Beating Lice Without Lindane Success Stories from U.S. Parents Compiled by Pesticide Action Network North America, April 2009
Introduction
The Stories Project
The pesticide lindane has been banned in more than 50 countries, including most recently Chile and Mexico. Exposure to this neurotoxic organochlorine has been linked to seizures, developmental disabilities and hormone disruption. It is known to be particularly hazardous to children.
In the spring of 2009, Pesticide Action Network North America asked our individual members in California and beyond to share their experiences controlling lice without relying on lindane or other toxic chemicals. Responses ranged from in-depth descriptions to simple home-remedy or product recommendations.*
A persistent chemical, lindane travels on wind and air currents, settling in northern climates. It is found throughout the Arctic environment, contaminating traditional foods of indigenous communities in the region. The international community is now considering adding lindane to the Stockholm Convention list of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) targeted for global elimination. The Mexican government proposed addition of lindane under the international treaty in 2006. The chemical has been reviewed by the “POPs Review Committee,� an international panel of experts, which has determined that lindane meets the criteria for addition to the treaty.
A sampling of these stories is presented here. Our hope with this project is to illustrate the wide range of non-toxic lice control measures available to parents in the U.S. and around the world. We urge policymakers to take these real-world stories into consideration in the debate over the continued use of lindane in pharmaceutical products.
* PAN North America has not independently tested the efficacy of the approaches and products recommended by our members. These success stories represent the personal experiences of individual parents.
The Stories I discovered lice in my six-year-old daughter’s hair one night. We were shocked, ashamed and panicked. We have since learned that there is nothing to be shocked, ashamed or panicked about. Lice are a common occurrence in children that has no regard for social status or hygiene. In our panic, we tried a drug store treatment with lindane but the lice persevered. Then an advice nurse told me about a non-pesticide treatment that her medical group had found to work even when the chemical versions don’t. I was all for it, because we resolved we would never expose our child to pesticides on purpose again.
think she has been exposed, we wash her hair immediately with shampoo and tea tree oil. Lice only lay eggs at night, so if you remove them before they reproduce, you win. ~ Molly C., Mountain View, California
j When my daughter contracted head lice for the first time in preschool, I felt lucky she had a teacher who sent us home with detailed instructions on how to get rid of lice in the home as well as on our heads. We bought some natural products in the local health-food store, which did the job. In order to prevent further outbreaks I have used a homemade spray with essential oils of tea tree, rosemary, and lavender in water on my daughter’s hair every day during lice-season. She is now eight and hasn’t had an episode since. ~ Frans W., San Anselmo, California
j I’ve always been concerned about The remedy called for 1 cup olive oil, ¼ cup shampoo, a tsp of tea tree oil and ¼–½ tsp of either lavender or rosemary oil. We glopped the mixture on her head so that it covered the entire scalp and all the hair. We then wrapped her head in plastic wrap and let her watch TV for ½ hour. After washing it several times, we picked out nits with a fine-toothed nit comb. We used the comb several times parting the hair carefully into little sections until we stopped finding evidence. Now we are always careful to braid her long hair when there is an outbreak at school. If we
the use of pesticides and their impact on our health and the environment. So when my children got infested with lice at summer camp I knew I did not want to douse them with any pesticide, especially one with the health and environmental risks of lindane. I turned to the experts to decide on an alternative method of treatment and this is my story: Everywhere I looked combing with a finetooth comb was recommended, and not only as an alternative to pesticide use but also as an addition to the use of lindane and other pesticides in order to remove nits. I decided to try combing alone to see what my results would be. I found the comb easily at my local
Beating Lice Without Lindane: Success Stories from U.S. Parents
pharmacy and, to make a long story short, it worked beautifully. Both of my children were lice free in a week. Was it easy? No. It took time and care to do it correctly, but like most children they were happy to sit in front of the TV while I combed. I also made sure to continue to check them even after the comb confirmed that no lice were present. For effective treatment with pesticides you have to do the same thing. I’m happy I took out the toxic middleman and used a proven safe and effective method instead. I recommend the same thing now to anyone who will listen. ~ Ruth K., Chicago, Illinoios
j A number of years ago, my teenage daughter contracted head lice from sharing costumes in a school play. I had helped create graphics for the authors of a book called “Head Lice to Dead Lice,” so I knew about the dangers of lindane. Finally I had the opportunity to try getting rid of lice with olive oil and a nit comb. I followed the instructions in the book, and my daughter was completely rid of the lice in a couple of days. And she had more beautiful, shiny hair too from the olive oil treatments! ~ Glenna L., Cambridge, Massachusetts
