Hair Relaxer For Treatment Of Head Lice

A relaxer is a type of lotion or cream generally used by people with tight curls or very curly hair which makes hair easier to straighten by chemically "relaxing" the natural curls. The active agent is usually a strong alkali, although some formulations are based on ammonium thioglycolate or formaldehyde.

Lice

A lye relaxer consists of sodium hydroxide (also known as NaOH or lye) mixed with water, petroleum jelly, mineral oil, and emulsifiers to create a creamy consistency.

Some people use hair relaxers to kill head lice. The chemicals in hair relaxers are toxic to lice. It kills head lice. However, it is not that effective when compared to other methods such as over the counter drugs.

Read Also: Treatment of parasitic body infection

Adult lice (singular louse) are approximately the size of a sesame seed and have claws at the end of their 6 legs. They range in color from gray to a reddish brown depending on when they last fed on blood. They survive by feeding on blood from the scalp. Nits are laid on hair strands at a rate of 6 to 10 per day and remain attached with a special glue the mother louse creates to prevent detachment during hair washing and combing. Nits are generally white or clear, and laid a quarter to half inch away from the scalp for warmth. Because nits contrast with darker hair colors they are often confused for dandruff, however dandruff can be blown away or easily removed and nits can not, since they are basically glued to the strand. It takes about one and a half weeks for the nit to hatch and another week and a half for maturation and the ability to reproduce. The life cycle of a louse is about 1 month and they remain in the hair until forced off by the host.

Danger Of Using Hair Relaxer On Lice

Hair relaxers can kill lice. However, there is no evidence it is effective against the nit. So the nits will survive, hatch and start another colony. That is where the problem begins. Applying hair relaxer every week to the scalp if the head can be dangerous just because you want to kill newly hatched lice. It can burn the head and cause irritation. Hair relaxers are not designed to be applied every now and then.

Read Also: Damatol for treatment of head lice

Also, hair relaxers are dangerous to children. There are drugs that are effective against lice and safe to be applied every day until all the nits hatch and then kill. You should opt in for such treatment instead of the use of a hair relaxer that is not safe.