Archive for the 'chemical lice shampoo' Category

A professional response to Lice Questions:

headlice September 1st, 2008

I'd like to share a response I posted to a question I found on a message board today.

Bob, of North Carolina actually had a bunch of questions. His mom had lice, and he unwittingly used her hair brush. She had cleaned out the hair before he used it, and washed it with boiling water.  Now, a month later, after using Rid, and a product called Lice-Free, he is still itching. He apparently itches a lot due to allergies, and has dandruff to boot. Bob wants to know how to tell the difference between dandruff and lice!

This is the response I posted:

The short answer: You probably have a very irritated head right now from all of the chemicals you used. Based on your original post, it is unlikely that you got lice after using a brush that was clean of hairs, and had boiling water poured over it.

The good news: Experience has shown us here at LICENDERS, that once someone is thinking about lice, they will feel itchy. This is NOT an indication that you have head lice!

The not so good news: If your mom treated her own head lice infestation with a chemical product like Rid, she may still have lice, and you could have caught it from her in a number of ways in the days or weeks that followed. The lice may have survived the treatment. They crawl from head to head very quickly. If every nit was not methodically combed out with an effective lice comb, those nits could have (even 7-10 days later) hatched into nymphs (baby lice), matured into lice, and continued the cycle on her head… and yours.

We have a lice removal service, in the New York Tri-State area. We sell the products that our clinicians use… because they do work. Lice become resistant to the chemicals in the products you used. Our products are 100% natural, safe, enzyme based, and chemical-free. We have a blog that has articles on lice facts, fiction etc. The link to the blog is on the bottom of the home page of our LICENDERS website.

Good Luck to you!

Lice Prevention After Camp

headlice August 18th, 2008

Now is the time to be on guard for head lice!

When your kids come home from Summer camp, they may bring home more than dirty laundry and memories that last a lifetime. Head lice are so common these days, that the chance that your child was exposed in summer camp is quite high. Many camps do check for lice at the beginning of the Summer. However, in many situations, the treatment applied is a chemical lice shampoo.

Chemical lice products have a number of problems. Lice have become resistant to chemicals. Therefore, many lice treatments are not working. In addition, the chemicals have been known to actually harden the nits (lice eggs). This makes nit removal even more difficult than it already is. In order to completely get rid of lice every single nit has to be removed. Nits are tiny… the size of a grain of sand! If all the nits are not removed, a nit will continue to grow on the hair shaft, for a period of 7-10 days. At that point, a nymph (baby louse) will hatch, and within 7-10 days will be mature enough to lay additional nits! At this point, a child who was treated for lice in fact  be completely reinfested — and even worse infesting his friends and bunkmates.

Head lice is not a cleanliness issue. But lice are hearty, persistent bugs, and they will continue to live on human hosts unless they are treated effectively. Lice feed by biting the head, leaving irritation which causes terrible itching.

When your child comes home from camp, do yourself a favor, and take the time to do a lice nits check - before there is a possibility of his sharing lice or nits with his siblings — or parents! Yes, adults do get head lice. Lice prevention is the best way to stay in control.

Head Lice Home Remedies

headlice August 12th, 2008

As you surf the web, you will find many, many personal testimonials about struggling with head lice. There are numerous blogs, where people discuss and commiserate on the topic of head lice. 

Here are a few quotes straight off just one blog where people give home advice about Lice:

"I have battled head lice with my five year old off and on for the past two years. Here's what I learned: DO NOT SPEND YOUR MONEY ON RID OR OVIDE."
posted by Mary in July '08

"…douse your head with WHITE VINEGAR for TWO HOURS. This dissolves the glue that causes the nits to attach to the hair shaft. It makes combing out sooooo much easier. It smells awful though, but if you can stand it you will soon be lice free. Rinse the vinegar out with shampoo….
….*TRY THIS METHOD BEFORE YOU SPEND YOUR MONEY ON PRICEY RID, NIX OR OVIDE."
posted by Amber, somewhere in the USA

"We bought the expensive stuff first and now we wished we hadn't wasted our money."
posted by Anje K. on April 15 '08

"I found out later that commercial lice treatments actually harden the cement that binds the nit to the hair shaft."
posted by Molly in March '08

"After using NIX three times, and Mayonnaise twice…"
posted by Katie January 25, 2008

The facts are, these chemical lice shampoos really are not working! LICENDERS products work! LICENDERS uses NATURAL LICE TREATMENT. No chemicals! The lice die from the lice shampoo, the essential oils repel the lice, the combing solution loosens the glue, and the lice comb catches every single nit.

More Chemicals and Lice

headlice August 7th, 2008

According to a Reuters News Article on July 31, 2008, Taro Pharmaceutical Industried Ltd., and Nextwave Pharmaceuticals, Inc have entered into an agreement regarding Ovide. Ovide is a Prescription lice drug. The agreement will result in a joint promotion of Ovide lice medicine to pediactricians and health professionals, who are approached for lice help. The two companies are targeting approximately 10,000 doctors, in an attempt to market their product for lice treatment.

