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Chemical Concerns

You are here: Home / What Are Head Lice and Nits? / Chemical Concerns

Knowing what’s in a product makes you think twice.

Pesticide products contain both ‘active’ and ‘inert’ ingredients. An active ingredient is one that prevents, destroys, repels or mitigates a pest. An inert ingredient is simply any ingredient in the product that is not intended to affect a target pest.

For example, isopropyl alcohol may be an active ingredient and anti-microbial pesticide in some products; however, in other products, it is used as a solvent and may be considered an inert ingredient.

While the potential risks of active ingredients are accepted, the inert ingredients cannot be overlooked. Many consumers are mislead by the term ‘inert’, believing it to mean ‘harmless.’ It should never be assumed that inert ingredients are non-toxic.

Solvents are materials in which pesticides are dissolved or adsorbed (sometimes called carriers or vehicles). They are selected by manufacturers to achieve stability of the active ingredient, convenience and handling and application, and maximum killing power. Such exposures can result in significant toxic effects that in many cases exceeds the toxicity of the active pesticide ingredient(s). It is sometimes more difficult to obtain information about the solvents because they are considered proprietary information, further complicating the risks and issues of diagnosis and management.

The concerns over inerts, actives and solvents apply to all treatment products whether they are over-the-counter treatments, prescriptions, or marketed as all-natural, non-toxic, or pesticide-free remedies.

The graph below is a partial listing of various products:

Pyrethrum (composite of pyrethrins)
Product NameFormActive IngredientsOther Ingredients
A-200 Lice Treatment Kitshampoopyrethrins 0.33% / piperonyl butoxide 4%benzyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, C13-C14 isoparaffin, fragrance, octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol, water
aerosol spray0.5% resmethrin0.68% related compounds, inert 99.432%
Bio-Sentry Lice Killingshampoopyrethrum extract 0.33% / piperonyl butoxide 4%benzyl alcohol, polyoxyethylene phenyl ether, C13-C14 isoparaffin, water
Bio-Sentry Lice Treatmentcream rinsepyrethrum extract 0.33% / piperonyl butoxide 4%balsam Canada, benzyl alcohol, C13-C14 isoparaffin, cetyl alcohol, citric acid, FD&C red#4, FD&C yellow#5, fragrance, hydrolyzed animal protein, hydroxyethylcellulose, methylparaben, octylphenoxypolyethoxyethanol, polyoxyethylene 10 cetyl ether, propylene glycol, propylparaben, stearalkonium chloride, water
End-Liceliquidpyrethrins 0.33% / piperonyl butoxide 4%benzyl alcohol, C13-C14 isoparaffin, polyoxyethylene, water, (1, 1, 3, 3, tetramethylbutylphenylether)
InnoGel Plusgelpyrethrins 0.33% / piperonyl butoxide 4%carbomer 934, D&C red#33, FD&C blue#1, water, benzyl alcohol, C13-C14 isoparaffin, isopropyl alcohol
Licetrolshampoopyrethrins 0.33% / piperonyl butoxide technical 4%inert 95.67%
Pronto Lice Killingshampoopiperonyl butoxide 4%, pyrethrum extract 0.33%.ammonium laureth sulfate, benzyl alcohol, BHT, decyl alcohol, disodium EDTA, fragrance, isopropyl alcohol, glycerin, PEG-14M, poloxamer 183, purified water.
aerosol spray0.4% 3-phenoxybenzyl-(1RS, 3RS; 1RS, 3SR)-2, 2-dimetyl-3-(2-methylprop-1-enyl) cyclopropanecarboxylateinert 99.6%
R&C Shampoo/Conditionershampoopyrethrins 0.33% / piperonyl butoxide 3%fragrance, C13-C14 isoparaffin, isocetyl alcohol, isopropyl alcohol, lauramine oxide, laureth-4, laureth-23, petroleum distillate, polyquaternium-11, TEA-lauryl sulfate, water.
R&C Spraysprayphenothrin 0.4%inert 99.6%
RID Lice Elimination Kitshampoopyrethrins 0.33% / piperonyl butoxide 4%C13-C14 isoparaffin, fragrance, isopropyl alcohol, PEG-25 hydrogenated castor oil, water, xanthan gum.  
aerosol spray0.5% permethrininert 99.5%
Pyrethroid (synthetic insecticide)
Product NameFormActive IngredientsOther Ingredients
Nixcream rinsepermethrin 1%isopropyl alcohol 20%, balsam Canada, cetyl alcohol, citric acid, FD&C yellow#6, fragrance, hydrolyzed animal protein, hydroxyethylcellulose, polyoxyethylene 10 cetyl ether, propylene glycol, stearalkonium chloride, methylparaben, propylparaben, water.
Lindane (an organochlorine)
Product NameFormActive IngredientsOther Ingredients
Kwell
G-well
Lindane 1%
shampoo and lotiongamma benzene hexachloride 1%polyoxyethylene sorbitan monostearate, triethanolamine lauryl sulfate, acetone, purified water
Malathion (an organophosphate)
Product NameFormActive IngredientsOther Ingredients
Ovide
Prioderm
lotion.005g of malathion per mL
(±)-[(dimethoxyphosphinothioyl0-thio] butanedioic acid diethyl ester
isopropyl alcohol (78%), terpineol, dipentene, and pine needle oil
Miscellaneous
Product NameFormIngredients
Neon Nitsaerosol spraydyrnel A, SD Ethanol, pigment, PVP/VA copolymer, plasthall DOS, deriphat 151-C, sodium benzoate, AMP-95
HairClean 1-2-3sprayover 70% isopropyl alcohol, coconut oil, anise oil, ylang ylang oil

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National Pediculosis Association Mission Statement

The NPA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated since 1983 to protecting children, their families and their environment from the misuse and abuse of prescription and over-the-counter pesticide treatments for lice and scabies.

Pediculosis (the medical term for an infestation of lice) provides a public health opportunity to teach important lessons about communicable disease preparedness, responsible personal behaviors, environmental health, and the importance of learning about pharmaceutical remedies before using them on our children and ourselves.

NPA is committed to setting the highest possible public health standards for children as they relate to the communicability and treatment of head lice. NPA has been the leader in raising pediculosis as a public health priority and a pioneer in public health education and research on pediculosis.

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The NPA developed the LiceMeister® comb in 1997 to accomplish its mission by providing a higher standard for lice combing tools and a safe, cost-effective treatment alternative to pesticides. All proceeds from sales of the LiceMeister comb allow the NPA to be self-sustaining and independent from product manufacturers while accomplishing its mission of protecting children from the misuse and abuse of pesticide treatments for lice.

Since 1997, the LiceMeister comb has been the preferred choice of many health professionals and the gold standard in combing tools for lice and nits (lice eggs). It is an FDA cleared medical device (510K) for the purposes of routine screening, early detection and removal of lice and nits, and it is the only comb to carry the name of the National Pediculosis Association.

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