Pediatric Hair Solutions President, Sheila Fassler, RN,BSN warns that newly approved over-the-counter drug Sklice is “just one more ineffective OTC pesticide that lice have already proven to be resistant against”.
According to a 2016 study, 98% percent of head lice have developed resistance to most chemical over-the-counter treatments. At Pediatric Hair Solutions, we can corroborate that finding; the vast majority of our clients have tried one or more of the over-the-counter treatments and still have live bugs and nits before calling us. Thousands of families throughout North and South Carolina have found the safe, non-toxic lice treatment methods used at our clinics are the best option in the fight against head lice.
So, when we learned that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that Sklice (Ivermectin) lotion 0.5% , a topical treatment for head lice, will now be available as an over-the-counter drug, we were skeptical. Sklice has been on the market since 2012, but was only available by prescription to treat lice infestation in patients 6 months of age and would cost families hundreds to thousands of dollars for 1 small application.
“As an over-the-counter product, the price of the drug will decrease significantly,” says Pediatric Hair Solutions President Sheila Fassler, RN. “However, it’s just one more ineffective pesticide for parents to choose from resulting in a waste of their time and money. Also, by making it more readily available to the public, it will result in speeding up the mutation rate for resistance in lice,” she goes on to say.
In the U.S., an estimated 6 to 12 million children ages 3 to 11 experience head lice infestation according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Head lice are most common among preschool and elementary age children, but we have an increasing number of cases in pre-teens to college-age adults.
Studies show that Sklice was only 74% effective in killing live bugs and had no ovicidal (egg) effect. Sheila recommends that you speak to a healthcare provider about the drug’s effectiveness and possible side effects.
A safer and more effective alternative is a non-toxic lice treatment like what we offer at Pediatric Hair Solutions. “We do not use chemicals to kill the bug, we kill the bug by suffocation. We then use the FloSonix heated air device to dehydrate the eggs so there is nothing left to hatch, eliminating the need for combing,” says Sheila. “It is the safest and most efficient way to eliminate a case of head lice. We also check all household members and provide plenty of education to help dispel the many myths and untruths that circulate about lice.”
Pediatric Hair Solutions also offers a non-toxic DIY Home Lice Treatment Kit along with other natural head lice treatment and repellent products. To learn more about safe and effective, non-toxic lice treatment at Pediatric Hair Solutions or why you should choose us, please visit pediatrichairsolutions.com or gotheadlice.com.
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