|
|
Questions?
Enter keywords in search box below:
|
|
|
Lice Shampoos &
Lotions
-
Medicated hair products for lice -
|
Summary: Medicated lice shampoos and
creme rinses still effectively kill lice when used
properly. Lice eggs (nits) must be removed first
with thorough combing or "nit-picking" with a good
metal comb. New combing aids can help with this
important step.
Jack DeAngelis, PhD
OSU Ext. Entomologist (ret.)
|
|
|
Lice shampoos and
nit-picking
The only way to
effectively control lice is to treat both
active, biting lice
and eggs, or nits.
If either stage is missed the infestation will
continue. Head lice and pubic lice glue their eggs
to hairs (see photo at right) and can be difficult
to remove while body lice lay eggs in clothing. Body
lice eggs are generally eliminated by washing of
clothes alone which is why body lice are relatively
rare in populations that have access to clean
clothes.
The only sure way to
remove head lice eggs is by nit-picking or
combing. Active lice can be killed with a
number of medicated shampoos and rinse treatments
after nits are removed (see shampoos and creme
rinses below). Also, for information about
different types of human lice see Related
Articles below.
|
|
|
Louse nit
(egg) glued to a hair shaft. This is
actually a pubic louse nit but head lice
nits are very similar. Body lice nits are
found in clothing, not attached to hair.
|
|
|
|
|
Nit-combing aids
There are a couple of
products that may help with the most difficult and
most important part of lice control, namely nit-picking.
These products are essentially lubricants that
help to detangle hair and make it slippery so the nit
comb can pass more easily. LiceMD (tm) and RID Lice & Egg Comb Out Gel (tm) are two such
products. LiceMD is a dimethicone-based product
whereas the RID gel is a conventional hair
conditioner. See
our blog
post about nit-combing aids for more information.
Choose a good nit comb
Good nit-combing begins
with a proper comb. Ordinary combs won't work because
the tines, or teeth, are too far apart and too
flexible. Good lice combs have stiff metal tines with
narrow spaces between tines. These combs effectively
remove or crush nits as the comb passes through the
hair. Select a comb with long tines for long hair and
short tines for short hair (see Plastic
vs. Metal Lice Combs).
|
|
|
Lice shampoos &
creme rinses
Lice shampoos like RID
contain pyrethrum and piperonyl butoxide (PBO) that
kill adult lice. Once live lice and nits are carefully
removed by combing these shampoos can provide the
final clean up of remaining lice. Pyrethrum is a
natural product made from extracts of the
chrysanthemum plant. Follow package instructions
carefully.
An alternative to lice
shampoo is a permethrin-based creme rinse like Nix.
Like lice shampoo, creme rinses are used to treat
adult lice but are applied after regular shampooing.
Permethrin is a pyrethroid-type insecticide. There has
been some insecticide resistance to permethrin found
in some populations of head lice. However,
this active ingredient is still very effective in most
situations. Follow package instructions carefully.
|
|
|
Some things to avoid
Don't bother treating
household furnishings with lice sprays. Since lice
can't survive for long off their hosts it may be a
waste of time and money to treat anything other than
hair.
- Never use products
that contain the insecticide lindane.
- Never apply
products for longer than package instructions
say.
- Never wrap hair
when treating.
What about olive oil,
and similar oils?
Oils help condition the
hair and make nit combing easier so may be beneficial.
Any hair conditioner will likely work in a similar way
but will NOT be a substitute for careful and thorough
nit-picking with the proper comb.
Head Lice &
School Kids
What Exactly are
Nits?
What are the Best
Lice Combs?
What are Pubic
Lice & Body Lice?
|
|
|
'Bugs Needs Your Support!
If our information is useful
help us
maintain and grow 'Bugs. Visit our Support
Page or shop at
Amazon, one of our favorite affiliates. Amazon
is not just books and Kindles, they even have bug
stuff!
|
|
|
Don't
forget to bookmark us for next time - press ctrl-D
in most browsers.
|
|
|
|
|
Mission: To
provide accurate, up-to-date and unbiased information
for solving common insect and mite problems around
your home, business and landscape using least-toxic
methods.
Jack DeAngelis,
Ph.D.
Please see the Disclaimer statements as
well.
|
|
|
|
Copyright ©
2004-... LivingWithBugs, LLC. All
rights reserved.
|
