Malathion Head Lice Treatment
Malathion Head Lice treatment – is it safe?
There has been much written of late about the controversy surrounding some of the prescription and over the counter insecticide head lice treatments, hence it is worth us taking a look at how safe they actually are.
There are many such lotions and shampoos on the market, most of them with three main insecticides as the active ingredient: Malathion head lice treatment comes in the shape of a brand known as Ovide, and this is a very popular medicinal treatment used by many people all the time. Others include those made using Permethrin, and most controversial are the lotions that utilize the powerful insecticide Lindane.
The latter has become particularly controversial as it has been linked to a number of very serious cases of side effects – convulsions of a serious nature, and even a death – and as a result products using the substance have been banned from sale in many European countries, but are still available on prescription in the USA. Unlike Lindane, its sister aforementioned insecticide lotions are said to be entirely safe and come with only the chance of minor side effects.
So what are Malathion and the others? Insecticides are essentially poisons that are designed to kill insects. The ones used in these products are synthetic – that is manmade – versions of natural products, and are very powerful indeed.
It is the act of covering a child’s head in potentially dangerous chemicals that puts a lot of parents off using the lotions, and this is why there have become available a series of alternative treatments that are safe, yet not scientifically proven. Malathion is a successful product, and has many adherents who swear by its efficiency, however.
Using it is simple – it is rubbed into the head and left for a short time, therefore killing as many lice as possible. Despite manufacturer’s claims, it is unlikely to kill nits, hence they will need to be treated in a different manner. Furthermore, the possible side effects include irritation of the skin and possible increase in dandruff, and it is not recommended that those already suffering from known skin conditions use the substance or others like it. Nor should they use it if they have open wounds, and it is imperative it is kept away from the eyes.
Given the number of restrictions, and the press horror stories, it is no surprise that people opt to use alternative methods, washing with a shampoo mixed with Tea Tree oil being very popular, but it must be said that Malathion products are certified as safe to use, and known to work in many cases.
American Academy of Pediatrics Head Lice Report
American Academy of Pediatrics head Lice report
In an interesting study that was recently carried out and published, the American Academy of Pediatrics – or AAP – looked closely at the head lice problem, a problem that affects millions of children in America during their lifetimes.
As the report points out at the beginning, head lice infestation can lead to anxiety in the child concerned, although it also points out that this is the very worst that can happen – the head louse, while annoying, is essentially harmless and needs to be eradicated thanks to the hygiene problem they present; easy to spread among children, the AAP report sheds light on just how prevalent the problem is.
Some interesting figures are published in the report, including the fact that an estimated six to 12 million children, between the ages of three and 12 years, suffer from head lice during each year in America alone; these are staggering numbers when considered in the cold light of day, and explain why the problem is one that, although practically harmless, needs to be addressed.
The AAP also take the trouble to point out that lice are not a sign of poor hygiene and, unlike some insects, are not responsible for passing on any other diseases; there is plenty advice too on the head lice life cycle, its various stages, and why it is important to understand this in order to treat an infestation properly. Indeed, of particular interest is that a louse will not survive for long away from a humans head, and therefore removing them is a very efficient method of elimination.
Also interesting is the explanation as to why it can take several weeks for us to realize we have head lice – the itching is an allergic reaction, and this takes time in some cases to come forth – and also that the life cycle of the creature, from birth to breeding, takes as little as three weeks. This is the reason why these creatures spread at such an alarming rate.
Remedies are covered in some detail, from the many insecticide lotions including Malathion head lice treatment, through to the various natural remedies, some of which have been found to be as effective as the medicinal ones, and also the suffocation methods, while instructions and guidelines for schools and parents are also investigated and outlined.
All in all, it is heartening to see the AAP take an interest and invest so much time and effort into what is an embarrassing, if needlessly so, condition that is suffered by so many.
Head Lice Remedies
Head Lice Remedies
Head lice are an enduring problem among children of America, of whom between six and 12 million suffer from infestations of the creatures in any given year. Although head lice are not dangerous they do carry a stigma of embarrassment, even though head lice are not indicative of poor hygiene. Treating head lice and removing them can be a painstaking routine, and there are many different methods of treatment that are recommended on websites and in books on the subject. In general, however, head lice remedies can be bracketed into one of three types: insecticide lotions, herbal and natural shampoos, and smothering techniques, and each of these must be used in conjunction with the traditional or electronic nit comb.
Insecticide lotions are just that, lotions that include powerful chemicals that kill head lice. There are three popular insecticides that can be found in various branded products, namely Malathion, Permethrin and Lindane.
All of these are poisons and, while present only in very small quantities, many people are reluctant to use them as they do profess to possible side effects. In the case of the first two these side effects are minor – irritation of the skin, added dandruff – but in the case of Lindane a number of concerns have been raised as the chemical has been linked to cases in which patients experienced serious reactions and even death. Lindane products are still prescribed in the USA, but it is notable they are banned in some other countries.
The natural alternatives are shampoos that contain herbal products known to have medicinal qualities. Many people swear by shampoos that include the essential Tea Tree oil, taken from the leaves of a plant native to Australia and used by the Aborigines for medicinal purposes for many centuries, and also the ylang ylang essence, which is widely used in herbal remedies. A lotion containing the latter was tested independently and found to be at least as effective as one using Permethrin as its active ingredient, and the natural substances have the advantage of being completely harmless.
The final selection are the suffocation or smothering techniques, and that is precisely what they are: a substance such as olive oil, Vaseline or – rather oddly – mayonnaise is smeared all over the scalp, and this fills the holes that the louse breathes through. The creatures then suffocate, and the substance is washed away.
All have their downsides – the side effects in the first, the untested qualities of the second and the messy nature of the third – and it remains up to the individual to choose the preferred option. Perhaps trying the least risky first makes the most sense.
