Abstract: Removing head louse eggshells and nits after a successful pediculicide treatment is often\nmade more difficult because it is not easy to see them all amongst the hairs. Therefore, a treatment that\nmakes louse eggs more visible potentially makes the task of removal easier and reduces the risk that\nchildren would be sent home from school or over-treated. This project involved the development of a\nhair treatment gel concept that was easy to apply, wash out, and that stained louse eggs and nits but\nwithout staining the hair and skin. A series of food-grade dyes were evaluated for their ability to stain\nthe eggshells, and various copolymer-based rheology modifiers were tested for dye compatibility\nand stability. Several dyes were rejected because either they failed to stain louse eggshells or else\nstained skin too easily. Two dyes, Patent Blue and Ponceau 4R, were eventually selected for different\nproduct developments, one specifically for post-treatment nit removal and the other for pre-treatment\ndiagnosis. In clinical field studies, both were found to make the treated eggshells contrast sufficiently\nwith the hair to enable identification of persistent nits. Use of a nit stain product can enable easier\ndetection of louse eggs and nits, thus facilitating the removal process and reducing the risk that\npersistent eggshells could be mistaken for signs of a continuing infestation.
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