“Super lice” found in 25 states – resistant to typical treatments

Frustrated parents in 25 states are finding their children infested with a strain of “super lice” that is resistant to typical over-the-counter treatments. Medications that had a 100 percent effectiveness rate in killing lice in 2000 are working in only 25 percent of cases today.

While prescription medication and “nit-picking” can rid a head of even the super lice, both options take multiple treatment and plenty of time.

A new treatment, known as AirAlle, has been approved by the FDA and has been found effective in killing these pests. AirAlle costs about $170 and is covered by many insurances. The treatment, used by Lice Clinics of America, uses heated air that dehydrates the lice and their eggs in a single treatment that takes about one hour. The company guarantees it.

A 2015 study done by Kyong Yoon, PhD, from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville, looked at strains of lice that are resistant to the drug typically used in over-the-counter treatments, called pyrethroids, a common ingredient in household pesticides According to the study, this resistance to pyrethroids has been a growing problems since the late 1990s.

Yoon says that pyrethroids are simply not strong enough for these new super lice. “If you use a chemical over and over, these little creatures will eventually develop resistance,” says Yoon.

Experts say that lice cannot live without a blood supply for more than 24 hours, so if lice are found it is not necessary to go crazy sanitizing the house. Vacuum thoroughly, especially in areas where hair might have fallen. Wash bedding in hot water. Put stuffed animals and clothing in a hot dryer for 20 to 30 minutes.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the best treatment is prevention. Roberts says parents should teach their kids not to share hats or hairbrushes, and try to avoid contact with other peoples’ hair or heads. Although a nuisance, lice do not carry diseases.