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If you have ever felt like mosquitoes seem more drawn to you than the people around you, well, it’s possible that they actually are.
Dermatologist Lindsey Zubritsky, @dermguru on TikTok, recently explained some of the reasons why.
Dr. Zubritsky begins by explaining that you may be more attractive to the blood-sucking bugs based simply on your blood type.
“Mosquitoes tend to find that people with blood type O are way tastier than any of the other blood types.
“Another thing, mosquitoes are attracted to carbon dioxide. The heavier you breathe, the more attractive you’re going to be. People who are larger or more obese tend to breathe more often and breathe more carbon dioxide, and therefore are more attractive to mosquitoes.
“The color of clothing you wear may determine whether or not you get bit,” Dr. Zubritsky continued.
“Darker colors like black and green are easier for the mosquitoes to spot, so if you want to avoid getting bit up, try wearing a lighter color like white.”
@dermguru Part ✌️ ♬ Quirky – Oleg Kirilkov
In a another TikTok video, Dr. Zubritsky shared even more reasons why some people get bit more often by the annoying insects than others.
“Mosquitoes are attracted to sweat and people who have a higher temperature. [They] are particularly attracted to things like ammonia, uric acid, lactic acid, and so people who exercise quite a bit are more likely to get bit by mosquitoes.
“Other things that can make you more susceptible to mosquito bites is drinking a beer. The study found that just drinking one 12 ounce can of beer can make you more attractive to mosquitoes.”
And, finally, the grossest reason why those nasty blood suckers are attracted to certain people…
“The type and the number of bacteria that live on our skin can make us more or less attractive to mosquitoes. That also explains why we are more likely to get bit on the ankles because there are more robust bacterial colonies in those areas,” she explained.
@dermguru But seriously mosquito bites are THE WORST. I swear they love me #mosquito #dermtok ♬ Quirky – Oleg Kirilkov
For an even more scientific explanation about why mosquitoes bite some people more than others, a research paper was published on the subject last year that you can read about here.