Review of the best anti-lice shampoos

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Svetlana Tarasova

Hairdresser-stylist with more than 8 years of experience, expert in the field of haircuts, styling, hair care, coloring.
Pediculosis pubis or phthiriasis is an unpleasant and very delicate problem. It is not always a consequence of promiscuity and neglect of hygiene. In some cases, you can become infected in completely harmless ways. Therefore, you need to know what the features of this disease are and what methods should be used to treat it.

Features and appearance of pubic lice

Pubic lice are the smallest of all. The body length of adult individuals is usually no more than 2 mm. The offspring that emerge from the eggs are also small in size - up to 0.5 mm. These lice live in the pubic area, hence their name. In rare cases, they can colonize eyelashes, eyebrows, and axillary hair.

REFERENCE. The parasite looks like a crab. It always has three pairs of paws.

A pubic louse resembles a dark spot on the body. It has a shorter body and more massive legs than body and head lice. Large growths can be seen on the paws, allowing insects to attach themselves to the hairs.

Another characteristic of pubic lice is that when they bite, they leave small dark purple spots on the skin. But this is difficult to notice with a low degree of infection. Outside the human body, parasites can live no more than two days.

How can you get lice pubis?

You can become infected with phthiriasis in the following ways:

• through sexual intercourse with a patient with this disease;
• in close contact with the patient's skin;
• when using someone else's bed linen, towels, wearing someone else's clothes;
• when visiting public saunas, baths, showers.

If a person becomes infected with pubic lice as a result of sexual intercourse, they will be localized in the pubic area, perineum and around the anus. In case of infection due to household contact, the parasites are found on the eyebrows, eyelashes, armpits, and chest.
IMPORTANT! From its original location, a pubic louse can spread to other parts of the body.

Symptoms and methods of treating phthiriasis

Phthiriasis has few characteristic symptoms. The main one is itching in the places where the parasites are located. For some people it is insignificant, for others it is unbearably strong. This is due to the fact that when a parasite bites, saliva enters the human blood, and itching is a reaction to it. At night it becomes stronger. The disease also makes itself felt with the following symptoms:

• the appearance of gray-blue spots on the skin;
• small white dots in the hair, indicating the presence of parasite eggs;
• dark brown spots on underwear;
• scratches on the body.

Due to itching, a person may scratch the skin, which leads to redness, irritation, eczema, and also increases the risk of infection. The affected areas of the skin may become rough and begin to peel.
Small spots appear due to minor hemorrhages when parasites suck blood. Their bluish color is due to the destruction of hemoglobin due to the saliva of lice.

Sometimes patients develop an allergic rash . In advanced forms, blisters appear on the affected areas of the skin, and the itching becomes stronger. If lice are on eyelashes, they can cause blepharitis. Hair becomes tangled due to parasites. This is due to the fact that when laying eggs, the parasites secrete a sticky substance, which allows them to attach to the roots of the hairs.

Treatment of the disease should be prescribed by a dermatologist or venereologist . Typically, therapy involves the use of sprays, ointments and other medications. Traditional recipes can also be used, but they need to be agreed with a doctor so as not to harm yourself even more.

ATTENTION! Diagnosis and, if necessary, therapy should also be carried out on the sexual partner - this will make it possible to prevent re-infection.

Medicines for pubic lice in the pharmacy

At the pharmacy you can buy many effective medications to combat lice pubis.

They should be prescribed by a specialist, since the drugs have contraindications . The following medications have proven themselves to be effective.

Medifox (from 100 rub.)

An inexpensive and effective remedy that is often used for phthiriasis . The drug is rubbed into areas affected by parasites and begins to act almost immediately. The active component in its composition immobilizes parasites and provokes their death.

Pedilin (approx. 300 rubles)

The product is available in the form of shampoo and emulsion. It should be left on the affected areas for some time. Two applications are usually sufficient to remove parasites.

