Study: Better way to fight lice may from the inside - with a pill

Study: Better way to fight lice may from the inside - with a pill (Added: March 10, 2010)

Head lice affects more than 100 million people worldwide each year, especially those 3 to 11 years old? Now a new study says the victims of head lice may have a new and more effective solution availab (more)

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Study: Better way to fight lice may from the inside - with a pill

Head lice affects more than 100 million people worldwide each year, especially those 3 to 11 years old… Now a new study says the victims of head lice may have a new and more effective solution available to them.

By: CBS Newspath | WNCT
Published: March 10, 2010

Amanda Vandenakker hopes her son never comes home with head lice, because she’s had them herself.

Lice can be real nuisance - a problem made worse in recent years, because the tiny bugs are becoming more resistant to common treatments like shampoos and lotions.

Now a new study finds a better way to fight lice may be from inside - with a pill …. It’s called Ivermectin, also known as stromectol …

After swallowing the pill, the medication which is toxic to parasites circulates through the bloodstream. - And blood is just what lice need to stay alive.

The study compared the pill with a strong lotion… and found the pill was more effective in the more difficult-to-treat cases. Right now, it’s only FDA - approved for treating other parasites like worms and scabies.

And even though Ivermectin is not yet approved for lice - doctors can still prescribe it.

Still, many warn that such strong medicine should be reserved for the most persistent cases.

But while head lice can be stubborn, experts remind parents that all that itching doesn’t pose any serious risks.