For as long as most of us can remember, over‑the‑counter head lice shampoos have been our “go‑to” resource for remedying head lice. As of recently, at least half of the states in the US, have documented finding what they call, super‑lice. What this means is certain types of head lice are becoming completely resistant to the medicated head lice shampoos currently available, hence the term super‑lice.
I’ve seen this many times first‑hand with clients. Frequently, in these cases parents have been dealing with head lice for at least three months, to no avail. They’ve used the medicated head lice shampoos as directed, but the lice in their child’s hair continue to survive and thrive.
These over‑the‑counter head lice shampoos are now being deemed as a waste of precious time and money. This is due to the fact that today’s super‑lice are much hardier than their ancestors of yesteryear. Katie Shepherd, an expert in treating and preventing head lice, calls this modern pest, “Not your Grandmother’s head lice.”
Gone are the days when folks could treat once with over‑the‑counter medicated head lice shampoo, and send their child to school the next day. What happens when our most trusty cure is no longer working? Do you have a back‑up plan?