Super Lice Frustrate Parents and Leave Kids Itchy

Posted on October 10, 2008

Super lice are real. The nasty little critters have developed immunity and cannot be killed easily with today's commercial lice killers. MSNBC has an article about super lice.

Researchers have been warning for years that head lice in the U.S. and around the world are developing immunity to the strong insecticides used in over-the-counter and prescription shampoos. It takes just three to five years for the bugs to adapt to a new product, despite claims to the contrary by the manufacturers, noted Shirley C. Gordon, an associate professor at Florida Atlantic University who studies persistent head lice.
Health officials have continued to recommend the products, however, because over-the-counter medications like the permethrin in Nix, the pyrethrin s in RID, the lindane in Kwell and the prescription malathion in Ovide still work in some people, some of the time.
But the nation's school nurses, often the first defense against the scourge, say it's clear to them that families confronted with the critters are increasingly frustrated by the product failures.

Fox News and New York Daily News also have super lice stories.

The super lice still look the same as regular lice - a louse is about the size of a sesame seed. In the video below lice expert Dr. Daniel Rauch recommends some smothering products including mayonnaise and olive oil. The regular lice-fighting shampoos are not as effective as killing super lice. These products have to stay on the head for two to four hours. It sounds gross putting this in your hair but it sure beats having super lice.