You have probably seen for yourself that some people seem to be a magnet for mosquitoes, whereas others hardly get bitten at all. A recent study has revealed that there may actually be a scientific reason for why this is the case.
There are certain chemical compounds which some people have that produce a scent that mosquitoes are attracted to. This scent is not even noticeable to those who have it. This study also suggests that these compounds are a bigger attraction to mosquitoes than a particular blood type.
The study found that this scent is more common in people who produce higher levels of carboxylic acids. This is a compound which helps to keep skin protected and moisturized. Human produce carboxylic acids at a much higher rate than other animals, but the actual amount that is produced can vary widely from person to person. Further study is needed to investigate why carboxylic acid is produced at different levels by different people.
If you are one of those people who have the compounds that mosquitoes like, the bad news is that there is not much you can do about it. Changing your diet will not alter the chemical compounds, and using different grooming products will not have much difference to the scent the mosquitoes can detect.