Although Ovide is approved by the FDA for treating head lice and nits eggs, serious questions remain. Ovide it a brand name for malathion. The bottom line is this is a strong chemical, that you are putting on your child's head - because he has lice! Malathion is not considered safe for treating children under six years old who have head lice. It is a prescription drug, for head lice. But head lice is not an illness. Lice is not a disease! Lice is an uncomfortable nuisance, but it isn't dangerous! You do not even need a pediatrician to treat head lice!

to be continued.

A Frustrating Lice Problem (part one)

headlice July 30th, 2008

Throughout the past 6 months, Rachel, a young mother, has been dealing with lice nits in her daughter's hair. Tammy, her adorable three year old likes to twirl her hair while she sleeps, or at other quiet times. Therefore, Rachel did suspect lice nits, when she  saw that Tammy was touching her head a lot. By the time Rachel realized that Tammy was actually scratching, she had a full blown case of head lice. Rachel did what any other good mother would do. She ran to the drugstore, and purchased the popular chemical lice shampoo off the shelf. Rachel followed the instructions on the box of the lice shampoo, and used the lice comb provided. A week later, as suggested, she used the product again. But Tammy was still scratching, and upon inspection, still had a head full of lice.

So Rachel started all over again. Back to the drugstore for a different lice shampoo, more chemicals on Tammy's head. More lice  nit combing with the plastic comb provided. By the time Rachel's mother called LICENDERS, this had been going on for a few months. The first thing we told Rachel was: Stop Using CHEMICAL LICE SHAMPOOS! If they aren't working, more of the same is not going to work either. Lice are resistant to the chemicals. By this time, Tammy's scalp was so irritated from all those chemicals, and she still had lice!

We demonstrated to Rachel how to identify and methodically comb nits with the LICENDERS method. We showed her, that baby lice (nymphs) can be difficult to see because they crawl so quickly. Proper lighting is important when treating lice nits. We also provided Rachel with gentle, natural lice shampoo - no more chemicals! Now that Rachel had been trained by professional lice removers, she felt in control of the lice problem. It was very obvious to Rachel within a few days that Tammy's hair was really lice and nit free.

But it didn't end there.

To Be Continued

Why Use Enzyme Lice Shampoo?

headlice June 25th, 2008

Licenders Professional Shampoo is an Enzyme Lice Shampoo.

Enzyme control of [head lice] is preferable to traditional pesticide-based approaches to pest control for several reasons, not least of which is the elimination of chemical exposure risk.

Enzyme control is non-toxic and safe for people and the environment, pesticides are not. Enzyme is a desirable alternative to pesticide control because it relies on physical biology rather than on toxic substances to achieve success. Enzyme control is universal in range - all insects are affected by enzyme - enzyme works for any pest problem encountered.

Unlike pesticides, enzyme can be adjusted in strength, allowing specific insect species to be targeted or spared according to intent. For example, one can treat an organic garden with a weak concentration in order to eliminate aphids but protect beneficial honey bees.

Unlike pesticides, enzyme [lice] control will never become obsolete. Because the biology of insects depends on the creation of enzymes in order for survival, it is impossible for [lice] to develop a resistance to enzyme as a method of pest control. Insects have an ability to rapidly evolve an immunity or resistance to commercial pesticides within a short time, even within a single crop cycle! This leads to a costly rotation of chemical warfare. Sadly, human beings do not have the biological tolerance to the persistent pollution of pesticides that insects do, and are often the ultimate victims of pesticide. Fortunately a consistently reliable and safe solution to pest control has been discovered - enzyme.

Enzyme control achieves safer, faster and more effective results than pesticide poisons. Replace the health risk of outdated chemical pesticides with a sure-fire and completely non-toxic alternative method for exterminating pests – an enzyme based product such as Licenders Professional Lice Treatment Shampoo.

Pest Control has long sought the perfect pesticide, an ideal Holy Grail that is totally safe for humans, yet certain death to insects, and would never become obsolete. Why this had not been found was due to a lack of exploring outside the realm of traditional pesticides - which rely solely on the application of hazardous chemical poisons to kill insects. Enzyme based biological pesticides offer just such a perfect resource for non-toxic pest control.

Licenders has invested in scientific research to kill head lice effectively and safely!

Enzyme Lice Treatment Products

headlice June 24th, 2008

continued from Licenders' Lice Shampoo Works!

Licenders has researched the anatomy of hair lice and nits, to develop lice removal products that work.

The solution to cracking the cuticle of a [human head louse] exoskeleton was discovered through the observation of insect entomology - insects employ enzymes to escape their exoskeletons. By utilizing cultured enzymes that mimic those found in nature, a natural form of biological pesticide can be produced that has the ability to dismantle the armor of [head lice] instantly.

Enzyme [product] digests insect's waxy cuticle on contact and dismantles their exoskeleton - effectively forcing [headlice] into immediate molting in which the protective shell is stripped.

