Do Over-The-Counter Head Lice Treatments Work?

If you’re a parent, you may have experienced the horror of your child being sent home from school, daycare, or summer camp because he or she has lice. First, you’re grossed out by the fact that your little angel has bugs in his or her hair. (Even the cleanest hair can get lice – lice love clean hair.) Next, panic sets in.

What to do? If you’re tempted to rush out to the pharmacy to buy one of the lice treatments you’ve seen on the shelf for years or even one that your parents used, take a breath first. There are a few things you should know about over-the-counter lice treatments and how they work:

5 Things You Should Know About Over-The-Counter Lice Treatments

  1. Most lice treatments found on the store shelves contain neurotoxins called pyrethroids (permethrin and pyrethrin), which are commonly found in garden pesticides. They kill lice by attacking the nervous system of the louse.
  2. Pyrethroids do an OK job of killing some of the live adult and adolescent lice (studies show about 26%), but they do not kill the unhatched eggs, known as nits. When you use an over-the-counter lice treatment, you must keep combing with a nit comb to get the nits out before they hatch. But nits adhere like glue to the hair shaft right near the scalp, so it can be very challenging and can take weeks or even months to get rid of all the nits and lice – who has time for that?
  3. One treatment is not enough. You’ll have to perform multiple treatments every 6-9 days until all the nits hatch. And, because it takes only one week for a louse to become an adult and start laying more eggs (the female louse lays 5-8 eggs/day), you must keep treating until all the eggs have hatched.
  4. Many of the lice treatments sold in stores have been approved by regulators and are considered safe when used as directed. But…because they no longer kill nits (because of super lice), parents have to use them over and over again. And this exposes their children to more pyrethroids than is recommended.
  5. Lice have become resistant to pyrethroids – that’s why they’re often referred to as super lice. In fact, 98% of head lice in the United States are totally immune.

So, when you look at the big picture – the neurotoxins, the combing, the re-treatments, the risk of overuse, and the fact that lice are resistant to pyrethroids, over-the-counter lice treatments don’t seem like a very good idea.

The good news is there’s finally an alternative to over-the-counter lice treatments that’s safe and effective for children and adults!

A Revolutionary Alternative To Over-The-Counter Lice Treatments

A team of physicians, and engineers has developed a safe and effective way to completely get rid of lice using a controlled flow of heated air, called the Flosonix. This device uses a combination of dry heat and air that dehydrates the lice, causing them to die.  Heated air is extremely effective at killing head lice, and is the only effective treatment that kills their eggs (nits), as well, leaving them incapable of continuing the life cycle.

Now, DO NOT get out your hairdryer and try to get rid of your child’s lice with it. Hairdryers can be very hot as the temperature isn’t regulated and could burn their delicate scalp.

The Flosonix professional heated air lice removal treatment dehydrates lice and their eggs and is the safest and most effective method of getting rid of head lice. And, it’s done in one treatment (yes, you heard it right – one!). Only available at Licenders professional lice treatment clinics with trained technicians, the heated air device is effective at getting rid of all the lice and nits – all without home combing, re-treatments, and stress. Licenders is the only clinic using this treatment in NYC and Fairfield County, CT.

Say goodbye to over-the-counter lice treatments and say hello to heated air!

If your child or anyone in your family has lice (or you suspect lice) and you live within the New York City or Fairfield County, CT area, give us a call. We specialize in getting rid of lice so you can go back to living your life. We’re available to take your call 7 days a week. Call us at The Lice Hotline at 1-888-984-3042 or book an appointment online.