After more than half a century of use and reports of illness and deaths blamed on the pesticide, the federal government has banned all uses of lindane--except by children and adults who rub it on their scalps and bodies.

Earlier this month the Environmental Protection Agency banned all uses of lindane as a pesticide, but the Food and Drug Administration has decided to allow its continued use in medicines for treating lice and mites.

"Lindane is a known cause of seizures and has no role in the routine management of lice or scabies," said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, Baltimore city health commissioner. "FDA should re-examine the question of whether it needs to be on the market at all."

Lindane "is recognized internationally as one of the most toxic, persistent, bioaccumulative pesticides ever registered," said Jim Gulliford, assistant administrator for EPA's Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic Substances....

In warnings to physicians to prescribe only enough for a single application, the FDA wrote: "Patients are at risk for seriously neurologic adverse events and even death, particularly with early retreatment."

Copyright © 2006, Chicago Tribune

Research: Neem shampoo proved highly effective against all stages of head lice

The neem seed extract shampoo proved to be highly effective against all stages of head lice. No obvious differences regarding the efficacy of the shampoo were observed between an exposure time of 10, 15 or 30 min. No side effects, such as skin irritation, burning sensations, or red spots on the scalp, forehead or neck, respectively, were observed.

PMID: 16900389 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher

Research: A new shampoo based on neem (Azadirachta indica) is highly effective against head lice in vitro.

Department of Community Health, School of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Brazil;

Because topical compounds based on insecticidal chemicals are the mainstay of head lice treatment, but resistance is increasing, alternatives, such as herbs and oils are being sold to treat head lice. Our data show that neem shampoo is highly effective in vitro against head lice. The neem shampoo was more effective than the permethrin-based product. We speculate that complex plant-based compounds will replace the well-defined chemical pediculicides if resistance to the commonly used products further increases.

PMID: 16568334 [PubMed - in process]

Head Lice Problem in Schools

Head lice are not an indication of delinquent house cleaning. They’ve been with us since the dawn of civilization, and they will stay with us. Lice do not have a special season. They can appear at any time of the year. The female louse lays seven to 10 eggs a day – a considerable number over her life span of 20 to 30 days!

The eggs are firmly ‘glued’ to a hair as “nits.” The eggs hatch in a week or so, and the young louse matures in two to three weeks, when it begins to lay eggs. Lice live for only about two days apart from a human host. They don’t live forever on carpets and furniture. All that need be done is to vacuum those furnishings. (You might want to discard vacuum the bag after using, just to be safe).

The hot water of a washer and the high heat of a dryer will kill lice. Toys, stuffed animals and anything else that cannot be washed should be put in a plastic bag for a week or two to make sure that all the ‘critters’ have died.

If you are looking for a natural option to the most-used anti-louse medicines give our popular Neem Oil Shampoo a try. It is highly effective against all stages of head lice.