Consumer Reports: Getting rid of lice safely

Anna Krosche is a professional nitpicker. She helps families get rid of lice.

"No mom or dad wants to know that there are bugs in their kid's hair, so they're just really upset," Krosche said.

Frantic families often turn to popular over-the-counter treatments like RID, which contains pyrethrum, or Nix, which contains permethrin. Americans spent $130 million dollars on treatments for head lice just last year.

Evidence, however, is mounting that these chemicals are not the best choices, according to Consumer Reports.

"Those active ingredients tend not to work anymore because the lice have become resistant to them," said Michael Hansen of Consumer Reports.

Nix, which claims to get rid of lice and their eggs, contains permethrin as an active ingredient.

"There's a study in the scientific literature that shows that it does kill some eggs, but actually not very many," Hansen said.

Nix's lawyer says the basis for its egg-killing claim "is considered proprietary and confidential," and it was approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

So what gets rid of lice?

Consumer Reports' experts say the safest most effective method is to comb them out using a lubricant, like conditioner, and a fine-toothed metal comb.

For pesticide-free treatments, studies show those that contain low-levels of dimethicone also known as dimeticone, may be somewhat effective at killing the bugs, but eggs will still need to be combed out.

Doctors may recommend a prescription treatment to get rid of lice. Consumer Reports says Lindane can have serious risks and should not be used.

Studies show that spinosad, a newer prescription drug sold as Natroba, could be effective, but its long-term safety is unknown, and it's very expensive. It can cost as much as $280 for 4 ounces.