“Sometimes the medicine is worse than the disease. It is unfortunate that well intentioned parents treating their children with toxic or flammable substances have caused deaths and poisonings.” Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health
Unfortunately, many people believe that the only way to relieve our children from the discomfort of head lice is by exposing them to dangerous pesticides that cause more harm than good. Of course, the manufactures of popular lice treatments have a vested interested in downplaying some of the harm their ingredients have been proven to cause. On the other hand, we at My Hair Helpers have chosen to forgo these dangerous ingredients. We believe that people can rid themselves from these parasites without exposing themselves to a veritable cocktail of poisons. Here are just a few of the toxins found in traditional head lice products.
- Permethrin: This pesticide is also a neurotoxin that has been categorized as a “restricted use” substance by the EPA. In high dosages it can be fatal to humans.
- Lindane: Think it is safe because your doctor prescribed it? Guess again. Lindane is banned around the world except in the US. Nevertheless, it is available by prescription here. The EPA considers the chemical so dangerous that its use is forbidden on cattle or crops to rid them of parasites.
- Ovide: This pesticide, which has been touted as a replacement for Lindane, is the active ingredient in Malathion. Malathion has recently been classified as “probably carcinogenic to humans”, by The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a specialized agency of WHO. Additionally, Ovide is easily absorbed into the skin and can enter the bloodstream.
- Formaldehyde: Formaldehyde is a poison that can cause chest pain, shortness of breath and a whole host of other respiratory conditions. Additionally, formaldehyde has been linked ALS in adults. Finally, formaldehyde is a known carcinogen.
- Pyrethrin: Yes the ingredient that is found in some “natural” bug killers is also found in certain lice treatments. In humans pyrethins are considered to be relatively safe. However, they have been known to trigger asthma in some children.
The problem with products that contain these kinds of ingredients is that they are intended to be applied for extended periods of time in order to be effective. Our natural head lice removal system is for people who don’t want to sacrifice safety for comfort.
