How effective are the “one and done” prescriptions for killing lice?
With all the confusion surrounding which chemicals work and which ones are no longer effective in killing lice (promethium is no longer effective and it’s the most common one-used in Rid and Nix), I get asked a lot, “I have heard there is a prescription my doctor can write for me that will kill all lice in one application. Is this true?” As with anything else, there are positives and negatives to all treatment methods. With a “one and done” prescription, I have several concerns: 1. The lice will always eventually become resistant to the chemical, so it’s hit or miss on whether it will work 2. Because the parent is left to inspect the rest of the family on their own, additional cases are often missed (it’s incredibly hard to catch very early cases without magnifying goggles) 3. The cost can be insane. To treat one person-the prescription runs around $200 and is often not covered by insurance. Multiply that by 4 and it’s a very expensive situation. 4. If you miss one bug, you are right back where you started. 5. You are often placing toxic chemicals on your child’s scalp. Yuck.
I am still a fan of treatment plans like mine that have repeat applications. The effectiveness of Dimethicone based treatment plans are nearly 97% after 3 applications. This is higher than ANY prescription. Rid or Nix is reported to be less than 40% effective. AND the application is easy. Simply get the non-toxic oil everywhere and wash it out. Easy Peasy.
So, The Dublin Lice Nanny’s official answer to the question of, “How effective are prescription treatments when battling lice?” is that they *can be effective, but it’s a much more economical and safer bet to call me and I will guide you through the best and least toxic treatment plan.
If you live in Columbus, Ohio and are dealing with lice, please call Lice Nannies USA Dublin at 614-526-9194.
