CHILDREN hEad lIcE Q & a IAN BURGESS, Director of Medical Entomology Centre


Treat lice in 15 minutes hedrin once is clinically proven to kill lice and eggs with just one 15-minute treatment. a thicker gel formulation, which contains Penetrol® to aid penetration into the louse egg.


hedrin once has been awarded the esteemed ‘Stamp of approval’ from Mumsnet after 250 parents gave it the all-round thumbs up. this product has recently been added to the drug tariff.


available in spray gel (60ml £7.49, 100ml, £11.99) and liquid gel (100ml £10.49, 250ml £18.49) from pharmacies.


mean resistance has become less of an issue?


Q A


the non-pesticide lotions which are commonly found in


the Uk work in a different way from conventional pesticide treatments, with a physical mode of action, meaning there is theoretically no chance for the lice to build up resistance.


there is strong evidence that the head lice population already has, and continues to, develop resistance to pesticide products in the Uk (Permethrin and Malathion). however, these products are not much used now and account for less than ten per cent of the market.


Pharmacists should recommend non- pesticide treatments to parents such as fouru per cent dimeticone – an odourless silicone which coats lice, effectively smothering them. Silicones are not absorbed by the skin, so are suitable for asthmatics and young children. lice eradication using dimeticone is up to 100 per cent effective[i], making it the ingredient of choice for pharmacists.


Q A


Many parents find that head lice keep coming back. Is


this an issue with how parents are using the products?


there are many myths and misconceptions when it comes


to head lice and, unfortunately,


Most products in the UK are physical agents, so does this


much of the advice available online is unreliable. for example, some parents have reported using natural remedies such as dosing the hair in vinegar, mayonnaise and olive oil, none of which are clinically proven to eradicate lice. Pharmacists should always advise the use of clinically proven products and should encourage parents to speak to a pharmacist, rather than following advice from unreliable sources.


Even if parents are treating the infestation with an effective non- pesticide treatment, it’s easy for children to catch head lice again. for example, if a parent complains that they have treated their child but some of the children in the class remain untreated, the infestation will continue to spread and the child can be re-infested in a very short time period.


It is also important for parents to stick to the instructions as stated on the product packaging. failing to follow the instructions will make the treatment less effective. for example, many parents forget to check the child’s hair for lice after they have used a treatment to ensure it has worked. alternatively, they can fail to complete a second treatment where required.


If pharmacists are looking to improve their head lice knowledge, there is a 30 minute training refresher for all members of the pharmacy team here: www.checktreatcomplete.co.uk


Protect against head lice hedrin Protect & go is a clinically proven head lice protection spray which offers parents the opportunity to deal proactively with the threat of infestation. a gentle conditioning spray to help stop head lice taking hold. Simply spray on after every hair wash, or at least twice a week.


available in spray (120ml £4.29, 200ml £6.29 and 250ml £7.29) from pharmacies


Hedrin is helping parents to get it right first time


hedrin, the Uk’s number one head lice brand, continues to invest in support for parents who find it a struggle to get rid of head lice by offering further advice online, in addition to continued tV Support. hedrin will be working with experts and influential bloggers to help encourage best practice in head lice management via social media. this move coincides with hedrin’s mission to take the drama out of head lice and reinforce that head lice do not need to be stressful to deal with, if you follow the right advice.


Pharmacists can also get up to speed on the latest advice and national guidelines on head lice management


PharMacY In focUS - 21


with a free 30-minute training refresher by visiting www.checktreatcomplete.co.uk. there is also free resource for pharmacists to download from www.onceaWeektakeaPeek.co.uk of the Parents guide and Poster page to help educate customers. for more information, visit www.hedrin.co.uk and www.facebook.com/onceaWeektak eaPeek or contact thornton & ross on 01484 842217.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64