Vitar (approx. 500 rub.)

A special soap that you need to lather your hair with and leave for 20-25 minutes. The frequency of use is twice a week.

Tar lice shampoo

Shampoo with tar is one of the fairly popular cosmetic products. Its price can vary from 100 to 1000 rubles depending on the composition and manufacturer. But it should be noted that none of these shampoos are a cure for head lice.

Tar contains many valuable substances obtained from wood - these are organic acids, phenols and esters. Therefore, tar shampoo can have a beneficial effect on hair and scalp:

• it acts as an antiseptic that destroys pathogenic bacteria and even fungi;
• stimulates blood circulation in the hair follicles, which strengthens them and accelerates hair growth;
• promotes exfoliation of dead skin cells and accelerates tissue regeneration;
• regulates sebum production.

That is why trichologists often recommend tar shampoo as a remedy for dandruff and seborrhea, hair loss and excessive oiliness. But the effectiveness of this remedy in the fight against pediculosis is not very high.

The antiseptic properties of tar are not enough to kill lice. All he can do is cause them discomfort and temporarily immobilize them. Therefore, simultaneous use of tar shampoo with combing really increases the effectiveness of the latter. Tar-based shampoo is recommended to be used exclusively as an adjuvant, but not as an independent medicine.

If you decide to use tar shampoo to treat head lice, do not forget that you cannot apply the product itself to your hair. First you need to lather a little shampoo, then distribute it over the scalp and hair. Keep the foam on your head for at least 5 minutes. This product is not suitable for those with dry hair, as it can dry it out more and cause split ends. It is also not suitable for girls with dyed hair, as it can change their color.

Natural tar shampoo can be prepared at home. To do this, you will need high-quality baby soap without dyes or fragrances, and birch tar, which can be purchased at a pharmacy. It is necessary to take equal quantities of soap and tar. Then cut the soap into pieces and heat it in a water bath, gradually adding tar. When the mass becomes homogeneous, add 1-2 tablespoons of any red wine to it. The finished product is cooled, wrapped in polyethylene and left for a couple of days at room temperature.

The most effective ointment for pubic lice

Ointments are often used to combat lice pubis. They are quite strong and aggressive, so they must be used carefully to prevent negative effects on the mucous membranes of the genital organs.

Boric ointment (from 30 rubles)

Boric ointment 5% is used to combat lice and nits . It is rubbed into the affected areas. It is necessary to avoid getting the product on the genitals, and also take into account contraindications for use.

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Sulfur ointment (approx. 50 rubles)

Sulfur ointment has a detrimental effect on parasites. It must be carefully applied to the affected areas, then remove insects with a brush or comb. The product is toxic and has a number of contraindications. It should also not be used by pregnant women.

Tar ointment (from 200 rub.)

Thanks to its antiseptic properties, tar ointment has a detrimental effect on parasites . It needs to be applied to the groin area at night for a course of 9 days.

Ointment 20% benzyl benzoate (approx. 20 r.)

An inexpensive but effective remedy that provokes the death of parasites within 2-5 hours after application . It is used at night by evenly distributing it in the pubic area. After the first application, a break of two days is taken. On the fourth day, the treatment is repeated, on the fifth, the affected area of ​​the body is thoroughly washed with soap.

Lice shampoos for pregnant women

It is difficult for pregnant women to get rid of head lice. Many medications are contraindicated for them, including some shampoos.

Pregnant women should absolutely not use medications containing permethrin. It is harmful to the fetal nervous system. Milder products contain cyclomethicone and isopropyl myristate. They can be used by pregnant women as prescribed by a doctor if the benefit to the mother outweighs the risk to the child.

The safest way to remove lice for a pregnant woman is to simply comb out with a special comb.

