"Research Highlights"
PARENTS AND SCHOOLS LEARN THAT ALL-NATURAL METHODS WORK LIKE 'MAGIC' IN COMBING OUT PESKY PARASITES
Parents and schools are battling a pesky parasite that won't seem to go away.
For years, the traditional remedy for head lice has been shampoo pesticides, but those over-the-counter and prescription chemical treatments are spawning a breed of superlice that have grown resistant to the products.
The result: Many parents have gone all natural.
"Never mind that the pyrethrin- and permethrin-based products aren't always working," said Fran Marseille, professional nitpicker and founder of Lice Angels who travels the country educating parents and schools on how to prevent and handle lice outbreaks. "Many parents want to avoid toxic products that can cause side effects such as nausea and tremors."
One of those all-natural products is HairClean 1-2-3, which contains anise, ylang ylang essential oils and coconut oil. Clinical trials done on children in Florida's Monroe County schools found the product to be effective 98 percent of the time.
Another new lice-fighting product that doesn't use any chemicals is MagiComb, an oscillating mechanical comb.
"This will remove lice more effectively and in a more environmentally friendly way than pouring on insecticide lotions," Marseille said.
Studies have shown that a quick treatment with MagiComb, a medical device, is most effective in ridding and preventing nits and lice in the hair. The sturdy, stainless steel teeth will not scratch or pull hair and works on all hair types.
"Kids love it because it feels like a scalp massage," said Eve McClure, president of Quantum, Inc. "School and public health nurses are calling it 'the miracle cure.' Because of the chronic infestations, children are missing several weeks of school and frustrated parents are resorting to dangerous alternatives like kerosene to make sure their children are free of these pests."
The Los Angeles Unified School District just armed their school nurses with 700 MagiCombs for the start of the school year.
"This really is the first major breakthrough we've seen in the war we're waging against head lice and the loss of school days, which can result from chronic infestations," said Sue Rue, communicable disease resource nurse for the L.A. school district.
Further information could be obtained by visiting their website at www.magicomb.com or www.liceangels.com.