j I’ve successfully gotten rid of lice after researching a company that uses neem oil. That worked splendidly. When I had used traditional lice-killer from a food store, I got really sick with the fumes out gassing and burning my scalp and making my eyes water. I
will never ever again use any toxin now that I know there are natural oils that lice hate. ~ RaVen S., Portland, Oregon
j Tea Tree oil works. ~ Aaron M., Madison, Wisconsin
j My daughters brought lice home from school and all three of us ended up with it. We all have long hair. I used neem shampoo and then olive oil with eucalyptus, lavender and geranium essential oils in it. We oiled up our hair and then put it in braids or buns for about a week. Every day we used the nit combs to comb out all the dead lice and as many of the eggs as we could get. Then we would wash with the neem shampoo, oil our heads up again, and put the braids in. At home the girls and I wore shower caps on our heads so that the oil would not get on any of the bed clothing. When I found the infestation, I washed all the clothes and bed linens in hot water and vacuumed everything. I also took all the stuffed animals and decorative pillows and put them in plastic bags out on the back patio. Every day during the infestation, I washed all the bed linens and clothes and put the bed pillows in the dryer before we would sleep on them again the next night. After 10 days the infestation was gone. It was hard work but my children and I were not exposed to the extremely dangerous, cancer-causing pesticides in the over the counter products. And we smelled really good. My hair was actually quite healthy afterward. I
Compiled by Pesticide Action Network North America, April 2009
did notice that over use of the neem shampoo made my scalp itch from dry skin, which wasn’t fun after the itch of the lice. I first learned of the dangers of lindane when I worked for a dermatological pharmaceutical company. They claimed to have a less harsh product and used anecdotal evidence to show the dangers of other products. Stories about children getting leukemia after a mother used Rid prophylactically twice a year. I worked there when my children were three and four but the stories were so dramatic that when they got lice at 11 and 13, I was adamant that I would NOT use those chemicals on my precious daughters. ~ Shelley B., Scottsdale, Arizona
j There is no reason to use lindane when a child contracts lice. First of all, we are believers in old methods to solve such problems. I am a teacher and my partner is a doctor. We are both from Native American stock. We were taught by our parents and grandparents to respect the earth and make our own medicines with the gifts she provides. It is terrible to harm innocent children and to market these products to unsuspecting parents. We do our best to educate every young parent we know about the dangers of all chemicals. Here is a tried-and-true method for getting rid of head lice: You simply coat the head with a light coat of petroleum jelly (Vaseline, or even olive oil) and wrap the head with a plastic shower or swim cap. The lice are almost instantly smothered. Then you can wash the head and hair with tea tree oil shampoo and use a lice comb to remove any nits. Check the child’s head and repeat if necessary. We have never found it necessary. We have used this method on children of others several times, and it truly works! You must also change all bedding, pillowcases, sheets, blankets, and wash them in hot water
with a bit of vinegar in the wash, and Borax. Put the pillows themselves in a hot dryer for several minutes. The heat kills any eggs that may be on the pillows. ~ Penny Lynn, Eagle River, Wisconsin
j I use olive oil. ~ Roxie S., Holmen, Wisconsin
j I used an herb called Tansy, which grows in my garden, together with a finetoothed comb. I have always tried to stay away from using chemicals in caring for my children and my home—and we are all really healthy! ~ Elisabeth K., Woolwich, Maine
j After battling with lice—anybody who has children will—and knowing that pesticide-based shampoos were a bad idea for young children, I believe I have found the solution. We have tried everything including application of rosemary and tea tree oils, conditioner, olive oil and of course lots and lots of lice picking along with that. Listening to a local radio station we heard about a product called a Robi comb. This comb has a battery in it and when a louse or nit comes into contact with the prongs it is zapped, electrocuted, end of story. Obviously one has to be aware of the life cycle of lice in order to complete treatment, but now that products like Robi comb are out there there’s no need whatsoever to use chemicals on the heads of children. Oh, yes, one more thing: I
Beating Lice Without Lindane: Success Stories from U.S. Parents
don’t have a share or any interest in the Robi comb business, even though I wish I had invented the thing! It’s time to ban lindane. ~ Glenn A., Noordhoek, Cape Town
j My daughter is now in the third grade in Oakland, California, where it seems that lice infestations occur routinely one to three times a year in virtually all daycare centers and elementary schools. She has a lot of long, thick hair. The presence of lice in your child’s hair is merely a nuisance; lice are generally not a health threat. There is no reason to treat them by putting poisonous compounds on your child’s head. I have never used harsh chemicals. I do nothing other than methodical, thorough combing every four days for a couple of weeks.
