Remedy for Headlice

The rate of human head lice infestations has increased around the world since the 1960s, with hundreds of millions affected each year. While no product or treatment achieves 100 percent efficacy (either destroying all eggs or hatched lice), there are chemical treatments, natural products and home remedies that offer varying degrees of success.

General recommendations

• Take note that whatever method you try, it is recommended that you repeat the procedure again 10 days later, as any eggs not destroyed by the first process will hatch within the next two to nine days.

  Check every family member for lice and treat everyone at the same time. Wash any bedding or clothing used by the infected members of your family and dry them on high heat in the dryer to kill any unhatched eggs. Also, alert the administration at your child's school so that they can advise other children's parents to take precautions against spreading the infestation.

  A final note: if your child's head is infested with lice, most doctors (and therapists) do not recommend shaving your child's head because of the psychological trauma and social stigma that can often accompany the drastic change in appearance that results.

From the doctor and the drugstore

• Western medicine has pioneered a number of efforts for battling head lice. Creams and shampoos containing permethrin (such as Nix) can be obtained without a prescription and are usually recommended as a first treatment for head lice.

  Doctors will typically prescribe a type of medicine known as a pediculide (type of pesticide), including lindane, carbaryl, pyrethrum and pyrethroids. However, many of these have varying degrees of effectiveness, particularly because some strains of head lice have become resistant to these drugs.

  Some doctors may also advise using a silicone oil (such as dimethicone). Applying this lotion to the head will coat and smother the lice, suffocating or dehydrating them. Using a foam (such as Silcap or Oystershell NV) in combination will improve the effectiveness. Avoid getting any of these products in the eyes.

  As a last resort, doctors will occasionally prescribe the pill ivermectin when topical medications do not work. Also, consider using a louse-removing comb (available at most pharmacies) each day to remove any new lice as they hatch.

Natural methods of fighting head lice

• If you lack insurance or can't visit a doctor to obtain a prescription, a number of home remedies might help fight a head lice infestation. Most pharmacies sell specially designed "louse combs" that are made out of metal and have very fine spacing between the teeth of the comb (no more than 0.3 millimeters/0.012 in).

  Apply hair conditioner to the affected scalp and then comb the entire head, starting from the base of the scalp and moving the comb through to the hair ends. Then rinse out the conditioner and repeat the process every one to two days until the head is devoid of lice for 10 days in a row.

  Parents who want to avoid using chemical pesticides or silicone gels can try natural plant oils (aniseed, coconut, neem and tea tree oils), which have shown some promise. Using hot air--either from a hair dryer or a product called the "LouseBuster"--has killed eggs and hatched lice with high efficacy.