Many people will try over-the-counter products first to treat head lice but these products aren’t always effective or safe for you to use. When looking at at-home methods, a common question is “Can alcohol kill lice?” The simple answer is to not risk it but we’ll get into the reasons why below. Professional lice removal clinics, like Fresh Heads Lice Removal, have the best lice treatment due to our proven success. 

Can Alcohol Kill Lice?

Rubbing alcohol is very common in households and readily available. Many people will ask “Can alcohol kill lice?”. The answer to that question is complicated because it can, but is not very effective. You would have to keep reapplying for at least a week to ensure you got all the head lice and repetitive use isn’t good for a person’s hair or scalp. So while it could possibly work, it is not recommended. 

Over-The-Counter Issues

Many over-the-counter products you can get from an average grocery store or drugstore most likely have chemicals in them that should not be used on the scalp. Several over-the-counter products have a chemical known as permethrin in them. 

Permethrin is a pesticide just like the one people put in their yards. Pesticides are not meant to go in or be on anyone’s body. Depending on the formula, Permethrin is more non-toxic, but on semi-rare occasions, it can cause many short-term side effects. Some examples of the side effects are irritation to the eyes, nose, mouth, throat, and skin. Permethrin has several neurotoxic properties that leave questions amongst experts as to why it should even be allowed on children’s heads to begin with. It is better to not risk it with one of the more dangerous chemicals for lice. 

Another chemical in many over-the-counter products is Malathion. Malathion is actually even worse than Permethrin. Malathion has been linked to seizures and other health problems like cancer. Some other side effects include headaches, nausea, dizziness, weakness, cramps, diarrhea, excessive sweating, blurred vision, and increased heart rate. Just like with Permethrin, this is one of the more dangerous chemicals found in over-the-counter treatments for lice that we highly discourage anyone to use. 

Fresh Heads Lice Removal in Savannah, GA.

Come into Fresh Heads Lice Removal if you ever find yourself with lice. We use our patented AirAlle treatment. The AirAlle Treatment uses warm heated air on the scalp to effectively kill head lice and nits, chemical free! This is a service that has been proven time and time again to work on any patient. Book an appointment or give us a call today to get started right away. Fresh Heads Lice Removal has locations in Savannah, GA, Jacksonville, FL and Orlando, FL. 

Schools Without Lice

At Fresh Heads Lice Removal, our mission is to get rid of lice in schools across the United States. We’ve partnered with the Lice Clinics of America to create the Schools Without Lice program. Through this program, we provide school nurses and teachers with free screenings, resources, and treatments. Together, we can have schools without lice!