Situations when applications are effective :

1. Derfen is an active product containing rare vegetable oils and plants. It has an instant soothing effect and itching will be stopped. Intervals between applications should range from once every other day to once every other week. Do no use it every day but each time you notice signs of itching; use Derfen "when needed".
2. Derfen is also effective as repellent against biting insects (horsefly and spider fly)but not against flies or ticks. If you horse has been bitten by a wasp or a horsefly, apply Derfen directly on the area. The horse will immediatly stop itching. 
3. Another advantage : you do not need to wash your horse prior to another application of Derfen.
4. As far as fungus and ears mange are concerned, Derfen's results are outstanding: area will be cleared up within a few days.
5. Positive results can be noticed the same way if your horse is affected by mud scale. Our only recommendation prior to apply Derfen is to cleanse the sore with a veterinary anti-parasite lotion to eliminate any parasites. The infection will disappear within one week. Then, apply derfen regularly to prevent from recurrence.
6. Derfen is 100% natural ,completely free of cortisone and chemicals. Horse may feel tingled when applying Derfen (very rare though). If so, mix Derfen with vaseline to get a softer lotion.

Situations when Derfen is less effective :

Derfen has an action against itching but all skin irritations are not caused by skin infections

1. Your horse may be rubbing its tail because of internal infection(worm)
2. Persistent itching all over the body can be caused by sweat, especially for horses wearing a blanket
3. Itching during winter (or at low temperatures: around 12°C-53°F) is NOT SSRD even if symptoms are similar.  Indeed, midges CAN'T survive when temperatures are below 12°C.
4. If your horse is rubbing when outside conditions are windy, ask your vet to make blood analysis to find the allergy: it can not come from midges because they can not fly when the wind is too strong. 
5. Other allergies may not be skin but due to internal disorder (sometimes, changing feed can stop itching)
6. Sometimes, horses will always rub a specific area(such as forelock) for no apparent reason; it is just so.  It has become a habit it can not get rid of.

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   To put it in a nutshell, always ask yourself why your horse is rubbing: season, environment, food, allergies, parasitism. If you are using Derfen but you notice very little or no improvement at all, it means the problem is not 100% skin.
   
   On the other hand, if you notice annoying effects(tingles, sensitive skin), it means you are applying too much Derfen. Remember that you must apply Derfen only when needed and you can mix it up with vaseline(to get a softer lotion). Just wait for the lotion to penetrate before putting your horse back in the pasture. 

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   Intervals between 2 applications of Derfen should be 2 days at least; if you see that your horse needs daily applications, it means it is affected by something else than SSRD. In any case, we do not recommend daily applications as they will make the skin very sensitive. A vet should be called out to go for further investigations to find out the other pathology your horse is encountering.