Comb-free head lice treatment gets FDA approval

A new no-comb head lice lotion has been approved for use in children aged six months or more by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Sklice, which has been manufactured by pharmaceutical giant Sanofi, reportedly works in most children after just one 10 minute application.

Because Sklice has the potential to work after just one treatment there is no need to carry out the laborious combing of hair that is required with most other head lice treatments.

Following the approval, Sklice will be available for sale in the US and will be sold by the vaccines arm of Sanofi – Sanofi Pasteur US.

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The FDA’s decision to approve the new treatment was based on the results of two clinical trials which tested the safety and effectiveness of the lotion.

In total 781 children were treated with Sklice and it was found after two weeks of treatment those given the lotion as opposed to the placebo were much more likely to be free of head lice.

The trial also reported minimal adverse side effects that came as a result of the treatment – less than one percent of the children experienced things like dry skin, dandruff, conjunctivitis and eye irritation.

Sklice is a prescription-strength shampoo (0.5) which contains the active ingredient ivermectin to effectively kill the head lice.

Other than being used as a treatment for head lice, ivermectin is also commonly used as an oral treatment for a range of other parastatic illnesses such as river blindness and infections caused by roundworms.

It works by attaching itself to the invertebrate nerve and muscle cells and causing paralysis in the lice eventually killikng them.

However, Sanofi have been quick to point out that ivermectin does not have the same effect in mammals.

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