Infestations by head lice did urge a lot of tinkering in herb-land with a lot of vinegar, mayonnaise, Vaseline and essential oils. A shampoo with a combination of lavender, peppermint and eucalyptus oils proved to be very effective in Argentina ( Gonzalez Audino P, et al. 2007 ) . But the adding of isopropanol and 1-dodecanol, made it less attractive. An other scientific study proved Tea tree oil to be very effective, and lavender a bit less ( Williamson EM et al 2007) . In Israel researchers were very enthusiastic about a shampoo containing coconut oil, anise oil and ylang ylang oil ( Mumcuoglu KY et al 2002) .
Essential oils of cinnamon: Cinnamomum zeylanicum ( Yang YC et al 2005) , clove: Eugenia caryophyllata ( Yang YC et al 2003) and Ginger Lily: Hedychium spicatum ( Jadhav V et al 2007) were effective in anti-lice-treatment too.
It is nevertheless important to be aware of sensitization to all these ingredients; Foussereau J did already warn in 1986 for allergic eczema. And aniseed oil ( García-González JJ et al 2002) , and tea tree oil ( Hammer KA et 2006, Carson C. F et al 2006, Rutherford T et al 2007) are well known allergens.
Aniseed, lavender and also tea tree oil are estrogenic and anti-androgenic agents. So they do effect sex hormones ( Albert-Puleo M 1980, Henley DV et al 2007) .
The essential oil of Melaleuca alternifolia, also known as tea tree or melaleuca oil is toxic if ingested in higher doses ( Morris MC et 2003, Del Beccaro MA 1995, Hammer KA et 2006,. Carson C. F et al 2006) . And peppermint essential oil is not innocent ( Lazutka JR et al 2001) .
So certain substances could have some degree of toxicity ( Jones KN et al 2003, Eisenhut M 2007) . Unfortunately not much research has been done yet.
Neem
Neem is mentioned in many ancient texts and traditional Indian medical authorities place it at the pinnacle of their pharmacopeia. These properties, and others, known to Indians for millennia, have led to the tree's being called in Sanskrit ‘Sarva Roga Nivarini’, the curer of all ailments, or in the Muslim tradition, ‘Shajar-e-Mubarak’, the blessed tree' http://www.twnside.org.sg/title/pir-ch.htm.
In scientific tests neem proved to be highly effective against all stages of head lice ( Morsy TA, 2000, Abdel-Ghaffar F et al 2007, Heukelbach J et al 2006) .
Since 1970 American and Japanese firms did apply for more than 40 neem patents, especially for insect repellents from the neem-tree. Since 1985, over a dozen US patents have been taken out by US and Japanese firms on formulae for stable neem-based solutions and emulsions; Even for a neem-based toothpaste. Patents disputed by international and national non profit organisations.
Picksan® Stop Lice Anti-Lice Shampoo contains the patented MelAza (neem-oil) extract. According to label instructions the shampoo is not to be used during pregnancy and lactation and is also not to be used for children under 3 years old.
An other shampoo, Neemosan, contains besides neem-oil also tea tree-oil and lavender-oil. This shampoo should be suitable for baby's more than 6 months old and safe for asthma patients.
Coconut-derived emulsions
Coconut-derived emulsion (CDE) shampoos against head lice infestations in children could be very effective according Connolly M et al (2009).
Luisweg® (shampoo) claims the coconut-derives to be their active component. These derives should penetrate the louses respiratory tract and suffocate and dehydrate the louse. Luisweg® should also dissolve the glue needed to attach the nits to the hair shaft.
This product claims to be absolutely safe, show no side-effect and even to be harmless in case of lactation.
Luisweg® contains a lot of other substances very common in lotions, shampoos and haarconditioners. Including triethanolamine (TEA). Several scientific tests concluded that TEA has some nasty properties ( W. T. Stott et al 2004, Kiec-Swierczynska M et al 2006, Gamer AO et al 2008, Daniel SJ et al 2008, Schmutz JL et al 2007, Shaffer KK, 2006).
Antibiotics
Oral anti-lice means are available but not common. Like trimetoprim/sulfamethoxazole, cotrimoxazol(antibiotic) and levamisole and ivermectine (anti-parasite pharmaceutical). Up to now not much research into the effect has been done and severe complications are usual. So avoiding these remedies is the best advice (Pollack, R J et al 2000).
Hot air
In Japan researchers killed nits and adult body lice with hot air (55°C) from a hair dryer in 5 minute's time. ( Hiraoka et al., 1995; Kobayashi et al., 1995) . And actually this treatment has been tested on head lice (Brad M. et al 2006, Kersten H 2007) , the last test was mentioned in Child Health Alert 2006. Take care the lice don't escape. With a higher temperature they run really fast. And don't scorch the hairs together with the lice.
Polydimethylsiloxane PDMS (dimethicone) is also used as emulsifier
in cosmetics like hair conditioner and creams.
Activated dimethicone (a mixture of polydimethylsiloxanes and silicon dioxide, sometimes called simethicone) is used in Over-the-counter drugs as an anti-foaming agent and carminative.
It is also used as an antidote against tensides (tensides reduce the surface tension of fluid) http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polydimethylsiloxan, http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tensid
It is used quite often in eye surgery but is sometimes accompanied by complications ( Shigeru Takagi et al 1997, C-S Yang C-S et al 2007) .
Polydimethylsiloxane used a lot in breast implants. Today a bit less, as it is thought to be correlated to silicone hyper susceptibility. It can provoke formation of auto-antibodies ( Naim JO et al 1995) and unwanted inflammatory reactions ( Hage JJ et al 1999) . These days patient information leaflets warn of hyper susceptibility to silicone oil and it is mentioned as a contraindication. (Silikon1000Vial_us_en.pdf)
Recently you can buy anti lice remedies with dimeticon in it (not yet officially registered) like XTLuis® in the Netherlands. It suffocates lice and dimeticon would be very suitable as insecticide (Burgess IF et al 2005, Oliveira FA et al 2007, Heukelbach J et al 2008a)). It does not kill lice-eggs (Drug Ther Bull. 2007).
In XTLuis® dimeticon is dissolved in Cyclomethicone (an other silicone). As this substance usually is added to hair conditioner combing after applying a hair conditioner might be a good idea.
Nevertheless Burda A et al(2004) did alert parents to suffocation danger of their young children by inhaling these substances added to cosmetics!?
Conclusion: also remedies like XTLuis® can not be applied thoughtlessness.
Commerce
Each year there will be other shampoos available. And all absolutely save and a 100 percent effective.
The active components are not revealed on the site of Millium® (shampoo).
The answer on FAQ's number 7 is Quote: “Dat is nu precies het geheim van de smid.„ (which means as much as: This is our little secret). The shampoo should contain essential oils and test reports can be asked for http://www.millium.nl/main_vragen_millium.html. An interesting statement is that combing is essential, but in case of dread locks it suddenly does not matter. It is advised to wash your hair daily. Well… .