My daughter sits in the tub, I use regular shampoo and plenty of conditioner, rinse the conditioner mostly out before combing, comb out tangles with a regular comb then methodically comb using a lice comb (the plastic ones work best). I make sure I clean the comb after each pass into a container of water so I can later check for lice. Only adults move from head to head. If you comb every four days for a couple weeks to make sure that any adults and hatching nymphs have been removed, you’ll be set. I have, on occasion, used the enzyme product Lice R Gone (the first 8 oz. bottle lasted more than three years). In addition to combing I wash sheets, put stuffed animals into plastic bags for a few days (adults only live for 55 hours off the body), and toss blankets in a hot dryer for a while. ~ Margaret R., Oakland, California
j Enzymes work! There are some great enzyme products available that dissolve the exoskeletons of the lice. They desiccate and die. Comb to remove lice eggs and repeat again if needed. I have recommended this to friends and they always thank me. I would never put lindane on my child and advocate that it should be banned completely. It is criminal that doctors are still prescribing it when there are safe alternatives that are effective. I learned about the enzyme products at: http://safe2use.com/ ~ Julie O., Sacramento, California
j As a teacher in a low-income school, we’d have no students left to teach if the products being used to treat lice in California were ineffective. Children are sent
Compiled by Pesticide Action Network North America, April 2009
home regularly with lice, and they return to school. They are checked when they return. They return to class, so the products must be working, without lindane! ~ Lynda A., Orange, California
j By the time I figured out we had lice; all three of my kids were infested. I keep a clean house and clean kids, so I was surprised, although I do understand now that lice don’t mind clean heads! We used Lice MD, a silicon lubricant, as I am extremely leery of using pesticides—especially on my children’s heads, right over their growing brains. I washed everything that was on the beds, thoroughly vacuumed the couch, and did extensive comb-outs on each child’s hair. I have two girls with long thick hair, so the comb-out was a big deal on them. The lubricant in Lice MD made it much easier than it would have been with a traditional lice shampoo. Now, lice-free, it was worth it. I have a friend who used olive oil, soaked in the hair for 30 minutes every other day for two weeks. This works as well. ~ Carolyn C., Elk Grove, California
j I heard about lindane when I had my first son, Diego. The more I learned about it, the more resolved I was to avoid putting poison directly into the skin, hair, eyes and mucous membranes of my darling baby. I have never used lindane shampoos; Diego is now 13, he has a younger brother, and our family has been through quite a number of rounds of lice infestations. This is what works: enzyme shampoos (check out Safe Solutions Lice R Gone, www. safesolutionsinc.com). It costs $22/bottle,
and you have to leave it on for ten minutes, but it works! I’m willing to pay that price for a healthy product that ends lice quickly, and spares my child damaging pesticide poisoning. There are other enzyme foams, sprays and shampoos, and they all work. You still have to comb the lice out, but that was a given anyway. Iron couches and upholstery to kill nits. Wash all clothes, bedding and towels. Minimize head contact for two weeks. Quarantine affected kids until the nits are gone. This can be as little as one day, if you get it fast. Tea tree oil shampoos can help, and essential oils like lavender and eucalyptus, but when you need the heavy guns, go for the enzyme stuff. ~ Nancy B., San Diego, California
j I use miracle whip. ~ Rox F., Harmony, Maine
j Our neighbors hail from Europe where they use mayonnaise applied to the hair. It is completely harmless to the kid but a bit messy. Kids however tend to enjoy the experience. Three applications and lice are history. ~ James K., Cambridge, Massachusetts
j There are PLENTY of natural resources to get rid of lice, including tea tree oil. Internet research has many suggestions. Both my children, our three dogs and cats and I got lice from my daughter’s daycare (and cross contamination). We all washed with a shampoo that contained almond oil, tea tree
Beating Lice Without Lindane: Success Stories from U.S. Parents
