Are deet-containing insect repellents harmful? If you are an outdoors person, you are well acquainted with this decades-long debate. When it became known that in addition to fending off tiny winged bloodsuckers, deet was absorbed through the skin and into your body, many people became concerned. (Note for recyclers: you can recover 10% of what you apply in your urine.)
Well now it's been reported in a recent paper published in the Journal of the American Medical Association that the chemicals in the sunscreen that we slather on each summer are also absorbed into your body.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2733085
There is also an interesting commentary on the medical website, Medscape.
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/913130?src=wnl_tp10n_190607_mscped…
Similar to the situation with deet, the effects of this absorption is anyone's guess. In either case, there are no scary red flags at present, but it does give you something to think about.
Fortunately, there is a convenient alternative to both the bug and sun repellant; just put on a long sleeve shirt, long pants and wide brimmed hat, and keep enjoying your summers outdoors.