Ivermectin has been used by veterinarians for years and is approved by the FDA for use on river blindness and roundworm parasites. There are new studies that show it could also be used on head lice and at least one company has been approved to use it for head lice.
What is Ivermectin
Ivermectin (Stromectol) is an anti-parasite drug that you take orally in pill form to get rid of certain parasitic diseases in people. Veterinarians prescribe ivermectin for certain breeds of dogs (not border collies), cats and horses for mites and mange.
Ivermectin is approved by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of strongyloidiasis, which is a disease brought on by parasites that cause roundworm infection.
It is also approved for the treatment of onchocerciasis or river blindness.
Ivermectin for Scabies
Scabies is very contagious or communicable and is caused by mites. Scabies can happen in animals and humans. The tiny mites get under the skin which is what causes the intense itching from the allergic reactions we have to the mites.
A study with 20 children ages between 1 and 10 years old and 12 adults who had scabies was given a 1% ivermectin applied to the affected areas of the skin and repeated once the following week. All patients were cured of scabies and no serious side effects or adverse reactions were reported [1].
Even though this is not for head lice, the thinking is that ivermectin could also be used topically for lice, especially super lice that have become resistant to the normal remedies.
Treating Head Lice with Ivermectin
A 2006 multi center double-blind 6-month study used 812 patients compared using 0.5% malathion lotion with oral ivermectin. The patients were at least two years old with a mean age of 10 years old and weighed more than 33 pounds (15 kg).
The dose of the ivermectin was 400 ug (micrograms) per kg of body weight and taken orally in the form of pills. 398 patients received the ivermectin and a fake lotion. 414 patients received the malathion lotion and a fake pill.
At the end of 15 days, 95% of the patients who received the oral ivermectin were free of lice compared with 85% of the patients who had the malathion lotion. This study suggests that ivermectin could be an alternative medicine for hard to get rid of head lice [2].
Some children did report nausea and a rash, but the incidences of side effects were not greater in the ivermectin group compared with the malathion group, three reactions were considered severe.
The FDA has not approved ivermectin for use on head lice as of this time. Your doctor can prescribe it to you. Make sure you talk to your doctor about the possible side effects and drug interactions with ivermectin.
An in vitro study - a study that is performed in a test tube - used 1% ivermectin solution for 10 minutes that caused the lice to lose motor control which caused them to die [3].
Common Side Effects of Ivermectin
- Being lightheaded
- Bloating
- Muscle aches
- Nausea
- Headaches
- Diarrhea
Dangerous Side Effects of Ivermectin and Warnings
Do not go on the internet and just buy this and take it for head lice, you need to talk to your doctor. If you have liver problems, you might not be able to take ivermectin or the dosage might have to be altered. If you get these side effects, you need to see a doctor right away:
- Swelling of the lymph nodes
- An allergic reaction including hives, difficulty breathing, itching and swelling of the face, tongue or lips.
- Vision changes or your eyes swelling or turning red
- Problems with bowels or urinary tract
- Weakness, confusion or feeling off balance
- Seizures
Study Conflict of Interest
Conclusion
Ivermectin could be the next head lice treatment but more studies need to be done as for the long term effects. The dose (400 ugs/kg of body weight) used in this study cannot be prescribed by doctors in the US or Europe.
And the long term effects of ivermectin are not known. Doctors are more confident with using the recently approved benzyl alcohol lotion (brand name Ulesfia) to get rid of head lice.
For further information, please read How to Get Rid of Head Lice in Children.
** Ivermectin Update **
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the product Sklice is now the only FDA approved head lice treatment with Ivermectin and is now available for U.S. residents as an over-the-counter drug.
About the Author
Sam Montana is a certified Food Over Medicine instructor from the Wellness Forum Health Center and certified in optimal nutrition from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
© August 2010-2018 Sam Montana
[1] NEJM - Oral Ivermectin versus Malathion Lotion for Difficult-to-Treat Head Lice. N Engl J Med 2010; 362:896-905March 11, 2010 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa0905471
[2] PubMed - Topical ivermectin: a new successful treatment for scabies. Pediatr Dermatol. 2001 Jan-Feb;18(1):63-5.
[3] Dermatology Online Journal - Head lice therapies revisited Craig G Burkhart MD MPH1, Craig N Burkhart MD MSBS2 Dermatology Online Journal 12 (6):3
