Hair conditioner...is there anything it can't do?

Here's another point for hair conditioner as a cheap tool in the fight against head lice! I already knew that hair conditioner helps dissolve nit glue as well as, if not better than, the commercial products.  But there's a wee study that showed it might even kill the lice!

The study (HERE)  is from 2004 (so I'm surprised I never saw this before).  They took 8 people for whom other lice treatments were not effective and slathered their hair in conditioner for 2 hours. Then they did the same thing a week later.  In the 8 subjects, it was 100% effective in killing their head lice. The author suggests that the conditioner may block the spiracles or breathing holes of the lice. We don't know what it did to the nits but if conditioner can help dissolve nit glue, I'm sure it does some damage to nits as well.

This study may be teeny but it shows once again, that hair conditioner is your friend in the fight.  And since it is inexpensive, safe, easily attainable, and something I already recommend that you use in wet combing, I have no problem with you giving it a try.  (I still recommend the combing though. Get those bugs and eggs off your head!)

(One word of caution:  Anytime I see people put some creamy or oil based solution on their head for a long time to battle head lice, they tend to want to cover it up with saran wrap or a shower cap or something to keep it from being so messy.  Whatever you do, do not go to bed with your head wrapped in plastic or wrap up the head of a young child.  It can have tragic consequences.)

Hair Conditioner - fights more than split ends!

If you have ever had head lice, and I am assuming that you are acquainted with it since your reading this blog, then you know that nits are a pain to remove.  Lice eggs and egg shells are cemented to the hair so well that they can be stuck on the hair long after the lice are gone.  This is one reason why I dislike no-nit policies - they don't take this into account. I am sure that many a child has been sent home from school because a nit was seen when no actual lice were present.  The only way to be sure you have head lice is to actually find one on the head.  I have gone into homes where parents found some nits but no lice - and I didn't find any lice either.  The nits were usually a few inches away from the hair shaft, indicating that they had been laid long ago,  and I then had the good fortune to tell the parents the child had lice at one point but for some reason doesn't any more.

This problem of cemented nits has spawned an small industry of products claiming to dissolve the substance that glues the nits to the hair shaft.  Sprays, rinses, creams - you can find many that claim to loosen or remove nits.  Probably the most common home remedy that I have seen people use for nit removal is vinegar.  Have you ever had vinegar in your eyes?  The kids whose parents gave them a vinegar rinse are not usually appreciative of this technique. 

As you may know, I feel the best way to remove lice, eggs, and shells is manually.  I recommend using a good metal lice comb (with very rigid teeth, such as the Licemeister or the Nit Free Terminator).  But I also recommend wetting the hair and slathering it in cheap hair conditioner.  This process of wet combing is proven to greatly increase your chances of lice detection and it is a non-pesticidal and effective way to remove lice and nits.  The conditioner helps the hair remain wet (slowing down the lice), makes it easier for the hair to stay detangled, and allows the comb to glide through the hair more smoothly.  I always recommend the cheapest conditioner because you may need a lot of conditioner and beating head lice should never break your budget.

Interestingly, hair conditioner was part of a head lice study that came out this past spring.  The study was called "Efficacy of Products to Remove Eggs of Pediculus humanus capitis (Phthiraptera: Pediculidae) from the Human Hair". You can read the study's abstract here. In other words, it compared different products that made claims that they removed lice eggs from the hair shaft. The conclusion? Egg removal was significantly helped with just water and hair conditioner.  Specialty products were no more effective than these simple tools and some substances had no effect at all. 

So, join me in buying that vat of generic conditioner from your local dollar store. This is just one more example of how effective does not have to mean expensive.

Thoughts on Tea Tree Oil

Let me start this post by saying I don't recommend, endorse, or even use any special lice shampoos or treatments.  If you've read this blog before, you know this.  However, you also know I'll let you know about lice research.  And one of the questions I get asked about most is tea tree oil. 

For years, I've looked, but never found any strong research on tea tree oil in relation to head lice.  But today I found the synopsis of a 2010 study done at the University of Queensland.    Follow the link to see the abstract. The catchy title says it all: "A randomised, assessor blind, parallel group comparative efficacy trial of three products for the treatment of head lice in children--melaleuca oil and lavender oil, pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide, and a "suffocation" product."

This study seems to demonstrate that a shampoo with tea tree oil AND lavender oil has effectiveness against head lice.  Before you go out and buy a bunch of essential oils, please consider these points:

1. Just because something is seen as "natural", it doesn't guarantee safety.
The American National Institutes of Health offers these cautions about tea tree oil:

• Tea tree oil contains varying amounts of 1,8–cineole, a skin irritant. Products with high amounts of this compound may cause skin irritation or contact dermatitis, an allergic reaction, in some individuals. Oxidized tea tree oil (oil that has been exposed to air) may trigger allergies more than fresh tea tree oil.
• Tea tree oil should not be swallowed. Poisonings, mainly in children, have caused drowsiness, disorientation, rash, and ataxia—a loss of muscle control in the arms and legs causing a lack of balance and coordination. One patient went into a coma after drinking half a cup of tea tree oil.
• Topical use of diluted tea tree oil is generally considered safe for most adults. However, one case study did report a young boy who had developed breast growth after using a styling gel and shampoo that contained both lavender oil and tea tree oil.
• Tell all your health care providers about any complementary health practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.

