“Does my blood taste good?”…Some people get bitten by mosquitoes a lot, is this the reason?

Today, the whole country will be mostly cloudy, with heavy rain centered in the central region. According to the Korea Meteorological Administration, the lowest temperature this morning will be 22 to 26 degrees, and the highest temperature during the day will be 25 to 31 degrees. The concentration of fine dust is expected to be at a ‘good’ level nationwide.

Today’s Health= Mosquito bites not only cause redness and swelling, but also cause discomfort by tickling for a long time. The unique ‘hic~’ sound of mosquitoes can also cause sleeplessness and stress. There are some people who are particularly easily bitten by mosquitoes, which are annoying in many ways. Even when several people are in the same space, only one person gets bitten by mosquitoes. Is there a smell that mosquitoes like?

Mosquitoes detect carbon dioxide exhaled by humans or animals when they breathe to find a target to suck blood from. They also find people by smelling sweat or secretions. Therefore, people with active metabolisms tend to emit a lot of carbon dioxide, making them easy targets for mosquitoes. Large or obese people typically emit a lot of carbon dioxide.

Pregnant women carrying a fetus in their womb also have increased metabolic activity. The fact that they secrete more than usual during pregnancy is also a reason why mosquitoes are more likely to bite them. Children in their growing years are also more active and have a high metabolism, so they are easily bitten by mosquitoes. The same goes for people who drink a lot of alcohol. When alcohol is broken down, a lot of metabolites are released from the body, which can stimulate mosquitoes.

If you don’t sweat much but still get bitten by mosquitoes, check to see if you wear clothes of a certain color often. Mosquitoes react well to red and black. In 2022, researchers at the University of Washington in the United States announced the colors mosquitoes prefer in the international academic journal Nature Communications. The researchers conducted an experiment where they painted dots of various colors on the ground and observed the mosquitoes’ reactions. As a result, mosquitoes reacted a lot to red, orange, black, and turquoise. On the other hand, they seemed to continuously ignore green, blue, and purple even though they were visible.

To avoid mosquitoes, avoid wearing red and black clothes and wear bright-colored clothes such as yellow. It is essential to shower on days when you sweat a lot. Mosquitoes react well to the smell of lactic acid, ammonia, and acetone, etc., chemical compounds from the human body, even from 1m away. It is also good to use products with scents that mosquitoes do not prefer when showering. Mosquitoes avoid eucalyptus, rosemary, tea tree, and coconut scents.

There is also a way to apply repellent to your skin when going out. Repellents do not have the effect of directly killing mosquitoes, but they are products that block access using ingredients that mosquitoes dislike. However, you should be careful about the age of use depending on the type or concentration of the ingredient. Products with 10-30% diethyltoluamide can be used from 12 years of age or older. The acaridine ingredient should not be used on infants under 6 months of age. The paramenthane ingredient can be used from 4 years of age or older. It is also important to wash off the repellent properly after returning home.