Avoid Poisoning from Anti-Lice Treatments

Lice are insects that seek protection on human heads and feed off the blood from our scalps. Anti-lice products were introduced in an attempt to terminate lice and remove them easily. Unfortunately, most anti-lice products consisted of insecticides like lindane, pyrethrins, permethrin, and pyrethrum. These pesticides were once natural but were later produced synthetically to boost their ability to kill insects. Some of the pesticides found in anti-lice products are highly toxic and using them improperly exposes people to severe risks. As common as lice infestations are, most parents are unfamiliar with effective lice treatments. Many times, their lack of knowledge in the area have caused them to unintentionally poison their child, putting their health at serious risks. Here are some ways you can avoid poisoning your child from anti-lice treatments:

1.Read the instructions

Reading instructions for any kind of treatment is crucial. Most poisonings from anti-lice treatments products happen because parents fail to read and understand the instructions.

Anti-Lice treatments should NEVER be taken orally

According to the Poison Control Center, there have been incidents where parents have made their kids ingest anti-lice products! These parents assumed that ant-lice “medication” worked like regular medicine and was to be taken orally. As mentioned earlier, anti-lice treatment consists of toxic pesticides that should NEVER be ingested. A single teaspoon of lindane shampoo or any other anti-lice product can send a child (even adult) to the emergency room.

Anti-Lice products should not be left on for too long

Parents who think leaving anti-lice products on for longer is the solution to clearing their child’s head of lice are risking their child’s health. Anti-lice products are meant for the head and shouldn’t be left on the scalp for longer than 10 minutes. If they’re left on the head for too long, they’ll seep through the skin and into the blood!

2.Don’t use in the bath or shower

Anti-lice products are only supposed to be used on the head. It’s best to put them on using a pair of gloves to avoid unnecessary contact with the skin. Also, if the product happens to get into your eyes, it will cause severe irritation, redness and can even lead to conjunctivitis. If you’re using anti-lice products on your child, it’s best to wash their heads in the sink, making sure the product doesn’t get into their eyes.

3.Opt for natural methods of treatment

Due to overexposure to the pesticides used in anti-lice products, lice have become immune to them. The new generation of lice (called Superlice) is resistant to conventional lice removal shampoos making them ineffective. The best and safest way to treat lice is to extract them with a fine-tooth lice comb and to manually pick their nits (lice eggs). Lice Troopers uses pesticide free lice removal techniques to extract lice and their nits. Our services include head lice removal at home, home inspections and cleaning and camp & school screening. We also have lice treatment salons around the country where we use advanced technology and natural products to ensure every nit and pesky louse is removed. Call 1.800.403.5423 for appointments.