Ah, adaptation. The ability to adjust and change as the environment around us changes. It’s fantastic and wonderful how capable we are of adapting, but it’s a real bummer about the bugs. They can do it too. Evidence of their drug resistance is everywhere, from an ever-stronger flu each year, to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and now even the lice are getting in on this wicked head game, quite literally. Now there are super lice! Chemical resistance is nothing new, but the “ick factor” has been reaching new heights as this latest story unfolds.
What Are Head Lice?
According to the Mayo Clinic, head lice are tiny insects that feed on blood from the human scalp. They are about the size of a strawberry seed, and it’s worth noting as well that a lice infestation is not indicative of an unclean or unsanitary living environment. In fact, lice carry no bacterial or viral infectious diseases. (1)
They cause a good deal of itching on the scalp, along the hairline, and around the ears, and they spread like wildfire. So, they might not be infectious, but they are in no way pleasant either!
What About Super Lice?
Meet the next generation, for whom traditional OTC (over the counter) meds are no longer effective. Studies show that a high percentage of lice now carry genetic resistance to pyrethroids, which are a class of insecticide that had previously worked just fine at stopping lice infestations. (2) “Nix” is one such product. And since remedies like Nix are no longer working, but they are still sold and used, the infestation has time to spread further before a stronger remedy is sought.
Hold The Mayo
Gone are the days of traditional lice treatments of getting some Nix at the drugstore to take care of the problem. Home remedies like coating the scalp in mayonnaise are definitely out, not that they were ever in. The idea here is that the lice are suffocated, but lice eggs aren’t breathing yet. So at best, coating the scalp in mayo will cause a big mess. It may also asphyxiate a bug or two, but will never fix the root problem. (3)
These days a big blast of hot, dry heat seems to be the preferred method, as opposed to more chemicals. AirAllé® is one such treatment method. Basically, it’s a very serious hair dryer, used in conjunction with washing hair and combing to eradicate a super lice infestation.
There are stronger chemicals now too, but the chemicals are what spurred the pests to adapt in the first place. We can all agree that no one wants super duper lice, so a method that eradicates them (and their eggs), and does so with no pesticides, is a great thing.
It bears repeating that lice don’t carry infectious diseases. Yes, it’s gross. But it could be grosser.
It also bears repeating that traditional remedies like Nix, are strong chemicals. It’s less-than-optimal to put chemical pesticides right onto your scalp, and stronger pesticides are not the direction we want to go with this!
Prevention Is Key
So how do you stop a lice infestation before it starts? There are a few basic rules of thumb:
- Don’t share items that have touched someone else’s head, like brushes, combs or bath towels.
- Avoid head-to-head contact, like hugging and wrestling/roughhousing.
- Keep scarves, hats, and jackets away from shared areas like coat closets. (4)
The bottom line for super lice prevention is this: If it touched your head, don’t let others touch their heads with it. If it touched someone else’s head, don’t touch it to yours. Teach your kids, your spouse, and even your dog!
Following this one simple rule will lessen the likelihood of an outbreak in your own home.
