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Chemicals in Lice-Treatment Products Linked to Health Problems in Children

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A study in Occupational and Environmental Medicine reports what many have feared for decades—that “exposure to certain pyrethroids, at environmental levels, may negatively affect neurobehavioral development by six years of age.” Pyrethroids are a class of chemicals used in insecticides, including the most popular head-lice medications.

 

For the study, the researchers measured levels of five pyrethroid metabolites in the urine of women in the early stages of pregnancy and, later, in their 6-year-olds to see if there was a link between being exposed to the chemical in utero and childhood, and behavior that could suggest neurodevelopmental damage.

 

“Pyrethroids are neurotoxins, says clinic owner Ally Anthon, owner of Lice Clinics of America – Sugar Land. “They work by disrupting the nervous systems of insects, killing them in the process. Health advocates have for years questioned the medical wisdom of putting neurotoxins on children’s scalps.”

 

Pyrethroid Chemicals in Lice Products: Study Results

There were three pyrethroid metabolites chemicals in lice products that showed up most often in the urine of mothers and their children: trans-DCCA, cis-DBCA, and cis-DCCA. The conclusion of the study was that “Overall, children with the highest levels of metabolites in their urine were three times more likely to have abnormal behavior than those with lower levels. As a result, the researchers concluded that pyrethroids might alter neurochemical signaling in the brain.”

 

This follows a 2015 study in Environmental Health that found that “Pyrethroid pesticides cause abnormalities in the dopamine system and produce an ADHD phenotype in animal models, with effects accentuated in males versus females. However, data regarding behavioral effects of pyrethroid exposure in children is limited.”

 

While neither study proves a medical link between pyrethroids and behavioral change in children, there is certainly reason for concern. Pyrethroids remain the first line of defense against head lice recommended by many doctors. This is changing, but not necessarily due to health concerns. Multiple studies performed in recent years have found that most head lice in the United States and other countries are developing resistance to pyrethroids, so these neurotoxins that parents are putting on their children’s heads are losing effectiveness.

 

New Recommended Treatments for Head Lice

The medical world is starting to shift gears. In 2015 the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) updated its guidance on head lice treatment as new products were introduced after the AAP’s 2010 report.  The new report was published in the journal Pediatrics, and it highlights some exciting new developments in the battle against head lice, including the revolutionary AirAllé medical device.

 

“The ideal treatment of lice should be safe, free of toxic chemicals, readily available without a prescription, easy to use, effective, and inexpensive,” the AAP said.  The article notes that the overall spending on lice treatment has risen to nearly $1 billion annually, with as many as 12 million children contracting head lice each year.

 

The AAP lists the AirAllé medical device as an effective lice treatment device: “The AirAllé (Larada Sciences, Salt Lake City, UT) is a custom-built machine that uses one 30-minute application of hot air in an attempt to desiccate the lice.” It uses no chemicals and instead dehydrates lice and eggs. Clinical studies found that the AirAllé kills live lice and more than 99 percent of eggs in a single session. In addition to being chemical-free, the treatment eliminates the need for weeks of nitpicking to make sure all eggs are removed.

 

The AirAllé medical device is available exclusively at Lice Clinics of America treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America is the world’s largest and fastest-growing network of professional lice clinics, with hundreds of clinics in some 20 countries.

 

About Lice Clinics of America – Sugar Land

 

Lice Clinics of America has successfully treated more than 700,000 cases of head lice. The company has more than 265 clinics in 20 countries, making it the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America – Sugar Land is located at 1531 FM-359, Suite 800, Richmond, TX, 77406 and is open 7 days a week by appointment. Call 281-801-4634 or visit https://liceclinicswesthouston.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Head Lice and Pop Culture

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From the staff at Lice Clinics of America – Sugar Land

 

Hollywood is full of glitz and glam. Not all of the scenes in your favorite movie are accurate though. This is especially true when it comes to scenes about head lice. Many media perpetuate folklore especially when it comes to home treatment remedies to cure their lice infestation. Let’s take a look at some of these clips and debunk those Hollywood representations.

MOVIES

I Don’t Know How She Does It: https://youtu.be/jawZFND4Bfc

In this clip, the loving mother gets a message from a trusted friend that her daughter has head lice. She immediately becomes itchy and freaked out.

The mind is a powerful thing. The second the word ‘lice’ is mentioned the entire room erupts in scratching behaviors. “We’ve had many a client come in for a head check because they’re convinced their itchy scalp is because of head lice,” says Ally, clinic owner. In fact, only half of the people who have head lice have itchy heads because the itchiness is an allergic reaction to the lice saliva—and not everyone is allergic to it.

Thankfully this mother seems like she is going to take all the proper steps and make sure her entire family is checked. This is the best way to ensure you can take care of it once and for all!

The Switch: https://youtu.be/gkEsrZpCdOo

In this clip, the mother has a set list of rules for her friend in regard to eradicating the head lice. She tells him to run to the nearest store and pick up a plethora of supplies and gives out instructions on home care.

One of the falsehoods they portray is the notion that all soft objects need to be bagged up for several weeks. In reality, head lice are parasites that require the host in order to survive. They cannot live on inanimate objects. Simply put, there is no need to put items in bags.  The minute lice leave the head, they lose their lifeline and will begin to die. The chances for a louse to navigate back on to a head are close to nil. If you are feeling anxious, you can throw the items in the dryer for 30 minutes.

