Don’t let anyone talk you into using dangerous chemicals for head lice

All across the country a new school year has begun.

And that means a few things — new backpacks, expensive new sneakers, and, if you’re not careful, head lice for the kids and grandkids.

Kids have been passing head lice around schools for generations. And these critters can be a serious nuisance that can lead to lost school time.

But today’s head lice aren’t anything like what we battled when we were kids.

And unless you want to risk exposing your little ones to some highly toxic products, that means you’ll have to take matters into your own hands.

Nontoxic alternatives

We all remember the school nurse dutifully giving us lice inspections every year. And when she found those telltale bugs or eggs, we were off to the pharmacy for some medicine to get rid of the problem.

Only now there’s a big twist — many of the medications we’ve sworn by for years just don’t work anymore.

It’s a problem scientists have been tracking for years. Lice have become completely resistant to just about every over-the-counter treatment out there, including the popular ones like Nix and Rid.

“The failure rate of these products has increased dramatically,” warns Dr. Ellen Koch, a dermatologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Unfortunately, the mainstream’s answer is the same as ever — more prescription drugs. But in this case we’re talking about some dangerous pesticides made into lotions and shampoos. Ones like malathion, which is also used to kill mosquitoes and termites. Or, if that doesn’t work, lindane, a highly toxic insecticide that even the FDA has warned about.

Yeah — thanks, but no thanks. Some of the terrifying side effects of such products include burning skin, swelling of the mouth, and even difficulty breathing. The FDA says that 14 people, including four children, have died after a topical application of lindane.

That’s the kind of chemical you wouldn’t allow near a family pet, let alone a child or grandchild you love.

Fortunately, there are some ways to get rid of head lice, no drugs required. They include:

1. Almond or olive oil: Coating the hair and scalp with these natural oils actually suffocates lice. It can take a few applications, so make sure you’re checking regularly with a nit comb. And since it might take a while to kill the lice, it’s recommended to apply a shower cap after the oil application and let it do its work overnight, shampooing out in the morning.
2. Apple cider vinegar and coconut oil: Start out by rinsing the hair with the vinegar, which should loosen the nits (empty egg cases that stick to the hair). Leave the vinegar on the hair until dry, then coat with coconut oil. Again, you’ll have to leave the coconut oil on the hair and scalp for at least eight hours, and probably have to shampoo several times to get it out.
3. Old fashioned nit picking: Used alone or in combination with one of the above treatments, using a nit comb may be the most time-consuming method, but if done correctly, should be very effective.

Of course, if you’re dealing with very curly hair, using a nit comb when it’s dry is next to impossible. In that case the overnight oil method followed by a combing is the only way to go. Another suggestion for curly heads is to finish up that treatment (on clean hair only) with a blow dryer set to warm.

And remember to put those sheets, pillowcases and towels in a hot wash, or at the very least, the dryer for 20 minutes.

Sources:
“‘Super lice'” not budging with over-the-counter treatments” Randy Dotinga, September 9, 2016, CBS, cbsnews.com