Ok, after well over a decade of lyme crap, here is my best prevention info:

Herbal:
http://greendragonbotanicals.com/products/lyme-protocols/lb-prevention.html
A wonderful solution! An herbal capsule simple to take when needed, not sticky, smelly or potentially harmful like sprays, and ONLY needs to be taken when you know there's a risk. You don't need to take this all the time to be effective. 
 
Still go the doctor and treatments as you normally would for tick bite or symptoms. However, this herbal preventative really helps ensure you don't become chronic like me. This is a formula very similar to the herbal treatment for lyme but without the stuff you don't need!


Sprays:

DEET is a mosquito repellent - sucks for ticks. Also there seems to be a lot of health reports regarding the safety of it. I've also heard it can remove paint and yellow clothes and equipment.


Permethrin is your best bet for ticks - doesn't repel ticks it just kills them.


Permanone is the equivalent brand name. Its also sold for pet use under Permakill and other names.

It is claimed permethrin will stay on clothing through several washing and dryer cycles. I have no evidence one way or the other to confirm.

Permanone is not approved for human used in all states.

In states where it isn't approved for human use, my experts see no problem using the pet formula Permakill.

*********NOTE!!!!! Permethrin is NOT for skin!!! APPLY TO CLOTHING!!!!!**********
 
Spray on outside of shoes, pants, inside of pants up to knee and wear socks over pant cuff. (sexy, I know - but we've already discussed how “not-sexy” lyme is...) Spray... Let dry.... then put on your clothes.

Permethrin has been studied by the US Army and found effective in reducing the incidence of lyme disease - Fort Dix, NJ

One source for permethrin liquid concentrate (mix 10 ccs in a quart spray bottle):
Bonide Chemical Co
2 Wurz Ave.
Yorkville, NY 13495
315.736.8231
Should still be product #635
They will sell to you if you are willing to buy a case of 12 5oz bottles. It lasts years.

Pyrethrin vs. Permethrin
http://www.ehow.com/about_5510580_py...ermethrin.html


Stress & Personality.  Another tid-bit about lyme..... 

It seems having an intense personality results in a worse and tougher to treat case of lyme.  I have yet to see an exception to this lyme stress hypothesis - in dogs, horses and humans. Unfortunately, I also have yet to see this tested.  Observations on Israeli soldiers found increased susceptibility to drug side effects in combat situations. The blood-brain barrier becomes more permeable when stressed. 
 
Not all stress is bad, but for those who like stress or are going through stressful times (moving, marriage, greif...), your permeability to lyme could be higher.  If correct, this means devastating consequences for treatment success if not handled aggressively enough the first few weeks and months. So, adrenaline junkies, perfectionists, those “won't quit 'til its done” personalities take note! You guys need to be extra safe - don't take any chances.




If you fit this high stress category when you suspect lyme, here's a few things to consider:

Some lyme experts are saying attachment needs to be 24 hours to transmit - my experience (and others I know) indicates this is utterly false. I had tick attachment for less than 9 hrs. I was treated within 3 days of the known bite and within 12 hrs of a bull's eye rash appearing. I am in the high intensity personality category.

Some are getting a one pill doxy dose for a tick bite. I suspect this is fine if there are no symptoms and you are not in the “intense” category. If either is true I'd insist on a longer regimen.

If there is any chance of late discovery of lyme and you are “intense” or in a stressed time in your life, insist on a longer regimen with quinine (or equivalent). See treatment.

Ticks wait on low hanging foliage with long thin leaves such as grasses versus more complicated shaped leaves like a maple leaf. So they aren't dropping from the trees they are low to the ground. They wait with front legs outstreached which are specifically designed to catch on things kinda like velcro.

However shut-ins are also showing up with lyme.  Household pests like mice are being blamed for bringing in the lyme.