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by ALYSSA HERSH
Despite all the picking, combing, shampooing, and spraying, the common head louse continues to affect an estimated six to 12 million people annually. With increasing reports of lice's resistance to pesticides, "nontoxic" alternatives are cropping up in stores and over the Internet.
However, Richard J. Pollack, Ph.D., public entomologist at the Harvard School of Public Health, believes that "a large proportion of infestations will respond completely to [permethrin and pyrethrins]," the traditional OTC treatment ingredients. He affirmed that pesticide resistance has been documented in this country, but no studies estimating the prevalence of such resistant lice have been conducted. For those who choose not to use a pesticide, the market has much to offer.
Pollack advised parents to choose products that are backed by scientific evidence and to avoid those sold mainly on the basis of testimonials. The Federal Trade Commission also urges caution in selecting products; in April, the FTC warned several Internet sites to substantiate their claims with scientific data or face legal action.
This year, several products have been introduced. They include:
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Rid Mousse, an addition to the Rid line, recently purchased by Bayer Corp. from Pfizer Inc. The active ingredients in the aerosolized mousse are the same as in the other maximum-strength Rid products—0.33% pyrethrins and 4% piperonyl butoxide—but the new form will make it easier for consumers to use.
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The Lice Solution, from Living Healthy Naturally, Eden Prairie, Minn. This nontoxic botanical soap kills lice by dissolving their oil-based exoskeletons and the glue that holds nits in place. The product is available as a Hair & Body Wash, an All-Purpose Cleaner, and a Laundry Solution.
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LiceFreee! Lice Control Spray, a nontoxic alternative developed by Tec Laboratories, Albany, Ore. The active ingredient, cedar wood oil, dehydrates and kills both lice and nits. The product is packaged in a 6-oz trigger-spray bottle and will be available before school starts in the fall.
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NoNits, produced and reformulated by ArborVida Natural Products, La Jolla, Calif. In private laboratory testing, NoNits was found to have "100% efficacy at killing head lice." The product is all natural, nontoxic, and available in solution or shampoo form.
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LiceArrest, which is available from Heartland Products Inc., Valley City, N.D. The "revolutionary, nontoxic, and pesticide free enzyme solution" breaks apart the exoskeleton of the lice and loosens nits from the hair.
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Head Lice to Dead Lice, the award-winning video produced by Sawyer Mac Productions, Cambridge, Mass., which was released in book form through St. Martin's Press. The program includes a complete "olive oil protocol." Olive oil, a straight-chain fatty acid, has been used widely in Israel as a lice treatment; in addition to smothering the insects, it is also thought to have some insecticidal properties of its own. A sturdy lice comb and a magnifying visor are also available.
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LiceMeister, from The National Pediculosis Association, Newton, Mass. This is a sturdy comb, with thick metal teeth that "work as roller bearings" to effectively collect the lice and nits, as well as a medical device registered by the Food & Drug Administration. The NPA is also adding a LiceMeister Head Lice and Nit Removal Kit for Back-to-School; educational resources, including a Pharmacist's Guide to Controlling Head Lice, are also available by calling (781) 449-NITS.
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LiceOut, a water-based, nontoxic lice immobilizing gel produced by Wal-Med Inc., Puyallup, Wash. The gel captures and immobilizes lice while lubricating the hair shaft so that nits will slide off easily. The product is an FDA-registered medical device accompanied by a lice comb and an "opti-visor" for easy viewing.
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Nix Lice Control Spray, developed by Warner-Lambert, a division of Pfizer Inc. (New York, N.Y.). It claims to be "an effective way to kill lice in and around your environment," and can be used on any water-safe fabrics, but not on humans. The 5-oz. nonaerosol spray contains 0.25% permethrin, the same ingredient in other Nix products.
Up and coming, but not yet being manufactured, is HeadLights, a shampoo containing a nontoxic fluorescent dye that stains the nit shells for easy viewing under ultraviolet or "black" light. The product, developed by Sydney Spiesel, M.D., assistant clinical professor of pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine, is not in itself a treatment but would aid in the manual removal of lice and nits.
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