Malathion Ovide Lotion is a prescription-strength lotion that comes highly recommended by experts for treating lice. It's suitable for treating live adult lice and their eggs, known as
Permethrin lotion 1% is approved by the FDA for the treatment of head lice. Permethrin is safe and effective when used as directed. Permethrin kills live lice but not unhatched eggs. Permethrin may continue to kill newly hatched lice for several days after treatment.
Pyrethrin (Rid)
Rid kills living lice and is “safe and effective when used as directed,” according to Dr. Kanthula. She says there's no residual lice-killing activity after the product is rinsed off, so it also requires a second treatment.
From the #1 Pediatrician & Pharmacist recommended brand comes Nix Ultra® Lice Treatment Hair Solution, designed to treat head lice and eggs, including hard-to-kill superlice.
Ivermectin (Stromectol) is available by prescription as a tablet taken by mouth. The oral drug effectively treats lice with two doses, eight days apart. This drug is typically used when other treatments haven't been effective. Children must weigh at least 33 pounds (15 kilograms) to take oral ivermectin.
A dermatologist may prescribe ivermectin . This is a tablet taken twice, 7 days apart. It is highly effective in treating head lice.
A quick, effective head lice treatment, MOOV Head Lice Solution is clinically proven* to kill head lice. In just three simple applications, each seven days apart, MOOV Head Lice Solution kills both the head lice and their eggs, breaking the life cycle.
Left untreated, head lice can lead to secondary infections, which can be serious. Bacterial infections, such as impetigo, can occur when scratched bites become infected; this can have serious consequences if not treated properly.
Suffocate the Lice
Soak your child's head in olive oil or coconut oil. Cover with a shower cap for at least 2 hours (or preferably overnight). When ready, remove the shower cap, and separate the hair into small sections, then use a metal nit comb to carefully remove the lice and eggs. Rinse the hair well with shampoo.
Olive Oil smothers and kills active head lice, making nit removal easier and moisturizing the hair and scalp.
Lice and nits can't survive the high heat. It's true that lice and nits can't survive temperatures above 113°F (45°C). This makes them susceptible to any heat source, such as a hairdryer or the plates of a hair straightener.
A preventative shampoo and spray can break the life cycle. A shampoo that kills lice before they can lay eggs is critical for closing the “bridge” from one head to another. Ladibugs experts recommend parents seek effective, pesticide-free options.
If a head lice treatment that you can buy without a prescription fails to work, the CDC recommends that you see a health care provider. Highly effective prescription treatments that you apply to the scalp are available.
Symptoms of Lice Infestation
People have scratch marks, hives, or, if intense scratching has broken the skin, a bacterial infection. These symptoms are especially common on the shoulders, buttocks, and abdomen. Pubic lice bites may also cause bluish gray spots to form on the chest, buttocks, and thighs.
Lotions and sprays for head lice and nits
There are several different products that can be applied to the scalp and hair to kill head lice, including: dimeticone 4% lotion or lotion spray – applied and left for 8 hours (usually overnight) dimeticone 4% spray gel – applied and left for 15 minutes.
Can vinegar kill lice eggs? Vinegar is one of the classic home remedies for lice. However, if you are trying to find out how to get rid of nits using vinegar, you should know that using vinegar to kill nits or lice eggs is totally ineffective. Vinegar has no negative effect on the lice eggs.
Eggs from head lice, also called nits, are incredibly difficult to remove. Female lice lay eggs directly onto strands of hair, and they cement them in place with a glue-like substance, making them hard to get rid of.
Head lice can't spread disease, but they can make your scalp itchy. Frequent itching could break the skin on your scalp, which could lead to infections.
Head lice should not be considered as a medical or public health hazard. Head lice are not known to spread disease. Head lice can be an annoyance because their presence may cause itching and loss of sleep.
Adult lice can live up to 30 days on a person's head. To live, adult lice need to feed on blood several times daily. Without blood meals, the louse will die within 1 to 2 days off the host. Life cycle image and information courtesy of DPDx.
Coconut, tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon grass, and peppermint are scents popularly believed to repel lice. Using any coconut scented shampoo and conditioner is an easy way to increase your defense. At 1% concentration, tea tree oil killed 100% of head lice after 30 minutes.
The conditioner does not kill lice but stuns them for about 20 minutes enabling easier removal. The long toothed metal comb will remove nits and the stunned head lice. Wipe the comb on a white tissue and check for any lice or nits.
It's essential to wash all bedding after a head lice treatment. The heat from a hot water cycle will ensure that no surviving lice can find a host again.