Another falsehood is that prescription medication is effective. These medications are full of pesticides and harmful chemicals.  Furthermore, they are unable to penetrate the eggshell, so the nits survive the chemical treatment.  The adults also show high resistance to these pyrethroids so unless every tiny egg is combed out and every louse extracted, you are looking at an instant re-infestation.

Speaking of eggs, did you see how large they were in the child’s hair in this clip? In reality, eggs are about the size of a sesame seed.

All in all, though, it was a cute clip of a man taking care of his son’s head lice!

 

TELEVISION

The Office: https://youtu.be/k2Wxx6O3nhk

The television series The Office depicts the humorous side of head lice.  In this episode, the entire office is in a meeting deciding the best strategy to get rid of these little bugs, but they are not all on the same page!

Erin has a very calm sense about how to tackle the problem, but Dwight can be seen in a hazmat suit. Erin takes the smart approach to be calm but offers up some advice that may not be as effective as it seems.

When Dwight suggests using lye to get rid of the lice (side note: extremely bad idea), Erin chimes in that all they need is mayonnaise. Mayo is one of the more common home remedies that we hear clients tried to no avail. Lice have spiracles along their abdomen, which are openings through which the insect breathes.  It takes many hours for mayo to harden enough to clog those tiny spaces.  The mayonnaise also does not kill the eggs so without extracting every single one, you are right back to where you started and have only made egg salad.

Keep the mayo for the kid’s lunches. Here at Lice Clinics of America – Sugar Land, we have a safe and effective treatment that not only kills all of the live activity but the eggs as well.  This will also save you from ending up with a shaved head like Meredith!

Schitt’s Creek: https://youtu.be/5UZ5fbln0mE

The scene opens with Johnny Rose approaching his adult daughter and telling her that he got an email from her school about a lice outbreak in her class. What ensues is back and forth accusations from her dramatic brother after she’s shown scratching and denying why she’s scratching. Johnny asks her to go to the store to “get something and take care of that! I need to change the sheets!” It’s a furiously fast 90-second scene that ends with Alexis emphatically saying, “ugh that’s the last time I take a pity selfie with Kelsey!”

Remember to be careful with your selfie picture taking! Lice spread through head-to-head contact.

Teachers: https://youtu.be/sIOaE0kV46g

Our last clip is just a silly scene of teachers overreacting to their school’s head lice infestation. It is extremely humorous and shows how many people feel when they hear the word lice! Don’t let your child become one of the zombies!

Lice Clinics of America has successfully treated more than 675,000 cases of head lice. The company has more than 265 clinics in 20 countries, making it the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America – Sugar Land is located at 1531 FM-359, Suite 800, Richmond, TX, 77406 and is open 7 days a week by appointment. Call 281-801-4634 or visit https://liceclinicssugarland.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

The Science Behind the World’s Only One-Hour Head Lice Treatment

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It took a biologist researching the evolution of parasites to discover that head lice can be completely eradicated with desiccation, or “drying them out.” Dr. Dale Clayton, a biology professor at the University of Utah, found that lice on birds in more arid climates had a harder time surviving than those on birds in more humid climates. When his own children suffered from a bout of head lice and lice shampoos had little effect, he decided to test a theory and see if drying the head lice with heated air would eradicate them.

 

Dr. Clayton and his team of student scientists created the AirAllé® (pronounced ‘air-uh-LAY’), a device that concentrates heated air near the scalp—without burning it—where head lice prefer to hang out and lay their eggs. After about 30 minutes, the device can completely eliminate all head lice and their eggs (nits), with less than a one percent chance of recurrence. “It’s the only head lice treatment available that is guaranteed to get rid of everything—lice and their eggs—in just one visit,” says Ally Anthon, owner of Lice Clinics of America – Sugar Land.

 

Lice Clinics of America (LCA) has exclusive rights to use the FDA-cleared medical device to treat head lice. No chemicals or pesticides are necessary, which is good news for parents. “Head lice, known as ‘super lice,’ have been found to have developed a resistance to most over-the-counter products, making those products less effective,” says Anthon. “Using the AirAllé, we can have clients out the door, lice and nit-free, in about an hour.”

 

After trying everything from blow dryers to heated rice bag caps, Dr. Clayton and his team discovered that heated air, if applied at the correct temperature at the right location for a specific amount of time, quickly kills head lice and kills their eggs over 99 percent of the time.

 

“It’s so rewarding to be able to offer such an effective treatment to parents who are stressed out and frustrated in their unsuccessful attempts to eliminate head lice. They’re always so relieved when they see their ‘lice nightmare’ has come to an end,” says Anthon.

 

 

About Lice Clinics of America – Sugar Land

 

Lice Clinics of America has successfully treated more than 700,000 cases of head lice. The company has more than 265 clinics in 20 countries, making it the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America – Sugar Land is located at 1531 FM-359, Suite 800, Richmond, TX, 77406 and is open 7 days a week by appointment. Call 281-801-4634 or visit https://liceclinicswesthouston.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

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