Head lice are an itchy embarrassment for children and parents. Reinfestation is a common problem for several reasons, including the difficulty of killing louse eggs, or nits, and the need for properly timed re-treatment. Lice are also becoming resistant to insecticidal preparations, such as pyrethins. Prescription solutions containing malathion are not for use on children younger than 6, and the pesticide lindane is now seldom used because of potentially toxic effects on the brain and nervous system. Scientists have developed some alternative treatments for lice infestation.
Heat
A study conducted at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City compared six methods of hot air treatments on 169 subjects with head lice. Applying heated air to the scalp killed 88 percent of hatched lice in all instances. Only one device, called a LouseBuster, killed nearly 100 percent of eggs. The treatment lasted 30 minutes using air temperatures slightly cooler than an average blow drier, according to the scientists, who published their findings in the November 2006 issue of "Pediatrics." Lice can be eradicated from apparel, bedding and towels by hot water washing or using a clothes dryer on high setting. Alternatively, sealing items in a plastic bag for two weeks ensures they will not cause reinfestation.
Coconut and Essential Oils
The October 2002 "Israel Medical Association Journal" reported that 15 to 20 percent of Israeli children have head lice, due to the lack of effective treatments. The journal published a randomized controlled study conducted by researchers from the Hebrew University Medical School in Jerusalem. In the trial, 119 children were treated either with insecticide spray or coconut oil with added essential oils of anise and ylang ylang. The natural remedy was used every five days for three treatments of 15 minutes each, and the insecticide was applied twice, 10 days apart. A 100 percent success rate was achieved in all cases.
Citronella
Oil of citronella is traditionally used to repel mosquitos and other insects. To test ways to stop lice reinfestation in four Israeli elementary schools, scientists used slow-release citronella on 103 children and placebo on 95 control subjects. Eighty-eight percent of children in the citronella group were still lice-free after two months, while half of the control group was reinfested. Adverse effects included dislike of citronella's odor and slight skin irritation. The study was published in the December 2004 "Israel Medical Association Journal."
Dimeticone
A type of silicone, dimeticone is an ingredient in cosmetic lotions and conditioners that give a silky feel to skin and hair. Brazilian researchers found a 92 percent solution of dimeticone to be highly effective against head lice. The scientists treated 145 children aged 5 to 15 with either dimeticone or a pyrethin solution and moved the kids from a poor neighborhood to a resort hotel for a period of nine days to minimize reinfestation. The study, published in the September 2008 "BMC Infectious Diseases" states that lice are unlikely to develop resistance to dimeticone and that the remedy is safe and has cosmetic appeal.
References
- "Pediatrics," An Effective Nonchemical Treatment for Head Lice: A Lot of Hot Air, Goats BM, et. al., November 2006, 118(5)
- "Israel Medical Association Journal," The In Vivo Pediculicidal Efficacy of a Natural Remedy, Mumcuoglu KY, et. al., October 2002, 4(10)
- "Israel Medical Association Journal," Repellency of citronella for head lice: double-blind randomized trial of efficacy and safety, Mumkuoglu KY, et. al., December 2004, 6(12)
- "BMC Infectious Diseases," A Highly Efficacious Pediculicide Based on Dimeticone: Randomized Observer Blinded Comparative Trial, Heukelbach J., et. al., Sept. 10, 2008, 8
