Solutions for Head Lice & Nits

When a child complains of an itchy scalp, he should be checked for head lice. These blood-sucking, parasitic insects more frequently affect children than adults. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that in the United States alone, 6 to 12 million children aged three to 11 years get head lice each year. There are many solutions for head lice infestation, whether you prefer to use medicated treatments or natural remedies.

Physical Removal

• The National Pediculosis Foundation recommends physical removal as the frontline treatment for lice infestations. A special type of fine-toothed comb is used, and combing is repeated daily until no more nits or lice are found. According to the CDC, flea combs for cats and dogs can also be used. Regular checking and combing is advised for two to three weeks afterward, since it takes six to eight days for lice to hatch. For children under two, this is the preferred method of treatment, though in others, this treatment is best used in conjunction with other remedies.

Non-Prescription Medications

• Some chemicals that kill lice are available without a prescription. Over-the-counter pediculicides contain pyrethrin or permethrin, which is a synthetic variant of pyrethrin. These chemicals kill adult lice but not their eggs. Some types of lice found in the United States, Israel, the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic are resistant to pyrethrins. If live, active lice are found eight to 12 hours after treatment, the chemicals might not be working. Consult a health care provider to obtain a prescription for something stronger.

Prescription Medications

• Doctors can prescribe a lotion containing Malathion, which is an organophosphate insecticide. Malathion kills lice and some eggs, and can be used on adults and children aged six and older. Doctors can also prescribe a shampoo containing the organochloride insecticide, lindane. Because treatment with lindane can cause adverse side effects, it used only as a last resort when other options have failed. An additional prescription medication, a benzyl alcohol lotion, was approved for use in 2009. It kills lice by suffocating them, but it does not kill eggs. In 2010, a new product containing spinosad, an insecticide derived from a bacterium, was under review by the FDA.

Olive Oil

• In the book "Head Lice to Dead Lice," authors Joan Sawyer and Roberta MacPhee recommend treating lice by using generous quantities of olive oil in conjunction with careful combing. The goal is to smother the lice to death. However, lice can survive without air for hours at a time, and eggs are immune to the treatment until they hatch. Repeated applications, each lasting at least eight hours, are necessary. Sawyer and McPhee emphasize the importance of combing in conjunction with this treatment: "Picking out nits by hand is an essential part of any head lice treatment plan. However, relying solely on manual removal to get rid of adult head lice without the use of olive oil to slow them down probably will lead to frustration."

Essential Oils

• Although many essential oils, such as lemon oil or oil of lavender, have insecticidal properties, authors Sawyer and McPhee recommend against using them, claiming that they are more expensive than olive oil, but don't work any better. In addition, when used in high concentrations for extended periods, allergic reactions and other adverse effects become a concern. If desired, add a teaspoon or two of oil of lavender or oil of rosemary when using olive oil. However, exercise caution when using on children, and remember that the scalp is highly absorbent. Some essential oils, such as pennyroyal and ylang ylang oil, can be toxic.

Prevention

• Perhaps the most effective solution for infestations of lice is prevention. Head lice are spread mostly through head-to-head contact. Teach children not to touch heads with others at naptime, sleepovers or playtime. Infection by exchanging hats, scarves, barrettes, combs and brushes is the second most common form of transmittal, so avoid sharing these items. Infected bedding can be laundered in hot, soapy water and dried on hot. Put non-launderable items in plastic bags for a couple of weeks. This will allow any nits to hatch and die; adult lice cannot survive for more than two days without feeding. Vacuum areas that might contain hairs with nits attached.