Kapoor asked
Hello, what is the best lice shampoo for an adult with sensitive skin?
Answer
Unfortunately, most of the over the counter (OTC) shampoos and lice treatments contain a toxic pesticide known as Permethrin. Examples of these products include:
- RID
- NIX
There are however some alternative options as discussed below.
Permethrin
Permethrin is a synthetic pesticide similar to naturally occurring pyrethrins which are found in chrysanthemum flower extract.
Permethrin kills living lice but does not necessarily kill unhatched eggs (nits), making them not the most effective overall treatments. Both OTC and prescription strength lice medications also contain even harsher, stronger pesticides. Many reports suggest that when someone gets lice, instead of using these chemicals, they should attempt to physically remove all lice that they can see using a lice comb. This is recommended as a very efficient lice removal tool as opposed to using harsh chemicals and toxins on the head. In fact, most products require you to use a comb in addition to the pesticide for complete treatment anyway.
Many people are no longer using the OTC lice remedies due to the chemicals and because they may not be working as well as they once did. Studies show that in the U.S., the bugs are becoming genetically resistant to the pesticides that are in the medicated OTC and prescription lice drugs. A March 2014 study in the Journal of Medical Entomology found that 99% of the head lice found by school nurses and professional lice combers in twelve U.S. states and three Canadian provinces were “genetically resistant to permethrin.
Lice Treatment For Sensitive Skin
So now what to do when you have sensitive skin and you have found lice in your head? One option is to use a metal lice comb as mentioned above. Lubricate the comb in either conditioner OR Coconut/olive oil, and physically take out lice and eggs. Keep on combing daily until you find no more living lice (there are many great Youtube videos on how to do this comb through). Then do this every few days for about a month. One study showed within 14-24 days, this method cleared most patients of lice.
Another popular and safe method for you to try is using two ingredients-white vinegar and any hair conditioner (or oil again). Soak the hair in the white vinegar and wrap hair in a shower cap until head is fully saturated. You should cover eyes with swim goggles because of the strong odor of the vinegar.
Let the vinegar sit for about half hour. Next, lather the comb in conditioner or oil and comb out the eggs one by one until you see none. Lather hair in conditioner when done and let it sit another 15-30 minutes. Then comb again with the nit comb. Then shower and rinse everything out of hair. The theory behind this method of treatment is that the vinegar loosens the nits so they are easier to remove. It also gets rid of impurities in the hair, so that new eggs will not stick easily. The conditioner or oil serves to “suffocate or smother (and kill)” the live lice. Do a check-in daily with lice comb. Rotate through the different methods daily for a week or so. If you don’t see anything in hair, continue checking every other day and it wouldn’t hurt to do the vinegar and conditioner treatment once weekly for a couple weeks.
Alternative Sensitive Skin Lice Treatments
I also wanted to talk about something called the 'Nuvo Method' for lice. It was studied in early 2000 by a physician named Dr. Pearlman. Using Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser, a common product available over the counter, he claimed when applied to the scalp and dried with a hair dryer, it was 96% more effective than other lice removal methods. His conclusions say that after a couple hours from the time that hair dries, lice are killed by suffocation.
Lastly, if you are looking for a commercial product so you don't have to use your own mixture, Lice MD is a newer product on the market that is getting pretty good reviews. It is pesticide free and may be an option worth looking into if you have sensitive skin. We hope these methods can help safely remove the lice and nits!
