Ordinary conditioners as effective as special products in removing head lice

Researchers have found that an ordinary hair conditioner is just as effective as special products sold in the market to remove head lice and its eggs.

The scientists from Belgium, who gathered 605 hairs from six different children with a single nit attached to each one of them, found that nits on the hairs that were left completely untreated were the most difficult to remove, while hair strands soaked in deionized water were much easier to remove.

The study showed that eggs on hairs that had been treated with ordinary hair conditioner were equally easier to remove and the effectiveness of the special products and ordinary conditioners were same.

The researchers said that deionized water was effective because it acts as a lubricant, so less friction is needed to remove the nits from the hairs same as the ordinary conditioners.

The scientists added that treatment with conditioner reduces the coefficient of friction of undamaged and damaged hair and will facilitate nit removal.

The study is published in the Journal of Medical Entomology.