And the University of Maryland Medical Centre says this about lavender oil:

• A small study published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2007 concluded that lavender and tea oils in some shampoos, soaps, and lotions may cause gynecomastia, breast development in a male, in boys. 
•  Lavender oil is toxic if taken orally.
• There are no known scientific reports of interactions between lavender and conventional medications. However, because lavender promotes relaxation, it may make the effects of central nervous depressants stronger.

2. Effective once doesn't mean effective always.

It is now common knowledge around lice circles (though seemingly not common knowledge with our local school systems and public health authorities) that permethrin/pyrethrin based products, like Nix, have lost their effectiveness.  There are other products that are also losing their effectiveness and tea tree oil has also lost effectiveness in some parts of the world.  Lice researcher, Ian Burgess says, "‘Tea tree oil has a component that works in the same way as the insecticide malathion, so lice are also resistant to it.’  My own anecdotal offering is that I have been to many, many homes where people have tried a variety of products that include tea tree oil with no success. 

When trying to get rid of head lice, we often grasp for any miracle cure, and if that cure seems natural, then we often buy into it hook, line, and sinker.  You know my thoughts about this.  If you choose to use any "shampoo", you will still need to do manual lice and nit removal.  But manual removal, done with a proper comb on wet, conditioned hair is also proven to be very effective.  And it is much cheaper.  You know my vote.  Skip the tea tree oil.

Flat iron? Bad idea.

I just received a comment via my Kijiji ad from a mother who tried using a flat iron to get rid of her daughter's head lice. She was surprised to still find 8 live bugs on the head after the ironing. So many people I meet try this, and I can't believe I have never written about it before. (So, thanks for the comment, L.)

My message is short but sweet. DO NOT use flat irons or curling irons to try to get rid of head lice. Head lice live right near or on the scalp. Your iron won't get close enough to kill them and if you try, someone is going to get burned. If you want a tool that is safer and more effective, use a blow dryer. (Don't do this without checking out more info here.)

Beware the physician that makes a commission.

As a lice professional, I am happy to take your money. But I am also the first to tell you that while you may need my advice, you probably don't need my services.

Don't believe the Nix package. The hair dryer is your friend.

Here's some info I've mentioned before, but it is worth mentioning again. Researchers at the University of Utah created a contraption called "The Lousebuster"(Update: This device is now called the AirAlle). It is a souped-up blow dryer that kills 80% of lice and 98% of nits. Sounds great, huh? It is, but read on...

In creating this specialized tool, they did quite a bit of research about blowing air and head lice. Here's what they discovered the effectiveness of using a regular blow dryer as a weapon against head lice:

What if you can't pick or comb...an oldie but a goodie.

I once wrote a blog post entitiled "What if you can't pick or comb". I think it has some good information. Check it out here.

Is it live or is it Denorex?

Yet another home remedy - Denorex shampoo. Does it work in the battle against head lice? I don't really know because most people I know who have tried it have just added it to their list of ofter remedies they are actively using. So I don't know what is solving the problem, if the problem is getting solved at all. You may read story after story of people who say it is the best thing, but I know people who have used it with no lice killing results. Because it is one of those unknowns, I just don't use Denorex for head lice.

The Cure Should Never Make Things Worse.

My father gave me an old medical journal that talked about head lice. One of the recommendations? Turpentine. I know of someone who gave themselves 2nd degree burns using this "remedy". I've had people say that they left the "shampoos" on for days which can be very harmful. Or there's the others who have put their heads in scalding water. Or used RAID. Horrible, horrible stuff.

Toxins, corrosive materials, allergens, things that can burn, things that are carcinogenic - I know you want these bugs off of you, but don't put yourself at risk. It's not worth it because (a) unlike head lice (which is really just a yucky inconvenience), these "remedies" can really cause serious health problems, and (b) nothing will as work well as picking out every louse and egg. Nothing. So just pick - you will feel much better for it.

Hair Colour: Will Your Lice Dye For It?

With all my talk about the harmfulness of chemicals, I have a confession to make. I dye my hair. Just did it again last night. Am I hypocritical about the harmful effects of the chemicals in lice "shampoos"? I don't think so, because (a) I only dye my own hair, not the hair of others and definitely not the hair of children, and (b) the claims on the hair dye box are fulfilled - the product does what it says it will do and my grey hair is covered. If the results of lice "shampoos" were even close to what was promised, I might say that using them was worth the risks. But they aren't and you still gotta pick and comb.

