Lice repellent is used to control and prevent lice and is very effective - but which one should you choose?
On this page you will find a comparison of the leading lice remedies in the UK:
- Hedrin
- Linicin
- Paranix
- Eco.kid
- Lyclear
Hedrin Once is the overall best lice repellent in this comparison because it 1) has a short duration of action, 2) is easy to use and 3) is highly effective. You can buy Hedrin Once here.
Hedrin
The Hedrin range consists of the three lice remedies listed below. You can read more about Hedrin here.
| Hedrin Once ★★★★★ | ||
| Treatment: | 1 time | |
| Duration: | 15 min. | |
| Minimum age: | 6 months. | |
| Pregnant / breastfeeding: | Yes, we do | |
| Active ingredient: | Dimeticon | |
| You can buy Hedrin Once here | ||
| Hedrin Original ★★★★☆ | ||
| Treatment: | 2 times | |
| Duration: | 1 hour | |
| Minimum age: | 6 months. | |
| Pregnant / breastfeeding: | Yes, we do | |
| Active ingredient: | Dimeticon | |
| You can buy Hedrin Original here | ||
| Hedrin Treat & Go ★★★☆☆ | ||
| Treatment: | 1 time | |
| Duration: | 8 hours | |
| Minimum age: | 6 months. | |
| Pregnant / breastfeeding: | Yes, we do | |
| Active ingredient: | Activdiol | |
| You can buy Hedrin Treat & Go here | ||
Linicin
Linicin is a range of lice remedies consisting of four lice shampoos, a combing balm and a preventative lice repellent. Note that the comb balm is not included here as it is not a lice repellent. You can read more about Linicin here.
| Linicin Plus 15 min Shampoo ★★★★☆ | ||
| Treatment: | 1 time | |
| Duration: | 15 min. | |
| Minimum age: | 1 year | |
| Pregnant / breastfeeding: | No* | |
| Active ingredient: | Oligodecene oil | |
| You can buy Linicin Plus 15 min Shampoo here | ||
| Linicin Plus 15 min Solution ★★★★☆ | ||
| Treatment: | 1 time | |
| Duration: | 15 min. | |
| Minimum age: | 1 year | |
| Pregnant / breastfeeding: | No* | |
| Active ingredient: | Oligodecene oil | |
| You can buy Linicin Plus 15 min Solution here | ||
Please note that 'Linicin Plus 15 min Shampoo' is suitable for fine and straight hairwhile 'Linicin Plus 15 min Solution' is suitable for thick and curly hair.
| Linicin Pure Power ★★★☆☆ | ||
| Treatment: | 1 time | |
| Duration: | 15 min. | |
| Minimum age: | 1 year | |
| Pregnant / breastfeeding: | No, we don't | |
| Active ingredient: | Dimeticon | |
| You can buy Linicin Pure Power here | ||
| Linicin 15 min Solution ★★★☆☆ | ||
| Treatment: | 2 times | |
| Duration: | 15 min. | |
| Minimum age: | 6 months. | |
| Pregnant / breastfeeding: | Yes, we do | |
| Active ingredient: | Oligodecene oil | |
| You can buy Linicin 15 min Solution here | ||
| Linicin Prevent ★★★★☆ | ||
| Treatment: | Preventive | |
| Duration: | 7 hours | |
| Minimum age: | 2 years | |
| Pregnant / breastfeeding: | No* | |
| Active ingredient: | PEG 40 hydrogenated castor oil | |
| You can buy Linicin Prevent here | ||
*Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding and want to use this lice repellent.
Paranix
The Paranix range contains three lice repellents based on different active ingredients, each with their own mode of action. You can read more about Paranix here.
| Paranix Solution ★★★★☆ | ||
| Treatment: | 2 times | |
| Duration: | 10 min. | |
| Minimum age: | 2 years | |
| Pregnant / breastfeeding: | No* | |
| Active ingredient: | Dimeticon | |
| You can buy Paranix Solution here | ||
| Paranix Sensitive ★★★★☆ | ||
| Treatment: | 1 time | |
| Duration: | 8 hours | |
| Minimum age: | 6 months. | |
| Pregnant / breastfeeding: | No* | |
| Active ingredient: | Oxyphthirine | |
| You can buy Paranix Sensitive here | ||
*Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding and want to use this lice repellent.
