Over the pond scientists have confirmed that head lice have developed an immunity to the commonly used US pesticide, permethrin.

Although insecticide-based products have been virtually eliminated in the UK and Europe over the past 10 years, treatment for the rapacious scalp dweller is vital.

Ian Burgess, Director of the Medical Entomology Centre Insect Research and development Ltd., said: “The fact that head lice are still with us in the UK is not due to the products not working, but because people often don’t use them in a coordinated manner.
“If your child comes home with head lice and you treat the infestation but some of the children in the class remain untreated, the infestation will continue to spread.”

Whereas pesticide lotions work by poisoning the louse, non-pesticide lotions attack it physically. The knack for eliminating the head-dwellers comes with regular routine checks.

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Mr Burgess said: “Many parents forget to check their child’s hair for lice after they’ve used a treatment to ensure it has worked or they fail to complete a second treatment where required.”

Follow up treatments are vital to ensure that any lice that may hatch from eggs during that time don’t hatch. Parents are also advised to check their child’s scalp once a week.

Mr Burgess, like many others, believes that the stigma of shame or embarrassment surrounding head lice needs to be removed. They argue that it’s normal for children to get lice, but for their sense of well-being , it’s important that the lice are treated as soon as they have been discovered.