Recently, an article was published as a “What are they up to now?” piece on a teenage girl in England who was severely burned four years ago after using a local brand of lice shampoo. The shampoo contained a highly flammable ingredient and her hair caught fire as she walked past the stovetop, resulting in severe burns all over her body. While this tragic outcome is rare, it does underscore that lice shampoos are not always as safe or effective as consumers might assume.
“At our clinic, we often have clients say they tried home remedies, sometimes mildly dangerous home remedies, in their attempt to treat head lice on their own,” says Marnie, owner of Lice Clinics of America – Upstate NY, operated by Naughty Nits. “Traditional over-the-counter treatments are also proving to be less and less effective as lice continue to develop resistance to the chemicals used in them.”
“As head lice professionals at Lice Clinics of America, we have an effective and safe head lice treatment at our fingertips,” says Dr. Krista Lauer, National Medical Director of Lice Clinics of America. “Sometimes, something that seems safe turns out to be dangerous.”
Lice Clinics of America doesn’t use chemicals in its treatment – instead, we use the AirAllé device, an FDA-cleared medical device that uses precision-controlled heated-air that desiccates head lice and their nits (also known as lice eggs). The heated air kills lice and nits in about 30 seconds and it takes, on average, an hour for a whole head of hair to be treated in one of the franchise’s 265 clinics.
“The stigma associated with an infestation may lead people to desperate measures. Despite our best efforts, misinformation continues to abound. Recently, when looking at educational materials available to teachers, we found an article on an official site suggesting the use of mayonnaise. We know this doesn’t work – mayonnaise doesn’t kill nits, and because it is left on the head in a plastic bag for hours it creates a real suffocation hazard.” says Marnie.
Lice Clinics of America has successfully treated more than 1 million cases of head lice. The company has more than 265 clinics in 20 countries, making it the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America – Upstate NY, operated by Naughty Nits, has three locations in Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse. To learn more or to schedule an appointment, visit https://liceclinicsupstateny.com or email us at contact@naughtynits.com.