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Treatment Options
Lice
How is it treated?
The goal of therapy is to eradicate the lice and their eggs and provide symptomatic relief to patients.
Available Treatments:
- 1% permethrin (Nix), available over-the-counter, is the drug of choice for all 3 lice infections (body, head, and pubic lice). The cure rate is reported to be in the range of 90-97%
- Side effects of this medication include itching, stinging, and tingling.
- Application: Apply to scalp after hair has been dried following a shampooing. The scalp should be saturated with permethrin liquid, and a towel should be wrapped around the scalp to allow the application to stay on for 10 minutes. Rinse hair after 10 minutes.
- May need to repeat the application.
- 1% permethrin cream mix (Nix-Creame Rinse) is also available. Side Effects and application technique is the same as for the 1% permethrin.
- Pyrethrins?(e.g. Rid, Triple X) - are natural extracts from the chrysanthemum flower. Though safe and effective, pyrethrins only kill crawling lice, not unhatched nits. A second treatment is recommended in 7 to 10 days to kill any newly hatched lice. Treatment failures are common.
- 0.5% malathion (Ovide) is a prescription medication that is effective at getting rid of lice. The application should be left on the scalp for at least 90 minutes. Because it has a high alcohol content, it is highly flammable and can cause difficulty breathing if accidentally ingested. For these reasons, it should only be used for resistant cases of head lice.
- 1% lindane shampoo is available only by prescription. It should be used cautiously and only if a first-line treatment has failed or cannot be tolerated because lindane shampoo can be absorbed through the skin and cause serious side effects including seizures. The risk for serious side effects is increased when lindane shampoo is used improperly. Lindane Shampoo should also be used with caution in infants, children, the elderly, individuals with other skin conditions, and those who weigh less than 110 lbs (50 kg) as they may be at increased risk for serious problems such as nerve and brain damage from any lindane absorbed through the skin. Proper use in appropriate individuals can help to avoid the potentially serious side effects associated with lindane shampoo. The FDA now requests that a medication guide explaining the proper use of lindane be dispensed with every lindane prescription. Ask your pharmacist for a medication guide if one did not accompany your prescription for lindane shampoo.
- An ocular lubricant (Lacri-Lube S.O.P), available over the counter, is useful in removing crab louse infection of the eye lids. This medication is applied twice daily.
- Calamine lotion with 0.1% menthol may be used for the relief of itching. It can also be found over the counter.
Drug classes used to treat Lice Pediculicides
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Last Updated: July 2007
This content was created by members of the DrugDigest team of experts and is solely under DrugDigest's editorial control.
Note: The above information is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of your physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professional. It is not intended to diagnose a health condition, but it can be used as a guide to help you decide if you should seek professional treatment or to help you learn more about your condition once it has been diagnosed.
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How is it treated?
