In April, data from the CDC’s Tick Bite Tracker revealed that weekly ER visits for tick bites are higher than usual. With tick season lasting longer in recent years, protecting yourself and preventing bites is key, as tick bites can transmit dangerous illnesses like Lyme disease. As experts have previously told HuffPost, wearing insect repellent is a major, unskippable step for prevention. But if your sensitive skin and nose (or that of your kids) don’t love harsh, chemical sprays, patches like these ones by NatPat can save the day.The big plus of these NatPat TrailPatch tick repellent stickers as an alternative to sprays or creams is that they stick directly to clothing, rather than the skin. This different application method is especially great for children and those with skin sensitivities. The stickers are made with biodegradable bamboo “AromaWeave” fibers, which are infused with geranium, peppermint, thyme and cedarwood oils and use the smells to repel ticks from around the areas where you place the stickers. The brand recommends putting them on hats, near the arms and neck of your shirt, and other spots on your clothes that are close to the skin. (Hopefully you’re also covering up as much exposed skin as possible, as experts recommend.)While the stickers are marketed toward children with cute cartoon designs, there’s nothing stopping adults from using them too, as many adult reviewers have done. Young kids can use one to three, depending on their ages, while two to four should be enough for anyone ages 6 and up.We first heard about NatPat through HuffPost executive editor Kate Palmer, who has used the stickers with her family. “I live in a very tick-prone part of the country, and my family and I spend a lot of time hiking and gardening. So ticks are my enemy number 1,” she said. “I started using these patches on my kids and myself a few years ago, and they have seemingly worked very well for us. I like that it means we don’t have to douse ourselves in spray, and that you can attach them to your socks and clothing rather than your body. They give me a little more confidence to enjoy the outdoors. Checking for ticks is still a good idea once you’re back inside, though!”Other reviewers have called the TrailPatch stickers a “game changer” and “such a lifesaver,” with one writing, “The ticks have been really bad this year and after my kids started wearing these outside I haven’t found any on them. Which is a relief to find something that works!” Parents in particular adore the stickers for ease of use with their children. “No spray to irritate a little nose, no cream to get wiped off ‘accidentally’ so with the patches my little one is blissfully ignorant that he’s wearing a protective suit of armour wherever he goes!” one shopper said. Another called them a “mother’s secret weapon,” adding that they “really do work, I promise.”For protection outdoors, especially if you’ll be in a woodsy area like on a hike, it’s generally recommended to use an EPA-registered insect repellent. That includes ingredients like DEET, picaridin or permethrin, as experts have previously recommended to HuffPost. Admittedly, NatPat’s stickers don’t contain these EPA-registered ingredients. However, they are considered minimum risk-exempt, as their ingredients are considered safe to use by the EPA. As for the effectiveness of these natural ingredients, the research is far more limited — certain essential oils do repel ticks, generally for a shorter amount of time but not always.NatPat is pretty upfront about this, offering a side-by-side chart to show what different insect repellents are best for. If you’re going to be in environments that you know have higher amounts of bugs, you’ll want to follow expert advice and opt for an EPA-registered ingredient like DEET or picaridin that goes directly on the skin. If, however, your skin (or your kids’ skin) is sensitive to those ingredients or you’re just looking for something for daily outdoor activity, these patches can come in handy. In fact, experts previously told HuffPost that many tick bite infections happen just from gardening in the backyard or similar activities.The stickers are “a simple, mess-free ritual that has made our outdoor adventures so much more enjoyable and stress-free,” as one reviewer put it. You can read more promising reviews for these convenient stickers below, or just go ahead and grab a set for your family to stay protected this summer.“I was looking for something that I don’t have to spray on myself or the kids, and this is it! These stickers are all natural, chemical-free, and super easy to use. Plus, they’re very, very effective at keeping ticks away during outdoor activities. A great hassle-free solution for families who want safe bug protection!” — Races“I have been using these all spring when the ticks are very bad. I even put them on my dog for hikes. I have still notice a few ticks here and there but not nearly as many. Also when a tick crawls up my ankle and reaches where I put the sticker it turns around and stays away from the sticker area. They definitely don’t like it” — Victoria“We recently went on an all-day hiking trip and I was amazed that the scent stayed consistent for the full 8 hours we were outside. The airtight ziplock bag is a great touch, it keeps the unused patches fresh for up to a year, so I always have a reliable backup in my backpack. It’s a simple, mess-free ritual that has made our outdoor adventures so much more enjoyable and stress-free.” — Christy Bullock“Planning our family outings used to involve a messy struggle with bug sprays, which my kids always hated. I tried these colorful stickers on their jackets during our last hike, and they stayed on through all the running and climbing. It was a relief to enjoy the trail knowing they were protected without any of the sticky, chemical residue!” — Loren Byers“This product really works. I bought these for our hiking trips during a mountain vacation. We have three girls ages 2, 4, and 6. My 4-year-old refused to keep the sticker on (stubborn, I know), but everyone else, including the adults, wore one. After our first hike, while riding in the car, my oldest said, “Daddy, Emilie has a big one on her head.” Sure enough, it was a tick. She was the only one not wearing a sticker. Safe to say these are now a must-have for all future hikes.” — Tony RoseCheck out these tick removal tools to keep yourself safe, from a list curated by the HuffPost Shopping team:AmazonA trio of removal tools that reviewers say are great for dogsWith a bent needle nose, this tool is designed to get the entire tick, including the head. Use it on dogs, cats, horses and humans for an easy and painless removal. Promising review: "We hike often and spend a decent amount of time outside, so ticks are pretty normal for us. Our pups are vaccinated properly and on preventives, but the ticks are horrible this season and these removal tools have come in so handy! We have had a 100% success rate with this tool, and will not even try to use tweezers again. Definitely recommend keeping these easily accessible during tick season if your pups hang out outside with you!" — Kayla HAmazonA card-style remover that can go in your walletIf you want something that can fit in your waller, this removal tool is about the size of a business card and has a larger notch for removing larger embedded ticks. The design also features a smaller notch for removing juvenile "nymphs" and small deer ticks with a magnifier to better observe the insects (along with bites and irritation). Promising review: "With the multiple ticks I remove from my pets and myself, this has become a very reliable tool!" — Gerard WebbAmazonA trio of bowl-shaped tick removersThe helpful bowl shape makes this tool useful for catching and disposing of ticks after you remove them. Reviews show that the bowl is about the size of a quarter, and the handle helps you reach harder places. Promising review: "I live in the Northeast so I live in Deer Tick country. Having dogs and kids around feel like I'm always taking a tick off of somebody or something this is definitely a great hands-free way of doing it does not hurt no tears the whole tick comes off great product" — Rebecca