How to Treat Super Lice. If you have active lice, you should start by using pyrethrin shampoo or other over-the-counter lice treatments. Make sure to carefully comb your hair with a nit comb every night, and wash and dry linens, clothing, hats, and scarves. Repeat the treatment after 7 days.
Pediculicides or medications that kill lice are the strongest measures to get rid of a lice infestation. Of the various pediculicides, ivermectin lotion has emerged as one of the strongest solutions to get rid of lice. A single application can kill the lice without any need for nit combing.
Lice treatment shampoos (called pediculicides) are available over the counter or with a prescription. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your doctor to recommend a product that's safe to use. Both over-the-counter (OTC) products and prescription treatments may kill live lice and their eggs (nits).
Most lice treatments need to be used twice, seven to 10 days apart, along with combing wet hair with a fine-toothed comb to remove nits. Some lice are resistant to pyrethrins and permethrin. That's when it makes sense to turn to stronger prescription drugs, such as ivermectin and spinosad (Natroba).
One of the reasons over-the-counter head lice treatments don't work is because they are not used as directed. Parents may split one dose into several applications or otherwise deviate from the directions. You shouldn't see any crawling head lice after the first treatment if you applied it correctly.
Malathion lotion, 0.5%
Brand name* product: Ovide. Malathion is an organophosphate. Malathion is pediculicidal (kills live lice) and partially ovicidal (kills some lice eggs).
One of the most common sources of your head still itching after lice treatment is from a dry or irritated scalp from treatment. All over-the-counter lice treatments contain a variety of irritants – from chemicals to salt-based compounds – that cause irritation and drying on the scalp.
Coconut, tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon grass, and peppermint are scents popularly believed to repel lice. Using any coconut scented shampoo and conditioner is an easy way to increase your defense. At 1% concentration, tea tree oil killed 100% of head lice after 30 minutes.
In some hosts, lice have their own predators, such as fungi or bacteria.
Never use gasoline or kerosene to treat lice. Several effective medications are available, including over-the-counter products containing pyrethrins or permethrin. These may be sold by the brand names Nix, Pronto, Rid and Triple X.
Smothering agents: There are several common home products that may kill lice by depriving them of air and smothering them. These products include petroleum jelly (Vaseline), olive oil, butter, or mayonnaise. Any of these products may be applied to the scalp and hair, covered with a shower cap, and left on overnight.
Why head lice treatments fail to work. For years, parents have been buying these non-prescription shampoos and cream rinses. Because the active ingredients have remained the same all these years, new generations of head lice have become immune to them. Once lice become immune, the product no longer works.
Natroba™ Topical Suspension is a pediculicide indicated for the topical treatment of head lice infestations in adult and pediatric patients six (6) months of age and older.
Olive Oil smothers and kills active head lice, making nit removal easier and moisturizing the hair and scalp. Part hair and apply the oil directly onto the scalp. Massage into the entire scalp making sure to saturate the hair. Apply a shower cap.
Ivermectin (Stromectol) is available by prescription as a tablet taken by mouth. The oral drug effectively treats lice with two doses, eight days apart. This drug is typically used when other treatments haven't been effective. Children must weigh at least 33 pounds (15 kilograms) to take oral ivermectin.
While head lice infestations can be frustrating and inconvenient, it's important to note that they don't resolve on their own and require treatment for elimination. "Without intervention, lice can reproduce and persist," says Dr. Jason Nagata, a pediatrician at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco.
Head lice sometimes go away on their own because there are not enough insects to maintain the infestation, or they may persist for an indefinite period without treatment.
Killing lice is the only way to get rid of them. Washing your hair won't be enough because lice actually thrive in water. A professional lice removal appointment with a lice clinic capable of killing medication-resistant super lice is the best way to fully get rid of lice.