Pediculosis in pregnant women can be cured using folk remedies:

1. Vinegar. Clean hair and scalp are treated with 3-9% vinegar and left for 10-15 minutes. Then the head is rinsed with water. When your hair is dry, comb it well from roots to ends with a fine-toothed comb.
2. Tea tree oil. The product can be dripped into shampoo or used similarly to vinegar.
3. Wormwood decoction. Wormwood (two tablespoons of herb) is poured with water (two glasses), boiled in a water bath for 10-15 minutes. Treat the scalp with the decoction, leave for an hour, and then rinse off. Hair is combed and dried with a hairdryer.

It is very important for pregnant women to recover from parasites quickly and without harm to their health. Any means can be used only after consultation with a doctor.

Spray for pubic lice

Sprays are highly effective in the fight against pubic lice. They are easy to use and act quickly.

Paranit (approx. 600 rubles)

The spray includes coconut, anise, and ylang-ylang oils. It needs to be distributed over areas affected by parasites, and then removed with a comb or a hard sponge. Before use, you need to make sure that there is no individual intolerance to the components.

Pediculen Ultra (from RUR 67)

The composition contains anise oil and alcohol . In just one application, the spray destroys all of them, and then you just need to comb them out. The product must be sprayed carefully, avoiding contact with the eyes.

Pax (from 350 rubles)

A combination product that contains neurotox. The component helps remove parasites, and in simple cases it is enough to use it only once. After using the aerosol, the treated areas are thoroughly washed with water and soap.

Effective cream

Pharmacy creams for lice pubis are based on components that lead to the rapid death of parasites.

Nittifor (from 124 rub.)

A product based on permethrin, which helps quickly deal with various types of lice and nits. The cream is used after hygiene procedures to treat affected areas. In just 10 minutes, the drug can destroy all insects, then it must be washed off with water and warm soap.

Nix (approx. 300 rubles)

A product for topical use with a minimum of contraindications. It can be used in patients of different ages, but shows the best results in the early stages of phthiriasis development. The cream should be applied to the affected areas several times a day. The duration of therapy is determined individually.

Lice sprays

The sprays are highly effective because they act by blocking the vital physiological functions of the insect, in particular breathing. But their use also has its own characteristics.

When spraying, care must be taken as the substance may enter the respiratory system.

Spray Paranit

Paranit spray for children and more.

• The popular Paranit contains mineral oil and Dimethicone. It works great for getting rid of adult insects, but it doesn’t help much against nits.
• Paranit should not be used for children under three years of age, for pregnant women and while breastfeeding.

Spray Para-Plus

Para-plus is an instant pest killer.

• Destroys parasites in 10 minutes.
• Large populations may require re-treatment. But no more than 10 days later.
• It is strictly not recommended for use during exacerbation or even a history of bronchial asthma, for pregnant women and young children.

Pharmaceutical tablets for pubic lice

Tablets for internal use for pubic lice are rarely prescribed, but in some cases they are more effective than local remedies. Most often, such medications are aimed at making human blood poisonous to parasites. The following drugs may be indicated:

• Butadion (from 99 rub.);

• Albendazole (from 170 rub.);

• Ivermectin (from 220 rub.);

• Levamisole (from RUR 67).

They have a number of contraindications, so they must be prescribed by a doctor.

Lice shampoo Paranit

Paranit shampoo is rightfully considered one of the safest , but many are put off by the considerable cost - about 750 rubles for a 200-gram bottle. This product does not contain insecticides. It contains mineral oil (Clearol), foaming agents and perfume.

The oily composition of the shampoo envelops the bodies of lice and prevents them from breathing, which causes the parasites to die from suffocation.

Using Paranit shampoo is very simple; apply it to dry, unwashed hair, carefully distributing it over the entire length. Its consistency is quite thick, so it can take up to half a bottle to treat medium-length hair. Then the product should be left on the head for 10 minutes. After this time, add a little water to the strands and foam the composition. After this, you need to rinse your hair thoroughly.

After washing your hair, you need to dry your hair a little with a towel and you can start combing. Be sure to periodically wipe the comb with a white napkin, thus monitoring the quality of the procedure.

