December 3rd, 2008 McNeil Products Ltd.
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How To Treat Head Lice
There are various product formats available from pharmacists, who can also provide further advice on how to help get rid of the infestation.

Shampoos, crème rinses and lotions
It has been reported that some shampoos which are applied to wet hair for a short amount of time, may not be as effective as products which are left in contact with the hair for longer.1

Lotions are available in aqueous and alcoholic forms, both types being equally effective at killing lice and eggs.

Alcoholic lotions should not be used on babies under six months, people suffering from asthma or where there is a skin condition of the scalp – the aqueous lotions should be used in these cases. They should be applied to the whole of the scalp and hair while protecting the patient’s eyes. The hair should be dry and unwashed, then left to dry naturally.

Hairdryers should not be used as heat deactivates the insecticide. The hair should ideally be left unwashed for 12 hours, after which the vast majority of lice and eggs should be dead.

When using a crème rinse, the hair should first be washed with a normal shampoo. The product should then be applied to the whole of the scalp and hair, left for ten minutes then rinsed off. A fine-toothed comb should be used to remove dead lice an hour after application and again after washing to remove eggs.

Louse eggs are more difficult to kill than live lice because the insecticide lotions do not penetrate the eggshell. It is recommended to repeat any product treatment after seven days to kill lice emerging from any eggs that survived the first application.

It is recommended that you use the treatments as little as possible, and only when you are certain live lice are present (ie you have actually seen a live louse). Continuous use can also cause resistance to the treatments. If you need to, it is recommended that you rotate between different treatments.

Wet combing (‘Bug busting’)
Bugbusting (Wet combing) is not only a method used to detect head lice, but is also an alternative you can try if you are worried about using strong chemicals on the scalp. It is not as effective as lotions and its cure rate is only 38%, however, designs for bugbusting combs are improving2. It also takes a long time to carry out this procedure properly. So don’t try it unless you are willing to spend several hours a week on it.
1) Wash hair using an ordinary shampoo and apply conditioner
2) Use a wide-toothed comb to detangle the hair
3) Comb the hair when wet with a fine-toothed comb. This will hook out any lice
4) Pay special attention to the nape of the neck and behind the ears as head lice prefer these warm, sheltered areas
5) Rinse the hair
6) Repeat every 3 days for at least 2 weeks

When to get medical advice:

  • The patient has asthma
  • Children under two years of age
  • Second infestation in a month
  • Patient has a skin condition of the scalp
  • If infestation appears severe

How to Prevent Head lice
There are ways of reducing the chance of being infested with head lice.
  • Thorough use of a normal pocket comb, especially at bedtime, will damage any lice picked up during the day.
  • Avoid sharing hairbrushes. After someone has had head lice, you should check and rinse off any before re-using brushes and combs.

1. Roberts, R.J., Head Lice, N Engl J Med, Vol 346, May 2002, pg 1647
2. The Lancet, Bugs for Beginners, Vol 356, Sept 2000,pg 1118


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