The simple truth about Pediculosis capitis — head lice

Everyone please, calm down.

It’s finally summer and you know what that means. For most people, it probably elicits happy feelings of warm summer days, nice pleasant nights with long days of fun relaxation, and excitement. But, for me, as a dermatologist and parent, it means overnight camp and there is only one thing that comes to my mind. Yes, I’m sure you are thinking what I’m thinking – LICE!!!

The Ease of Treating Head Lice

Now, here’s the thing about lice, it's so easy to treat. It's gross, true, but instead of the typical anxious approach to this infestation, it’s not such a big deal which is why, as a physician, I am frustrated by the current standard of care for this mild but very common inconvenience.

If you’re looking up natural lice treatment, there are several different recommendations, and my answer on “How to check for lice on yourself?”. Some are over-the-counter medications and some require a prescription. One treatment that is highlighted as effective, “safest” and a preventative lice treatment is the “natural” treatment of tea tree oil.

Tea Tree Oil for Lice

I just looked it up and there is a paper published that tea tree oil can kill lice but nothing about the nits. The thing about lice is that it's easy to kill the live bugs but getting rid of the eggs/nits is the perceived difficult part of an effective treatment that people fear.

In my sphere, there are lice experts that you can contact who will gladly help with a $400 price tag to look through your kids’ hair and identify the nits that are in the hair. In fact, in the past, a relative of mine, who shall not be named, was not allowed back into camp until she had a $400 evaluation declaring her free of lice. This is the standard of care!

Oil Treatment

Did you know that coconut oil can be a superhero in the fight against head lice for both adults and children? It's packed with fatty acids that suffocate these annoying creatures by coating their bodies and blocking their breathing pathways. The “coconut oil for lice” method is so effective that it immobilizes and ultimately destroys both the lice and their eggs.

Olive Oil Lice Treatment

And you know what? Olive oil is right up there with coconut oil in battling lice! When you apply olive oil for lice to your hair and scalp, it covers the lice and nits, making it hard for them to breathe. Leave it on overnight, and voila! The oil works its magic, suffocating and killing the lice.

So, next time you're thinking about natural remedies for lice, choose coconut oil or olive oil.

The Efficacy of Ivermectin

I will tell you, it is very easy to treat and clinically proven, with randomized placebo-controlled trials to back it up. The simple answer to lice is IVERMECTIN. Now, I know what you are thinking, apparently, I’m a mind reader, this is COVID-19 all over again. I do feel kind of funny recommending and emphasizing ivermectin as an exceptionally effective preventative lice treatment.

If you recall, which you probably blocked out of your mind, ivermectin along with hydroxychloroquine was advanced by some high-level politicians and physicians as the cure for COVID-19. The FDA even had to issue this statement because of our irresponsible leadership:

“There continues to be interest in a drug called ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19 in humans. The FDA has not authorized or approved ivermectin for use in preventing or treating COVID-19 in humans or animals.”

For pediculosis capitis medications and head lice, ivermectin is the best and simplest answer with clear clinical data with placebo controls to prove it.

Clinical Evidence Supporting Ivermectin

Here is how lotion works:

Topical Ivermectin 0.5% lotion kills head lice by increasing chloride in muscle cells, causing hyperpolarization and paralysis. Only 1 application is required; when the treated eggs hatch, the lice are not viable because they cannot feed as a result of pharyngeal muscle paralysis. Minimal systemic absorption occurs following topical application. Studies have demonstrated that topical Ivermectin 0.5% is a safe and professional lice treatment.

Here is the study, that gives a clear answer:

In two multisite, randomized, double-blind studies, we compared a single application of 0.5% Ivermectin lotion with vehicle control for the elimination of infestations without nit combing in patients 6 months of age or older. A tube of topical Ivermectin or vehicle control was dispensed on day 1, to be applied to dry hair, left for 10 minutes, then rinsed with water. The primary endpoint was the percentage of index patients (youngest household member with ≥3 live lice) in the intention-to-treat population who were louse-free 1 day after treatment (day 2) and remained so through days 8 and 15.

Results: A total of 765 patients completed the studies. In the intention-to-treat population, significantly more patients receiving Ivermectin than patients receiving vehicle control were louse-free on day 2 (94.9% vs. 31.3%), day 8 (85.2% vs. 20.8%), and day 15 (73.8% vs. 17.6%) (P<0.001 for each comparison). The frequency and severity of adverse events were similar in the two groups.

And the most convincing is the study that showed:

A single application of Ivermectin lice-killing shampoo was able to kill head lice in 86.2% of the participants. In participants with persistent infection (13.8%), a repeat application killed the entire louse infestation and 100% efficacy was demonstrated.

Topical ivermectin is devoid of the systemic side effects of oral ivermectin. And topical ivermectin is more effective than contemporary recommended agents such as malathion and permethrin.

So, the simplest thing you can do to solve this problem is to search for "lice treatment near me", find DappleDoc, and gain immediate access to natural lice treatment within 24 hours.