Paranit shampoo has a number of contraindications. Its use is prohibited:

• children under 3 years old;
• women during pregnancy and lactation;
• for any diseases of the scalp;
• in case of hypersensitivity to any of its components.

Inexpensive and effective drugs

You can pay attention to the following products that combine affordable price and good quality.

Veda (approx. 200 rubles) - shampoo with antiparasitic properties that helps eliminate lice and larvae. It should be applied to the affected area, and after half an hour, washed off with soap. After 7-10 days, the procedure is repeated.

Lavinal (from 300 RUR) – Helps cope not only with adult lice, but also with nits. The active component of the composition, acting on the nervous system of parasites, provokes their paralysis and death.

Mercury-sulfur ointment (from 23 rubles) – The product has a detrimental effect on pubic lice, but it must be used carefully. It is rubbed into the affected area for a course of two weeks.

Lice shampoo Veda

This is an inexpensive (150-200 rubles) and effective anti-pediculosis agent. The active ingredient in Veda shampoo is permethrin. It damages the nervous system of insects and causes paralysis. After treatment with shampoo, adults and larvae usually die, but nits can survive, so parallel treatment with a special comb is recommended. The use of this drug is contraindicated in patients with hypersensitivity to any of its components, as well as in the presence of acute inflammatory diseases of the skin under the hair.

Veda shampoo is low-toxic for humans and, when used correctly, rarely causes side effects, but it is still better not to use it for women during lactation. During pregnancy, the use of shampoo is possible, but only if all safety measures are observed and under the supervision of a doctor.

Using Veda shampoo is very simple - you need to apply it to your hair with a cotton swab and rub a little into the roots. Approximately 10-60 ml of product is required per person. It depends on the length and thickness of the hair. After treatment, cover your head with a scarf and wait 40 minutes. Next, the product is washed off with warm water and any shampoo or soap, and dead insects and their nits must be combed out.

If the combing was not done very well, and there are still nits left on the hair, in about a week you will be able to find live lice on your head. In this case, you need to re-process your hair.

In a situation where the risk of re-infection is very high, for example, you have to regularly come into contact with people with lice, Veda shampoo can be used for prevention. It is applied to the hair after shampooing and left there until dry. This leads to the death of lice caught on the head.

Occasionally, Veda anti-lice shampoo can cause adverse reactions:

• allergic, for example, swelling of the skin and rash;
• local, such as itching, burning of the skin, paresthesia.

Folk remedies

Folk remedies can help in the fight against phthiriasis. Their use must be agreed with a specialist.

Vinegar (from RUR 16) – A 3% vinegar solution is applied to the hair in the groin area, then washed off with soap. The procedure is repeated for three days.

Kerosene (from 20 rubles) – It cannot be used in its pure form, otherwise a burn is inevitable. Before use, the substance is diluted with sunflower oil in a ratio of 1:10. Soak gauze in the resulting liquid and apply it to the affected areas. The compress remains for up to three hours, then is washed off. After use, it is recommended to lubricate the skin with cream.

Hellebore water (from 15 rubles) – A safe and affordable product. A few drops of hellebore water should be applied to the hair follicles, massaged and left for half an hour, then rinsed with water. For prevention, a couple of drops can be added to your usual shampoo.

Insecticides

Preparations with an insecticidal effect contain components that provoke the death of parasites. They usually act very quickly, and after application you only need to remove the lice.

Avicin (approx. 1500 rubles) – The active component in the drug is permethrin, which provokes asphyxia of lice, as a result of which they die. After using the drug, you need to comb out dead insects and rinse the skin.

Medilis (from 150 rubles) – The medicine acts on both adult lice and nits. It has a natural composition, the active component of which is clove oil. The product is applied to the affected areas and envelops the insects, after which they die. The drug remains on the skin for half an hour. Then you need to rinse it off with water and comb out the dead lice.

