Lice ointments

Pediculosis – infestation with lice – has been known for a long time. In the old days, people fought the annoying insects in a variety of available ways, using kerosene, dust, vinegar and other household methods. Now the situation has changed: many effective drugs have appeared on the pharmaceutical market that allow you to get rid of arthropods quickly and comfortably. For example, lice ointment is a good and safe remedy suitable for both children and adults.

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Indications for use of lice ointment

Lice ointments are prescribed for the treatment of pediculosis – a human infestation caused by these insects.

There are several known varieties of lice, and each of them can cause one of the disease variants:

• head lice - caused by head lice, which remain viable for up to 40 days, laying up to 400-500 eggs (called nits) during this time. Infection occurs as a result of using other people's combs, hats, pillows, etc.;
• pubic pediculosis – caused by the pubic louse (crab louse), which leaves nits on the skin of the pubis or on the scrotum. In rare cases, the crab louse can also affect the eyebrows, beard and armpits. The means of transmission of the pathogen are bedding, personal hygiene products;
• Pediculosis corporis – caused by a body louse that settles inside the folds of clothing or linen. The lesion is often found in homeless people.

Names of ointments for lice

	Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics	Method of administration and dosage	Storage conditions and shelf life
Sulfur ointment	The ointment not only gets rid of lice, but also fights microbial diseases. Penetration into the systemic blood supply is negligible.	The ointment is applied up to 3 times a day, according to an individual regimen prescribed by a doctor.	Store under normal conditions for up to 2 years.
Mercury sulfur ointment for lice	Antiparasitic and antiseptic external agent consisting of concentrated mercury ointment, lanolin, pork and beef fats.	It is used externally, rubbing into the skin in areas affected by parasites.	Store in a cool place for up to 3 years.
Mercury ointment	An antiseptic that has a weak effect on parasites and their eggs, so it requires repeated use.	The ointment is diluted with water in half. Apply to the affected skin and leave for 30 minutes. After that, the skin together with the hair is diluted in equal parts with water vinegar. The procedure is repeated weekly until the lice are completely cured.	Store in cool places for up to 2 years.
Turpentine ointment for lice	Ointment with a distracting and antiseptic effect. Weakly affects lice and nits.	Apply weekly to affected skin until parasites are completely eliminated. At the same time, nits should be combed out daily.	Store in a dark place at a temperature of up to +15°C. Shelf life is up to 2 years.
Benzyl benzoate ointment	Ointment against lice and ticks, which die within 30 minutes to 5 hours.	The ointment is applied for half an hour under a cap or scarf, after which it is washed off with warm water with vinegar added. If necessary, the procedure is repeated.	Store under normal conditions for 3 years.
Boric ointment for lice	The ointment has antiseptic, fungicidal, anti-pediculosis and tanning effects.	Apply to the affected area, wash off after 25-30 minutes. After the procedure, it is recommended to comb the hair.	Stored under normal conditions for up to 3 years.
Sulfur-mercury ointment	An ointment used for skin parasitic pathologies.	Rub into the skin affected by parasites periodically until the lice disappear completely.	Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 years.
Nitifor ointment (Nittifor cream)	Destroys lice and their larvae within 10 minutes. Can be used to treat head and pubic pediculosis.	Use on dry and clean hair. Rinse off after 10 minutes, then comb through to remove dead parasites. Can be used no more than once every two weeks.	Store away from heating devices and light sources for up to 2 years.
Permethrin ointment for lice and nits	An insecticidal and acaricidal agent that causes the death of nits and mature parasites.	Use once, keeping it on the affected area for 24 hours. After that, wash the skin thoroughly and change clothes and bed linen. The procedure can be repeated in two weeks.	Lice ointment can be stored for up to 2 years under normal conditions.
Lauri ointment for pubic lice	An external preparation approved for use in the treatment of pediculosis and phthiriasis.	Distribute over hair and skin, rinse after 20-40 minutes in the usual way.	Does not require special storage conditions.
Nix lice ointment for children	Anti-pediculosis agent based on permethrin. For children under 6 months, use with caution. In 90% of cases, the ointment is effective after the first application.	Apply to scalp, rinse off 10 minutes after application. After the procedure, wash, dry and comb the hair.	The ointment is stored for 2 years at room temperature.

Special instructions for using lice ointment

When using several anti-lice medications at the same time, you need to be careful: first, it is advisable to read the instructions and make sure that these interactions with other medications will not cause harm to the body.

When treating the skin, the following precautions should be taken:

• do not allow the ointment to come into contact with the eyes, nasal and oral cavity, or external genitalia;
• wear protective gloves when handling;
• After applying the ointment, wash your hands thoroughly with detergent;
• After treatment, ventilate the room well.

If the lice ointment causes any reaction on the skin, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Using Lice Ointment During Pregnancy

Despite the fact that there are many different ointments for lice, not all of them are approved for use during pregnancy. The fact is that the active component of most external anti-pediculosis drugs is permethrin, a substance that paralyzes arthropods. Permethrin enters the bloodstream in small quantities, only about 2%. However, this is considered sufficient to cause possible harm to the child growing in the womb.

However, if lice appear in a pregnant woman, it is necessary to get rid of them. At least because a woman in labor with pediculosis is unlikely to be admitted to the maternity ward without appropriate treatment. But you should not resort to an independent solution to the problem: a dermatologist should take on the treatment of a pregnant woman, who will select the safest and most effective remedy.

Contraindications to the use of lice ointment

• Tendency to allergic reaction to any of the components of the external agent.
• Childhood (for some drugs).
• Open skin lesions where anti-pediculosis ointment was used.
• Inflammatory skin diseases.
• Often – pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Using ointments in the above cases can harm the body or worsen the existing problem. Therefore, if there are contraindications, you should consult a doctor who will select the safest drug. Sometimes, if it is impossible to use any of the existing medical drugs for lice, you have to destroy the parasites mechanically - comb out and select the insects manually.

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Side effects of lice ointment

Lice ointments can cause minor local reactions, often associated with hypersensitivity of the body:

• burning sensation, itching;
• temporary numbness of the skin area at the site of application of the drug;
• redness of the skin;
• rash, skin swelling.

If the ointment is accidentally swallowed, signs of eating disorders, abnormal heart rhythms, irritability and drowsiness may occur.

As a rule, after some time after using the ointment for lice, the listed symptoms go away on their own.

When using the ointment internally, symptomatic treatment is carried out aimed at quickly removing the drug from the body.

Overdose of lice ointment

Overdose of external preparations is considered unlikely, since only a small amount of the active substance enters the systemic circulation. However, if the drug is accidentally taken orally, this is possible. If any amount of ointment is swallowed, it is necessary to wash out the stomach, take a sorbent preparation (activated carbon, enterosgel, sorbex) and drink plenty of clean water throughout the day.

If suspicious symptoms appear, it is recommended to immediately consult a doctor.