Children were excluded from the study if they had used other head lice treatments within the previous two weeks. Clayton dispatched his students in pairs to the homes of infested children to test the various methods. After completion of each treatment trial, each participant was paid $10 and given conventional treatments for lice.
Some 94 percent of the children were girls, who are more likely to have bad infestations because their hair is longer and they have more head-to-head contact on the playground, Clayton says.
Before treatment, the researchers combed one side of each child's head to remove all visible lice and nits, which were placed in an incubator. Then, the entire scalp was treated with one of the six methods being tested. After treatment, the other side of the scalp was combed for the same amount of time as the first side, with removed lice and nits also placed in an incubator.
The researchers used a dissecting microscope to count the number of live and dead lice from each side of the scalp. They re-examined them up to 18 hours later to make sure all were dead. Nits were incubated for two weeks to see how many hatched.
"Effectiveness of the different treatment methods was assessed by comparing the percentage of dead lice and non-hatching eggs on the pre- and post-treatment sides of the scalp," the researchers explain. The researchers measured the temperature and volume of hot air in each method and kept track of any discomfort.
Results: The Utah LouseBuster Massacre
No household cleaning measures were taken because they are not considered essential; head lice cannot survive more than 24 hours off a host's head.
Each of the six treatment methods took 30 to 35 minutes and used air at about 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Here are the treatments, from lea
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6-Nov-2006