As parents of many toddlers and elementary school children know, lice are a common problem. According to the Center for Disease Control, head lice are found worldwide and are most prevalent among preschool-aged to elementary school-aged children, and anyone who spends a lot of time with them. In the United States alone, it is estimated that between six and twelve million lice infestations occur each year among three- to eleven-year-olds.
Pesticide-Resistant Head Lice: “Super Lice”
According to the US National Library of Medicine, one of the biggest factors in the number of lice infestations is their resistance to pesticide-based treatments. This means that over-the-counter pesticide-based treatments have become so overused that the lice have adapted in order to survive them. A similar phenomenon occurs when antibiotics are used too frequently among the general population thus decreasing their effectiveness against resilient bacteria.
However, the ability of lice to adapt isn’t the only thing that has made them survive against the odds. In a recent study, North American head lice have been discovered to carry a gene mutation that makes them resistant to over-the-counter treatments. Their genetic mutation has made lice immune to the ingredients most commonly found in treatments, mainly pyrethroid compounds like permethrin.
The resistance of head lice to pyrethoid compounds common in most over-the-counter lice treatments has been developing for around two decades. Between 1999 and 2009, the overall frequency of resistance genes in the lice population was around 88%; between 2007 and 2009, that frequency increased to 99.6%. Lice today are now virtually 100% resistant to standard treatments. This means that these standard, over-the-counter treatments may not be effective.
Battling Resistant Lice – Pesticide-Free Forms of Treatment
How can you treat your child’s head lice infestation amidst a growing resistance problem? Luckily, there are a number of pesticide-free forms of treatment that can effectively stop a lice infestation in its tracks.
For people who are averse to using chemicals and prefer to treat lice more naturally, using a fine-toothed comb or nit comb can remove lice from wet hair. This method should be repeated every three to four days for two weeks. Combing alone may not effectively rid an individual of lice, however.
Vamousse is optimal for those looking for a one-time treatment that’s free of pesticides and works in just 15 minutes. This product, a mousse applied to dry, clean hair, begins killing lice the moment it is applied and is 100% effective after just one use. This non-toxic, pesticide-free treatment works where traditional treatments fail because, rather than relying on pesticides to which lice have developed a resistance, it is a physical action that kills the lice. Vamousse strips away the lipid layer from the lice that protects them from their environment and then dehydrates them, killing them. Since there is no chemical to resist, lice are not immune to it. Vamousse also offers a preventative shampoo to help keep lice from infesting anyone else in the family after one member has been exposed.
Not only is treating lice with effective means important, but treating it quickly is essential as well. Quick treatment prevents the lice infestation from growing out of control.