There are many errors and confusions concerning lice and
their eradication. The following was written to clarify some
of these points. The following information is from the
Medical Entomology Centre in Cambridge. Scientists there have
extensively studied lice, their life cycle and various means
of eradication. They have tested hundreds of compounds for
their effectiveness against lice, both in the laboratory and
on humans. They are amongst the foremost experts in the world
on this subject. They successfully eradicated head lice from
the whole population of the Isle of Man.
It may be that people have a reservation about using
chemicals to eliminate lice, using the logic "that if that's
what these chemicals do to the lice, then what are they doing
to my child?" However there have been no cases of poisoning
with these preparations when they have been used on the head
to kill lice. Accidental poisoning from ingestion is always a
possibility, but no one suggests that you should no longer
clean toilets because of the toxic nature of toilet cleaner.
In the case of possible combustion, again one needs to be
aware of the volatile nature of some of these chemicals.
There may have been cases when parents smoked near a child or
put the child too near an open flame. However, one should
be very concerned about the danger of "well intentioned"
parents who use their own kerosene formula (which is a
traditional and highly dangerous practice).
Although we might assume that if these chemicals are able to
kill lice, they must be "dangerous toxic and poisonous," this
is not borne out by the evidence. In fact, they are poisonous
— to lice! The respiratory system of lice, like all
insects, opens them up to being killed by insecticides which
are not known to be dangerous to people (in small amounts).
While there is always an element of 'you never know,' this
applies equally to many medicines and household chemicals
that are used freely. It may be that we will wish to avoid
unnecessary exposure to 'potentially harmful chemicals,' but
we should not be led to believe that this fear is evidence-
based.
On the other hand, who is to say that the medical
consequences of lice are not significant, as compared to the
"danger" of the chemicals. There are significant medical
problems (infection and bald patches) with heavy infestation
of lice. And lice infestation is the source of the word
"lousy," its meaning being "inadequate and sub-standard" and
also meaning "feeling poorly." Both of these are consequences
of lice.
Children carrying a burden of lice perform less well
academically and often have an underlying feeling of being
unwell and socially unacceptible. There are chemicals that
the lice inject into their victim, and because of this, and
the irritation lice cause, a sensitive individual can be
significantly affected by an infestation.
However, it is also true that the lotions can cause
irritation to the eyes and respiratory system of children,
and that the smell is offensive. These chemicals should
always be used where there is good ventilation. One should
also be aware that there are aqueous solutions available.
These are made up in water rather than alcohol and do not
irritate the eyes, chest or skin, and do not particularly
smell. If it can be argued that an hour's combing instead of
treating would be "well worth the effort," then one could
equally argue that the smell of the chemicals is 'well worth
the result.'
Lice depend on remaining on the head for their very existence
and only a sick louse will fall off a head. It has been
scientifically proven that lice cannot be contracted from
pillows, bedding or clothes. Any louse caught in combs and
brushes could be passed on to another person if they are used
soon afterwards. As for the eggs, once they are detached from
the host, they can no longer hatch. Lice are, in fact, very
sensitive creatures. Therefore it is completely unnecessary
to wash so thoroughly anywhere that a louse or its eggs may
have fallen (linen, etc.).
One should also be aware that combing dry hair might worsen
the problem. Static build-up in the hair has been shown to
throw lice quite some distance. These lice have not been
"pulled" from the hair or fallen out by themselves.
Consequently the thrown louse will be fit and well to lay
eggs on her arrival at the next head. The lice are more
easily and safely detached from damp (though not soaking)
hair. However, if one then wishes to apply a lice lotion, it
is necessary to wait for the hair to dry first to allow good
absorption and prevent dilution of the solution.
As for combing to eradicate lice, I calculate that each child
will take at least an hour, and as I have eight children
(ba'h), it would take me all day (eight hours!). I do
have other things to do! And all the children must be "done"
on the same day to prevent cross infection.
I don't doubt the method of combing could work, but research
shows that combing to eliminate lice is very ineffective
because it is almost impossible for people to be as thorough
as necessary.
As for the patience required, it may be that one can have a
good shmooze with a child and have real quality time (though
mine prefer to read during the ordeal) but realistically, I
cannot see many children below the age of 10 welcoming this
type of quality time. Even with the lotion and combing
method, it takes more time than the patience available to do
the job!
Cranky, impatient children do not make for patient thorough
combing. I strongly suspect that one-child families from
middle-class America made the combing-only method popular.
Perhaps they have the endless time (or money) for this.
Possibly, someone else does it. It should not be advocated
for our over-pressured mothers, who are then made to feel
guilty for using a quick, successful and sensible method for
lice control.
If one combs the head every day for two to three weeks as an
alternative to eliminating them in the first instance, then
you may eventually be rid of your lice, but meanwhile, your
children will still have been passing them on to others, and
they will come back to your child as soon as you stop your
vigilance.
Lice should be seen as a community problem, and each member
of the community has a responsibility to the whole group to
eradicate lice in their children (even if for themselves they
wouldn't care) to prevent the cycle of re-infestation.
Therefore, once you suspect an infestation, you cannot send
your child to school until you have checked for and treated
it. It would be a shame indeed if after your hours of hair
cutting, washing and combing, your darling went to school and
picked up some more! If everyone were to use the 'combing
only' method then that would be inevitable.
There does exist a problem of resistance to the lice lotion,
and this is a constant parley between the drug companies and
the lice. However, even if the lotion does not kill a louse,
due to the sensitive nature of lice, it will not be fit to
lay eggs. Some lotions are capable of killing the eggs,
others not. Since even the most effective lotion needs to be
properly applied, and not every person does so, many eggs are
left alive after treatment. These eggs will hatch over the
next few days.
It is therefore recommended that one should comb the head on
alternate days after using the lotion to detect any small
lice that just hatched. If any tiny lice are found, treatment
should be repeated after seven days from the first treatment
(they will not jump to another head or lay eggs when they are
newly hatched). To save effort, many manufacturers recommend
a second treatment after seven days in all cases. Doctors
usually know which lotions have had resistance developed to
it in their area, and which are known to be affective.
Combing to eliminate lice is difficult, time consuming and
far from effective. However combing to prevent further lice
infestation after having eliminated them is very achievable.
Regular combing, even with a normal fine comb (not a special
lice comb), has been shown to be one of the best preventions
of lice infestation.
You shouldn't think I am advocating (potentially dangerous)
chemicals. I just want to inject a bit of common sense.
Besides the scientific inaccuracies that abound, I am
irritated that such an onerous method, which most people will
not have the skill or patience to do properly, is being seen
as a viable solution to this scourge.
And here are some of my own eitzos from my experience
with this problem.
If you comb through when the lice lotion is still wet in the
hair, then you get a lot of eggs and lice out!
Push the comb (the metal ones) through an old pair of nylon
tights first, then you can pull the comb back through to
clean the prongs. Then put it through again in a clean
place.
If you rub the head vigorously over a white sheet and you see
lots of little black bits, or a child's white pillowcase
seems to get dirty very quickly, or the head appears
"gritty," then you are seeing lice excrement and small scabs
from the lice bites, and the head is infested. You don't need
to see any actual lice — they are there!
Using a bit of margarine on the end of the comb makes the
lice stick more, and if they are there, then you see them.
Wash the hair well afterwards, but the hair may retain a
shiny look, but this allows for further easy combing the next
day. Older children tend to object to this.
Ed. Note: Do not take the above article as halochoh
leMoshe miMitzrayim. A very successful method of combing
without using chemicals is to use conditioner after the
shampoo, which makes the combing ever so much easier and
feasible on a daily or bi-daily basis.