Shampoo for pubic lice

In some cases, the use of shampoos is indicated. The following remedies are popular.

Pedilin (approx. 300 rubles) – Contains two insecticides – malathion and tetramethrin. In view of this, the drug will also act if the lice have lost susceptibility to one of the components. The shampoo is able to destroy pests in 1-2 applications.

Parasitosis (approx. 300 rubles) - A safe drug that can also be used for small children, but it does not always show results from the first use. The set includes a special comb used for combing.

Lice shampoo for children

Most often, it is children who suffer from peliculosis, but choosing the right medicine for them is not easy; many drugs are not suitable for babies under one year old or contain too aggressive components. Therefore, when choosing an anti-lice shampoo for a child, you need to carefully study its composition and make sure that the active ingredient indicated in it is suitable for the baby. The most popular products contain:

• Permethrin. This substance really quickly and effectively destroys lice. Some drugs containing it can even be used to treat children from 2 months.
• Phenothrin. A fairly effective product that is suitable for children from 2.5 years old. It must be used carefully, avoiding contact with eyes.
• Malathion. Often used in combination with permethrin or tetramethrin, such as in Pedilin or Para-plus. Malathion itself is practically not used for the treatment of head lice due to its low effectiveness and relatively high toxicity. It is not recommended for use in children under 2.5 years of age.
• Pyrethrin. This is an insecticide of natural origin, which today has almost everywhere been replaced by synthetic pyrethroids. It is no longer used to make anti-lice shampoos.

In addition, there are oil-based shampoos that do not contain insecticides, such as Paranix. They are considered safer, but even such drugs are not recommended for use on children under 2 years of age.

When choosing an anti-lice shampoo for your child, do not forget to purchase a comb for lice and nits. The fact is that almost all drugs act only on adult individuals, without affecting the condition of nits in any way. And even if the nits die, they still remain hanging by threads. Only careful combing with a special comb can separate them from the hair.

Don't forget that even the safest anti-lice baby shampoo can cause allergic reactions. Therefore, before using it, it is necessary to conduct a sensitivity test. To do this, drop a little product onto the skin and wait 15-20 minutes. If there is no redness, itching or other unpleasant reactions, the shampoo can be used.

Young children are not the most obedient patients. They constantly strive to taste everything and do not want to sit still while you apply shampoo to your hair. Therefore, you must be very careful not to get the product into your mouth or eyes. At the slightest sign of intoxication, you should consult a doctor.

Disease prevention

To prevent the disease, you need to consider the following recommendations:

• Observe all personal hygiene measures.
• Do not use other people's towels and bed linen, and do not wear other people's clothes.
• Try not to sleep in places that are potentially dangerous for infection.
• Wash and iron bedding regularly.
• Be selective in your sexual relationships.

Also, the risks of the disease are reduced when removing hair in the intimate area.

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Precautions when using lice shampoo

When using the product, follow a number of recommendations:

• Do not use the same shampoo more than twice;
• Carry out the procedure with gloves;
• Avoid contact of the product with the mucous membranes of the mouth or eyes;
• If you are allergic to any of the components of the shampoo, do not use it;
• After removing lice, thoroughly rinse all combs and wash towels;
• To consolidate the therapeutic effect, it is not recommended to use other shampoos for 2 weeks after removing the parasites;
• When giving preference to a specific brand of shampoo, pay attention to side effects and acceptable age.

FAQ(Frequently Asked Questions)

Is dermatol ointment used to treat lice pubis?

The list of indications for the use of dermatol ointment according to the instructions does not include pediculosis, but people know its use to combat it. Whether the drug will be effective in a particular case must be decided by the doctor.

Pediculosis pubis is a disease that causes serious and physical discomfort. But modern medicines make it possible to get rid of it in a short time and prevent its recurrence. If unpleasant symptoms appear, you should consult your doctor.

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