We are also investigating whether mosquitoes will remain on the surface coated with hydrophobic liquid even when on human skin. Silicone oil (0.25 mg/cm2) was applied to the exposed part, and an arm was inserted into the box where 50 female mosquitoes were released, and a mosquito accretion test was conducted. As a result, less than 4% of the mosquitoes whose legs touched the exposed part remained for 1s (85% would have if no silicone applied).
It is a new discovery that silicone oil, which is widely used for cosmetics, makes it difficult for mosquitoes to land, and it is believed that it will lead to a repellent technique different from the mechanism of other repellents that repels by the smells that mosquitoes dislike, such as DEET.