Eco.kid
The Eco.kid range consists of many different hair products and includes the three lice products listed below (Eco.kid Lice Bomb Combo Pack is a pack consisting of the lice shampoo [Eco.kid Lice Bomb] and the lice preventative [Eco.kid Prevent Shampoo - Sensitive] - and not a unique product as such).
Eco.kid products focus on prevention rather than treatment. All their shampoos and conditioners (with the exception of Lice Bomb) can therefore be used on a daily basis, thereby avoiding lice.
The only product still available for purchase online is the product below:
| Eco.kid Lice Bomb (lice shampoo) ★★★★☆ | ||
| Treatment: | Not disclosed | |
| Duration: | Up to 10 minutes. | |
| Minimum age: | 3 years | |
| Pregnant / breastfeeding: | Yes, we do | |
| Active ingredient: | Plant extracts | |
| You can buy Eco.kid Lice Bomb here | ||
Lyclear
Lyclear is based on permethrin, which is a synthetic chemical that affects the membranes of the lice's nerve cells. Lyclear is one of the few remaining lice products on the Danish market that lice can develop resistance to. The active ingredient permethrin is also considered to pose a health risk to humans. These two factors - i.e. the possibility of resistance and the health risk - are the main reasons why the Lyclear product has been given the lowest score in this comparison.
| Lyclear Lice Shampoo ★☆☆☆☆ | ||
| Treatment: | 2 times | |
| Duration: | 10 minutes | |
| Minimum age: | Not disclosed | |
| Pregnant / breastfeeding: | Not disclosed | |
| Active ingredient: | Permethrin | |
| You can buy Lyclear Lice Shampoo here | ||
Use of lice repellent
Treatment with a lice repellent typically works like this:
- Lice repellent: Use the lice repellent of your choice (follow the instructions on the packaging carefully).
- First check: Check if there are still live lice:
- Live lice: If live lice are still present 8-12 hours after treatment, but are moving slower than before, there is no need to repeat the treatment (always follow the instructions on the packaging). Comb dead and live lice and eggs out of the hair with a lice comb.
- No live lice: If there are no dead lice and the lice seem as active as they were before the end of the treatment (8-12 hours ago), the repellent may not be working. In this case, you can either re-treat with the same product or try a different product. If the treatment still doesn't seem to be working, you should consult your pharmacy or doctor.
- Follow-up checks: Check your hair and scalp every other day and remove any lice and eggs.
- Repeat the treatment: Some lice repellents need to be applied twice; the first time and again 7 - 10 later (this is called reprocessing). If you have used a lice product where one treatment is usually sufficient, but lice are still found in your hair after 7 days, you should always re-treat (according to the product's instructions).
- Final check: Check all treated individuals for 2-3 weeks (until you are sure all lice and eggs are gone).
When it comes to head lice - which is almost always the case - there is no need to fight lice in beddinghair brushes, combs etc.
The effect of lice repellents
Lice repellents can work in many different ways.
- Insect repellentIn the past, most lice repellents were based on different types of insecticides that affected the lice's nervous systems and/or their nerve cells. However, there were two problems with this group of lice repellents: 1) lice can develop resistance to them and 2) most are harmful to humans. These two issues have caused the majority of these products to disappear from the market in Europe.
- Plant-based lice repellentsThis group of lice repellents is very extensive and includes plant-based insecticides, essential oils as well as other oils such as olive oil, coconut oil, grape seed oil, neem oil, among others, tea tree oil et al. The effect of oils on lice is poorly documented, but some of them have an inhibitory effect on lice - but conversely, many of them are completely ineffective! Compared to modern lice repellents (see below), they are much less effective. Some of the oils can also irritate the skin on the scalp.
- SurfactantsThis group of anti-lice products is also very extensive and includes alcohols, wax alcohols and fatty alcohols, among others. This group also includes the active ingredients that are primarily used in anti-lice products today - i.e. silicone, mineral oils and fatty acid esters.
About the lice product comparison
In this article, we have made a comparison of lice repellents from six different manufacturers that market their products in the UK.
Each remedy has been assigned a rating in the form of stars (★), based on its:
- Efficiency and effectiveness
- How to use
- Price
- Health safety