Dr. John Fassler, Medical Director of Pediatric Hair Solutions, was recently a guest on Doctor Radio on Sirius XM. Dr. Fassler appeared on the segment “On Call for Kids” to discuss the super lice epidemic and effective treatment options for head lice.
Pediatrician and radio host Dr. Dan Rauch asked Dr. Fassler commonly asked questions that parents often have about head lice and the hysteria that often surrounds a lice diagnosis.
Dr. Fassler explained that lice are most commonly spread through head-to-head contact and can’t live off their host longer than approximately 24 hours.
While head lice can spread in a school setting, Dr. Fassler says lice is more contagious within a family. Pediatric Hair Solutions recommends all family members of a child diagnosed with head lice be checked as their is a high rate of exposure among family members.
Dr. Fassler also discussed the various treatments for getting rid of head lice. He pointed out that lice are becoming increasingly resistant to commonly used over-the-counter treatments such as RID and Nix. Recent research confirms that the so-called ‘super lice’ have mutated to develop a resistant to the chemicals found in over-the-counter solutions.
Combating super-lice requires a non-toxic approach. Dr. Fassler said manual removal can be effective but is very time consuming and a single missed nit can lead to persistent infestation.
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