The Nuvo Method of Killing Head Lice

The “Nuvo” treatment method has become all the rage in lice circles, so to speak. In September 2004 issue of the Pediatrics Journal, Dr. Dale Pearlman published a study about his success of using a non-toxic treatment for killing head lice.

It seems there is a head lice lotion called Cetaphil Cleanser, which is applied to the hair and scalp, using a nit comb to achieve an even application and removal of any excessive amount of lotion. Following that, a hair dryer blows the lotion dry on the hair, in essence, shrink-wrapping the crawling lice, thereby removing their access to oxygen.

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The dried lotion is left in place for a minimum of eight hours, after which it can be washed out using any ordinary shampoo.

The Nuvo method is said to have a 96% success rate and requires very little household clean-up.

The Cetaphil Cleanser is available in pharmacies in the U.S.A. and in other countries as well. The proper name is Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and is widely sold as a non-soap product for those who have sensitive skin.

And in case you’re wondering, Cetaphil Cleanser has not been approved by the FDA for treatment of head lice. It hasn’t even been evaluated by that agency as yet.

However, it seems that the Nuvo method of using Cetaphil Cleanser may be the best treatment for head lice using a non-toxic substance that has been scientifically studied, the results of which have been published in a respected journal and peer reviewed.

We understand that there is also a Cetaphil Moisturizer that is sold, but we suggest using only the cleanser for head lice, as that is the only substance that was used in the Nuvo method.

Some have asked why it is recommended to leave the Cleanser on for at least eight hours. This is because lice can put themselves into a state of dormancy where they do not need to breathe for an extended period of time. By leaving the Cleanser on for eight hours or longer, the lice are effectively suffocated.

Because the Nuvo method dries the lotion on the hair, it cannot be accidentally wiped off by lying down or getting the head against another surface, or even changing a shirt, as can be the case with wet substances, such as mayonnaise or olive oil.

Another good feature of using the Cetaphil Cleanser is that, once is it dried into the hair, it is invisible, so the child can go on to school without embarrassment.

Now, the Nuvo method does not kill the lice eggs (nits), just adult crawling lice. That is why it requires three applications. First, the adult lice go before they can further reproduce. The second application (at about the seventh day) addresses the eggs that have hatched in the meantime.

Note that lice require around ten days to mature enough to reproduce, so it is impossible for the newly hatched lice to deposit any more eggs.

The last application, at about the next ten days, will eliminate any lice that might have slipped through and hatched following the second go-around.

You may be wondering if your child is still contagious during the course of the treatment. The answer is no, because even though there may be some hatching on your child’s head, the eggs cannot move to another head, because they are not yet mobile, as older lice are. Cetaphil will get rid of them before they are able to move.

Be that as it may, it is still a good idea to caution your child not to share combs or brushes with others, as these items can pull the nits off one head and transfer them to another.

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