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Help a Mom: New drug kills lice in one treatment; what's worked for you?

Posted: November 6, 2012

Tags: Health and Safety, Mom's Life, Parenting

Apologies up front if your head starts itching after reading this ...

Lice, that common annoyance of childhood, has a new enemy. It's ivermectin, a drug used since the 1980s for parasitic diseases. A study has found that a single application of an ivermectin lotion kills lice in three out of four children and with no nit picking. The product is being marketed as Sklice and is available by prescription only.

Read this Reuters story for more information about the drug and the study, which was published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week.

Let's just say that I have some experience with this scourge and any drug that might work the first time is big news for my household. We have used Nix lice treatment, combined with vigilant nit picking, successfully, but I know that there are concerns that some lice are becoming resistant to medication.

I have a friend who successfully used Cetaphil, a three-week treatment described here in The New York Times. A Go Ask Mom Facebook fan said she successfully used a mayonnaise treatment as well.

Here's how she described the treatment: A nurse told me to slather my daughter's head in mayonnaise before bed and then cover it with a shower cap secured with hair elastics. From the Dollar Store, this treatment was $2 and I had a pile of leftover shower caps for the next time. In the morning, we got in the shower and the dead bugs poured out of her hair. Sheets and towels washed it hot water and we were good to go. This works because the mayo suffocates them. They can only hold their breath for like an hour. After that, they die.

Has lice hit your household? What treatment worked for you?

Please share your tips in the comments box below. (If you don't see the comments box below, you'll need to log in or sign up for a WRAL account. You can do that by going to the top of the page and clicking on either "log in" or "register").

Help a Mom features questions from readers every Wednesday. If you have a question that you'd like to ask Go Ask Mom readers, click here to email it to me.

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Tea tree oil just a few drops in there shampoo will keep them from reinfesting!

papadsgirls
November 6, 2012 11:26 p.m.

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I started using LiceKiller (www.licekiller.com) 5 years ago, it's been nothing short of phenomenal! It's a bit pricey for a full "large family, very long hair kit(around $125.00), but it kills them DEAD, the FIRST time. It's non-toxic, safe enough for a baby, pets & made of essential oils, plus every order gets free overnight shipping & a 100%, no questions asked money back guarantee. I had a sister & 3 nieces, w/hair down to the thighs, completely loaded & battling it for YEARS, I finally got fed up & researched & found this product.I finally got 4 heads, myself & my baby, as well as the girls neighbor, who's parents weren't addressing the problem. I still had tons left over. It has proven just as effective even after a 5 years in my cabinet. I have used it on my own daughter & myself since, I'm finally down to the last little bit. I think of the years of fighting this scourge & I find the cost, worth my time & all the money I spent on repeated drugstore & doctor treatments!

hmmmmm
November 6, 2012 11:45 p.m.

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My daughter has had lice twice (nice, not). The first time the thing that finally worked was an olive oil treatment. Every three nights I slathered her head in olive oil, wrapped her hair/head in saran wrap, covered with a plastic shower cap and had her sleep on a towel. You can find the instructions by googling online. Messy but effective...and natural. The second time I ended up calling Helping Hands Lice Removal service. The girl who came to our house taught me how to properly come through my daughter's head to check for lice (super easy with regular hair conditioner and good lice comb) and how to clean my house (don't have to be as crazy as some say. She used Fairy Tales products (one is a lice remover, I think). I got it at Ulta. That two time treatment (once the first day, one I think 7 days later) and combing each night got rid of them. But Helping Hands was TOTALLY worth the $ and peace of mind it brought me.

ladybugs-mom
November 7, 2012 5:37 a.m.

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I am a school nurse and just thought I would chime in on this subject. First off, glad it worked for one mom but...research shows that mayonaise does not effectively get rid of lice. The number of dead lice compared to use of over the counter treatments is significantly lower so be aware. The key, no matter what treatment you choose, is physically removing the nits. If they are too close to the scalp they will hatch and that is when you see your stubborn reinfestations. The tea tree oil products to repel significantly. I had a parent who was a teacher at my school who used an herbal treatment she bought at an organic/health store (after trying multiple things) and it worked miracles. Sorry, do not remember the name but it was all natural and purchased in Wake Forest. Good Luck!

gopack10
November 7, 2012 8:04 a.m.

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I used mayonaise thick on the head. Wrap the head in plastic wrap and leave for no less than two hours. Wash with Dawn dishwashing liquid and rinse with white vinegar. This smothers any live lice and the vinegar loosens the nits for easy removal with nit comb.

msevil
November 7, 2012 8:26 a.m.

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When our daughter had lice, we used mayo (liberally) first thing in the morning. We wrapped in plastic wrap and didn't wash until late in the afternoon (warning, have your child wear old clothes because the mayo begins to separate and drip everywhere. The next morning, we combed white vinegar through her hair, then washed again. At that point, we were lice free. It is important to note that you must make the effort to wash EVERYTHING in hot water (sheets, towels, clothes) and do so regularly to ensure the lice don't return. Also, we put all stuffed animals that couldn't be washed in a large, sealed garbage bag and left in the garage for 3 weeks. When they were reintroduced, we shook them out and gently vacuumed. Good luck!

justbcauz
November 7, 2012 8:33 a.m.

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Lice Freee!!! (yes, the product is spelled with 3 e's) When my daughter came home with lice in April I freaked out. I've never had it and the thought of it grossed me out. I went on Amazon to find the best reviews for products and this one had the best feedback. What's even better is that it is completely non-toxic, homeopathic and environmentally safe (yay!) It comes in a spray bottle WITH the lice/nit comb. It smells like black licorice, but isn't bad at all. You just spray it on dry hair and saturate it good, then start combing. It worked the very first time and I never had to go back and re-treat. If anyone in our household gets lice again, there is no question about it - I will buy Lice Freee!! Also, I bought it at Walgreens for $10, but I've also seen it at Wal-Mart.

dukefan4
November 7, 2012 8:42 a.m.

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the Cetaphil treatment worked for us, as well. there is no way i would put the over the counter treatments on my child.

mama2two
November 7, 2012 8:43 a.m.

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Tar-based shampoo, leave in for 5 minutes then rinse and use Suave coconut conditioner. Got a variation of this from the People's Pharmacy website.

msnfnp
November 7, 2012 9:12 a.m.

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Listerine (the old yellow liquid) and a shower cap. One of the remedies from the People's Pharmacy.

PRGuy
November 7, 2012 9:41 a.m.

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Help a Mom: New drug kills lice in one treatment; what's worked for you?

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