Using enzyme-based formulas as a form of biological [lice] control is an ingenious play of engaging the forces of nature to our advantage. Enzymes exist throughout the insect, plant and animal kingdoms to aid in the digestion of organic matter. Arachnids such as spiders and scorpions inject their prey with enzyme; insect larvae (maggots) also rely on enzymes to predigest their food for them. Insectivore plants also use enzymes to digest insect prey. Even cellular organisms such as bacteria, mold, mildew and yeasts all depend on enzymes to aid in the external digestion of food sources. Enzymes play a fundamental role to all life because they are a necessary catalyst to speed up the chemical reaction of metabolism. Enzymes are used by living beings to break down complex structures in food digestion.

Enzymes are used throughout the food industry to pre-digest proteins and starches: baby food manufacturers add enzymes to soften the food, bakers add protease enzyme to flour to lower protein level, and brewers add enzymes to beer during fermentation to help filter and clarify the beer. Cheese makers as well use enzymes in the ripening phase of cheese.

Enzyme lice shampoo is a safe alternative to chemicals, with a much higher success rate of getting rid of lice.

Licenders’ lice shampoo works!

headlice June 23rd, 2008

enzyme lice shampooThe problem of treating lice in the 21st century, often boils down to chemical resistance. To understand this challenge to head lice treatment, you need to understand the physical characteristics of human head lice.

Insects, [including human hair lice], make formidable opponents because they are protected by strong exoskeletons - hardened shells that cover them like a suit of armor and have the locomotion of a tank. It is the exoskeleton that has most challenged pest control - until now. Enzyme is the key.

Because a [head lice] exoskeleton is a hard shell made of non-living material, it does not grow in size with the insect's development. Therefore it is necessary for all insects to shed their exoskeletons several times during the course of their life. They accomplish this by using enzymes they create naturally to split open their exoskeleton and thus grow larger. It is during this molting phase that an insect is at its most vulnerable - susceptible to drying out or drowning since the hard shell that normally would protect [the louse] has been cast off.

The surface of every insect's exoskeleton is covered with a waxy, water-repellant patina known as the cuticle. This outer coating protects the human head lice from harm, and has long been an obstacle for pesticide's effectiveness - the chemicals must penetrate the cuticle in order to affect the insect, so pesticides employ a variety of volatile solvents, toxic dusts or light oils in order to cut through the cuticle and thus deliver the poison into the insect interior.

Enzymes provide a safer, and more reliable method of killing head lice.

to be continued

 

LICENDERS: A Non-Chemical Lice Solution

headlice June 12th, 2008

We recently reprinted Dr. John Hong's article about head lice, and other types of lice. It should be noted, however, that LICENDERS does not completely agree with Dr. Hong's suggestion about how to treat head lice. Dr. Hong only mentions treatment using chemical lice shampoo. In addition, he states that because lice have developed resistance, sometimes an oral medication is needed.

As LICENDERS has been treating children with head lice for 15 years, LICENDERS is uniquely qualified to present authoritative information on this matter. Dr. Hong is correct that head lice have developed resistance to chemicals. The solution to this frustrating fact about the resistant lice should not be to add MORE chemicals! Chemicals used to kill head lice are dangerous, and some have even been linked to leukemia.

The LICENDERS solution is to use safe, natural products on your children, completely avoiding the dangers of chemicals. LICENDERS uses enzyme based lice shampoos, combined with essential oils that naturally repel lice. Enzymes are essentially harmless for humans, but successfully kill every louse during a head lice infestation.

LICENDERS has a complete line of lice removal products that methodically work to eradicate the lice problem. Our own track record is proof positive that these lice treatment products work. There is no excuse, even during a lice infestation, to use chemicals on your child's head!

Lice Information from a Pediatrician (continued)

headlice June 5th, 2008

"Dr. Hook" a.k.a Dr. John Hong of Charlottesville, Virginia is a reknowned pediatrician who writes medical articles for THE HOOK, a local newspaper. Here is the continuation of his article about head lice, published on 5/15/08, and posted with permission from the author.

 

Continued from yesterday's LICENDERS post, Lice Information from a Pediatrician

 

Adult [female lice] are about 3-4mm in length, live about a month, and lay 10 eggs (nits) a day that stick to the bases of hair shafts. The eggs hatch in eight days, and the nymphs mature in eight days. (The crazy ones are called nymphomaniacs– or not.)

 

These creepy crawlers suck blood from the scalp, eyebrows, and other hairy places on the head and neck. The bites can cause an allergic reaction, like a mosquito bite, leading to itchy bumps. Scratching the bumps can lead to bacterial infections.

 

The white nits are easier to spot than the mobile lice. If you catch a louse, you might put it in a ziplock bag for the doctor to view under a microscope.

 

Nits are truly nit-wits because they stick to the hair even after hatching or treatment for lice. So a fine-toothed nit comb is used to wipe them away. Topical medicines like permethrin (Nix), pyrethrin (Rid, A-200, Pronto, Clear), and malathion can be used. A second treatment might be needed a week or two later.

 

to be continued

 

© Dr. John Hong, Inc

 

 

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