Functional Test In Vitro of a fine-tooth comb
Translated from original article with author's permission. Work and conclusions belong to original author, Dr. Gaetano Scanni.
Plastic comb showed no ability to retain and remove nits.
Document No. 1 (10-Oct-2012) - by Dr. Gaetano Scanni
STATEMENT OF TEST: on reports of some parents ( see section "POST" ), the OPS has made some tests in vivo and in vitro in order to verify the behavior of the comb under consideration. The results must be considered tentative because of likely further study.
OBJECTIVES OF TEST : To evaluate in vitro whether the comb has the capability of grabbing and remove the lice eggs during combing (property deovulante).
SPECIFICATIONS: Soft plastic comb, available from a few months (2012) in pharmacies at a price of about € 10. The comb together into a single body 3 rows of teeth in order to enhance the activity.
METHODS AND TOOLS : a human hair parasitized by lice distal (biovulare) was passed through the comb to verify the ability to retain and remove the eggs. The document has been recorded in different sessions through a dermatoscope incident light polarized (DermLite PRO, 3Gen).
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RESULTS:
- By giving the hair a perfect swing straight regular within the three rows of teeth, the nits can pass unharmed to the opposite side of the comb.
- Embossing hair to a perfect swing alternately repeated on a single row of teeth, the nits are not retained.
CONCLUSIONS : during the test plastic comb showed no ability to retain and remove nits.