(506) 755-3335 St. George Pharmacy Info-Sheets September/October 2010

Head Lice: Myths, Facts and Proper Treatment

Overview

Head lice are tiny (2-4 mm) wingless insects that live on the scalp

Adult lice can live for up to 30 days on a person’s head, but die within 3 days if away from the scalp

Head lice do not spread disease, and are not caused by poor hygiene or having hair that is not clean

Lice are spread by direct hair-to-hair contact or by sharing hats, combs, brushes, headphones, etc.

Head lice are not spread by pets, and cannot hop or fly

Head lice are very common among school-age children and children attending day care

Treating lice is simple, and very effective if done properly

How to Check for Head Lice

One of the first signs of head lice is an itchy scalp o An itchy scalp does not guarantee a case of head lice

Part the hair in small sections by hand or with a nit comb and look closely at the scalp o Especially the bottom of the neck and behind the ears

Look for live lice and/or nits (lice eggs) o Nits resemble shiny grains of sand attached to hairs near the scalp; live lice look like tiny grains of rice

Available Treatments

Products Active ingredient How it works How to apply Note Nix Kwellada

Permethrin Acts as a neurotoxin to kill lice (insecticide)

Wash hair, towel dry, then apply cream and leave in for 10 minutes Rinse with cool water Repeat in 7-10 days

May cause some mild itching and burning Approved for use in children as young as 2 months of age

R&C Shampoo

Pyrethrin Acts as a neurotoxin to kill lice (insecticide), made from chrysanthemum extracts

Apply to dry hair and leave in for 10 minutes Then add a small amount of water to create a lather Rinse with cool water Repeat in 7-10 days

May cause some mild itching and burning Avoid if history of ragweed allergy Not recommended for children under 2 years of age

Resultz Isopropyl Myristate Breaks down the outer skeleton of the lice causing them to dehydrate and die

Apply to dry hair and leave in for 10 minutes Rinse with warm water Repeat in 7 days

May cause some mild itching and burning Not recommended for children under 4 years of age

Zap Coconut & Anise Oils

Blocks the airways of lice causing them to smother, dehydrate and die

Spray the lotion onto dry hair Massage and leave in for at least 15 minutes Wash hair with regular shampoo Repeat in 9 days

This is a new product with few trials to show how truly safe or effective it is Not recommended for children under 2 years of age

Remember...

Do not start treatment until you have detected live lice

Do not leave shampoos, rinses, etc. in for longer than recommended as they may irritate the scalp

Rinse products off away from the body to prevent irritation of sensitive skin

Repeating a treatment kills the remaining nits that hatch into lice; treatments only kill live lice, not nits

Wash hats, pillowcase, etc. in hot water and dry in a hot dryer for at least 15 minutes

Store items that cannot be washed in an airtight plastic bag for 2 weeks

‘Home remedies’ such as tea tree oil, mayonnaise, petroleum jelly, olive oil, vinegar, kerosene, etc. have not been proven to prevent or treat head lice and are not recommended

Always ask your pharmacist or another health care professional to help select an appropriate treatment