common childhood affliction. One thing I strongly believe—when we work to find and fund research not based on selling a product, but focused on the best health for the child and the community, we will find safer results. Keeping people healthy IS more economical, I believe this economic downturn, while very challenging and tragic for so many, is an opportunity to take care of what’s important, to really get to it. Legislation banning lindane is part of that. ~ Ruth M., Lawrenceville New Jersey
j I treated my daughter with the oil and lavender and they went away!! Imagine that...WITHOUT chemicals. ~ Drayton K., Grass Valley, California
j I have a good story to tell. We had to deal with head lice twice during my child’s elementary school years. The first time we both had them. The second time, just my child, as they were picked up during a trip I wasn’t along on. The family used a variety of methods to remove the eggs and to deal with the lice themselves. The first time, I did use a lindane product. Working on my child with this product once and observing its effect on my child, and learning about the dangers of repeating treatments inspired me to take the alternate treatment path thereafter. (As you can read between the lines, the product was not effective in the first use). I very much want to participate in this campaign and share my story. I very much want to support families for their own best outcomes with this very, very, very (x5 more!)
regular lice shampoo but it didn’t work so I used a combination of eucalyptus oil, pennyroyal oil and tea-tree oil. I rubbed the oil on her scalp, and then picked out the nits everyday. I kept the oil on her scalp, and it repelled the lice. ~ Amy B., Corvallis, Oregon
j In the 1990s I worked to get the Health Board in Missoula County, Montana, to communicate with the county district about the risks of lindane. While the school district had some preventative pyrethroid alternatives in place, the Health Board’s letter and personal communications, highlighting the risks of lindane, made a bit more progress. ~ Tony T., Eastpointe, Michigan
j We’ve used Nit-Free Mousse and it works. Why would we put toxic chemicals on our skin when it isn’t necessary? Insects are
Compiled by Pesticide Action Network North America, April 2009
made up of a high concentration of protein. When Nit Free Mousse is introduced to the lice insect, the enzymes act and cause the insect to molt (shed its outer coating) prematurely. Poison pesticides attack the nervous system of the insect, which is not always effective. University research has noted that some insects have developed a resistance to poison products! Active ingredients: A specially formulated broad spectrum of natural enzymes (protease, amylase, cellulase, lipase) derived from innocuous yeast strains. FDA food grade ingredients. GRAS (FDA Generally Regarded As Safe) List Parts 184 and 186. This product is not a pesticide. ~ Denise H., Lanai, Hawaii
j Our five-year-old daughter Mina discovered she had lice just as she was about to board a plane to come home from Germany to California. We’d been away from our house for a year, and wanted to make sure we didn’t
bring lice home! On the way home from the airport in California, our local pharmacist recommended a non-lindane shampoo for lice. Mina used it as soon as she got home, and the lice were gone! No lindane, no lice! ~ Judith M., Arcata, California
j We beat lice with metal lice combs and olive oil. Really soak your child’s head and leave the oil on for at least two hours. Wash out the olive oil with shampoo. Their hair will still be quite greasy. Comb out very small sections of hair, dipping the comb in cider vinegar and wiping it off on a towel each time to remove any debris. I used an old toothbrush to clean the comb as well. Do this every day if you are very paranoid, or at least every week for several weeks. I think a hatched egg has 10 days to mature and lay, so maybe do it every 10 days. The Harvard University Medical Department has some very helpful links about treating lice and lindane exposure. ~ Margret L., Sterling, New York
j We have used a product from CedarCide Industries that is nontoxic and safe for children and animals. It controls almost all flying and biting insects (flies, ticks, mosquitoes, gnats, lice, scabies, etc.) safely. They have a website, check it out. Spray it on skin, clothing or soak hair and gently rub into scalp. Leave it on hair and scalp overnight wrapped in a towel. It does not have to be washed from skin but will actually make it feel quite nice. Personally I love the smell of cedar but some people do not. We are tired of being poisoned legally with the help of our doctors. ~ Merrolyn S., Milton Freewater, Oregon
Beating Lice Without Lindane: Success Stories from U.S. Parents