A woman recently told me that she will never get head lice because she dyes her hair. Now, I've been colouring my hair for a long time, and I've had head lice before. Some people advocate using hair dye as a treatment against live lice that are already on your head. On the Internet, you will find people that seemingly support this with their own anecdotal evidence. I've worked with people who have tried to use hair dyes as a pediculocide. Sorry, didn't work. I think that I will do some of my own experiments. If the guy at Harvard can be quoted all over the Internet for throwing 6 lice into some olive oil, perhaps I can do some groundbreaking "research" in the area of hair dye and its actual effects on lice and nits.

Or not. Hair dye is still full of chemicals that many people have serious reactions to. And if lice have adapted to the chemicals in the "shampoos", then they probably have adapted to hair dyes. I'll forget the research grant money. I'll just pick and comb instead.

Hair Conditioner: Friend or Foe?

Does hair conditioner have any part to play in the fight against head lice? Some may say it works against you.
The makers of the pediculicides or lice "shampoos" claim that you are not to use hair conditioner for a number of days after treatment as this will render the chemicals ineffective. So, if you choose the pesticides, don't use the conditioner. (On a side note, this is one of the excuses that the supporters of the pesticides use when the pesticides don't work - they say you didn't follow the directions.)

However, if you choose the non-chemical route, some say hair conditioner can help. It can really slow down or stop the live lice from crawling, making them easier to catch. First, comb your hair with a regular brush or comb to remove tangles. Then, hop in the shower and apply conditioner. Before you rinse, comb through the hair from root to tip with your lice comb. There is a great chance that if you have any bugs on your head, you will comb them out. Do this on a regular basis as a preventative measure against full infestation.

Some people feel that conditioner is even more effective when you apply it to hair that is dry. I haven't really noticed a difference. Dry or wet, the lice comb goes through the hair much more easily with the conditioner. So, I say that conditioner is your friend as it can make for easier lice removal. And you hair is so nice and shiny!

What if you can't pick/comb?

Because there is no 100% effective way to kill every nit and louse, the best way to deal with your head lice is to pick and comb out every nit and louse.

But what if you cannot? What if your vision/dexterity is poor and you are not physically able to do this? What if you are all alone with your head lice and have no one to remove the nits? Call me! OK, what if you can't?

First, let me say, you can still comb. If you are able to comb your hair every day, you are able to comb out some head lice. You can get an effective lice come, or you can just simply wet comb with a very fine toothcomb. Comb your wet hair from root to tip in one continuous motion and clean out your comb between strokes. Put some conditioner in your hair to keep it wet during the process. If you keep doing this everyday, a couple of times a day, you will have dealt with most of the problem

When adults get head lice, most people resort to the pesticidal shampoos. You know that I am against this, especially since lice are resistant. So, you may wish to revert to some home remedies. I am not officially endorsing these "treatments", as they have not been proven to be the most effective. However, there is some evidence that suggests that they will kill some of the lice/nits, and it is highly unlikely that they hurt you.

1. Apply a suffocating agent such as olive oil and/or mayonnaise.
Good News: Some people at Harvard threw lice into olive oil. After one hour, the lice were still alive. After two hours, the lice were dead. (They also threw the lice in water - and the lice survived for 24 hours.) You can read claim after claim on the Internet where people swear by the use of olive oil or mayo to kill head lice. I've done it myself with my own family; I once coated my son's head with olive oil AND mayo for about 4 hours and all the lice I combed out afterwards were dead.
Bad News: No formal studies have been done to show the true effectiveness of this treatment. Even those people at Harvard say that throwing lice in oil is not real research. So, all the evidence is anecdotal. It is an extremely messy process (my son's head was wrapped in plastic wrap and towels - it was during daytime hours. Don't do this and put your child to bed!) It is difficult to wash out these oils and my son's scalp was quite dry afterwards (probably from the mayo and the extra washing after). Mayo and oil may irritate the lice bites on your head and, as with every food product, there is the chance of an allergic reaction. Also, I have no idea of the effectiveness on these suffocating agents on the eggs. I still picked every egg out of my son's head.

2. Use a hair dryer.
Good News: Researchers from The University of Utah did a great deal of research and discovered that nits can be dried out with the proper use of a hair dryer. The following is taken from the results of their study that was published in the November 2006 issue of the publication Pediatrics:
"A handheld blow dryer was used to apply directed heating. Hair clips were used to divide each child’s hair into 20 sections. The dryer was held still for 30 seconds to heat one side of each section, then held still another 30 seconds to heat the other side. This method killed 55 percent of lice and 98 percent of eggs."
They say the drying effect is more from the blowing than the heat so use a "cool" setting if your blow dryer has one.(And don't try to kill lice with a curling iron!)
Bad News: The nits won't dry up if the hair dryer is not used properly. With live lice, only approximately half of the bugs are killed with this method - that means 45% are still crawling around, laying more eggs. Also, hair dryers can burn! You have to have constant movement of the air flow to ensure even drying and no burning. This is why this method is NOT recommended by the researchers at the University of Utah.

You may ask, what about "natural" treatments, like tea-tree oil or salt-based treatments? Even these "natural" treatments can have some harmful side effects if not used properly, and I have seen people use them with disappointing results. Therefore, I would rather you save your money and go for the solutions that are more readily available.

Or, just give me a call.