fully aware of, there are specific actives and higher concentrations of such including DEET, picaridin and IR3535 that may be better suited to ward off mosquitoes in one-off situations. Consult a travel or related healthcare specialist for the best advice in such instances.

A single application of Dengue Defender is expected to last 1-4 hours depending on the nature of activities that you engage in and the environment you are in. If you expect to sweat a lot or are exposed to hotter environments, a single application of Dengue Defender may last for a shorter duration and require re-application sooner and more often to maintain effect. Please note that if you swim or get wet by rain or shower, Dengue Defender can be washed off with significant/complete loss of effect and requires reapplication for repellency to take effect again.

All the ingredients in Dengue Defender can be found naturally in plant sources. Some of our ingredients are manufactured identical forms of the natural forms simply for purity purposes to ensure quality control in getting the best uncontaminated raw materials.

Yes, all raw materials are not from animal sources and the Dengue Defender is a Vegan product.

Our qualified stand on this is ‘no' for several reasons. Methylparaben is completely biodegradable. We formulated Dengue Defender with methylparaben because of it's superior antimicrobial capability in protecting the formulation and track record of safe use in pharmaceuticals and cosmetics for the longest time without any global regulatory agency concern. Dengue Defender is further meant for topical use to intact skin or clothing that could be exposed to mosquitoes.

Background information on methylparaben (Source: Drugs.com)

Methylparaben has been used as a preservative in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries for over 50 years. It is also found naturally along with other parabens in honeysuckle, blueberries, carrots, olives and strawberries where it has antimicrobial activity in low levels. Methylparaben is completely absorbed through the skin or after ingestion, is hydrolyzed to para-hydroxybenzoic acid, with metabolites rapidly excreted in the urine. There is no evidence of accumulation. It is on the US FDA generally regarded as safe list. Acute toxicity studies in animals indicate that methylparaben is practically non-toxic by both oral and injectable routes. It has not been shown to be teratogenic, carcinogenic, mutagenic or embryotoxic.

It does not appear to be irritating when used topically, although some people may show cross-sensitivity if allergic to local anesthetics that are metabolized to para-aminobenzoic acid. Cases of local contact dermatitis have been reported.[1][2][3] There is no evidence of any health concern with low-level topical use of methylparaben despite various health links to parabens being postulated. The Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) reviewed the safety of methylparaben, propylparaben, and butylparaben in 1984 and concluded they were safe for use in cosmetic products at levels up to 25%. Typically parabens are used at levels ranging from 0.01 to 0.3%.[4] In the event that paraben-containing cosmetics or related products are used in combination, the average exposure does not reach even 1%.

1. US Department of Labor. OSHA. Safety and Health Topics. Methylparaben. Accessed 8/17/2012
2. FDA's SCOGS database; methylparaben; SCOGS-Report Number: 8; Accessed 8/17/2012.
3. Soni MG, Taylor SL, Greenberg NA, et al. Evaluation of the health aspects of methyl paraben: a review of the published literature. Food Chem. Toxicol. 40:1335-73. Accessed 8/17/2012
4. US Food and Drug Administration. Cosmetics. Parabens. Accessed 8/19/2012.

Yes, we currently produce in 100ml bottles that can be brought on airplanes or any other transport and used effectively at travel destinations.

Dengue Defender customers at our site can use their email address upon online purchase of Dengue Defender for verification at our site and hence access our live chat support to ask related questions whenever we have our qualified advisors on hand. We instituted this service as a means of better protecting our online Dengue Defender customers without overwhelming our healthcare advisors hence our live chat is only available to our online customers. If you have any burning questions as a visitor to our site, we're happy to help by email or our contact us form.

While Dengue Defender can be used in a wide variety of settings to repel mosquitoes, it is best suited for household and travel use in urban and semi-rural environments where mosquitoes may breed and bite. The overall altitude, climatic temperature and level of humidity have little impact on the label effectiveness and duration of effect of Dengue Defender. Seasonal rains and monsoons in many parts of SouthEast Asia however during different times of the year can wash off Dengue Defender especially if you are caught in a rainy storm and drenched.

The expiry date of an unopened bottle is usually 1 year from the point of manufacture and indicated on the bottle. We know from experience that the formulation actually lasts longer but we state this tested duration to ensure you always have a safe and effective product when you need it.
The shelf-life of an opened bottle remains as the expiry date provided you store and use the spray according to the label and do not open up or dismantle the bottle spray mechanism.

When unopened and once opened, a Dengue Defender bottle should preferably be stored in a cool (2 to 25 degC), dry place. Even if you bring your Dengue Defender bottle around with you or expose it to reasonable climatic variations in SouthEast Asia, it does not lose it's effectiveness. If you open the bottle spray mechanism for any reason, it may result in less product (due to evaporation).

Dengue Defender can be purchased on our website, through which we will ship the product to your indicated address internationally.

Dengue Defender is also currently available in select pharmacies, clinics, supermarket chains and neighbourhood stores while increasingly available by retail throughout SouthEast Asia.

If you are a retail establishment interested in carrying Dengue Defender, we'd love to hear from you.

If you are a distributor and look to represent Dengue Defender in any territory beyond SouthEast Asia, we'd love to hear from you too.

Dengue Defender is made affordable and comparable if not lower in price to similar mosquito repellents in local settings across SouthEast Asia.

For online purchase at our site, we provide volume discounts along with accessories that give you even more convenience of use and cost-effective solutions to keep mozzies away through a wide array of daily activities.

Dengue Defender has been tested on mosquitoes and repels all species of mosquitoes when used according to the label. The actives in the formulation disrupt mosquito receptors for sensing hosts.

Specific informal assessments also indicate the formulation's ability to disrupt ant formations and foraging in household environments.

Dengue Defender is likely to repel a host of other biting insects although we haven't tested for it yet. We will be elaborating further as we initiate, conduct and get test data to update.

There are several explanations that can help you understand why you may still get the occasional bite.

There are numerous biting insects in any conducive environment and it may be that you were bitten by an insect other than a mosquito.

You may have gotten into close proximity of a reproductively-aggressive female mosquito prior to Dengue Defender application.

The effective repellency range of Dengue Defender can be reduced and even negated if you use specific perfumes, cosmetics, hair products and related toiletries that attract mosquitoes. For example, octenol in many cosmetics mimics human breath carbon dioxide and is a strong mosquito attractant.

Mosquitoes have 3 main sensory systems that detect carbon dioxide, lactic acid and the heat signature of potential hosts. Your breath, skin and level of activity result in specific chemical signature trails of carbon dioxide and lactic acid that are tell-tale signs for mosquitoes to latch onto from afar. Dengue Defender actively confuses the chemical-related sensors of the mosquito. Nevertheless if a female mosquito is too close to your immediate area, it may still discover your heat signature and try it's luck for a bite or work out that the heat signature alone matches a potential host.

We've correlated from our studies that with most people, for every mosquito that gets close enough for a bite, at least 20 to 100 other mosquitoes within the repellency range and vicinity of a Dengue Defender user would have moved elsewhere or settled on another potential host nearby.

A small group of people will attract mosquitoes despite the best use of Dengue Defender (these people are mosquito magnets) simply because of their unique ‘irresistable' chemical signature that may still pervade through most repellent zones. In such instances it's advisable to try different mosquito repellents and higher concentrations of actives to find the best short-term masking agent (the downside is often the harmfulness with long-term use or repeated applications)

Within our AmberShield portfolio, look out for additional armourment soon to complement Dengue Defender.