Lice shampoo is arguably the most effective way to fight lice - but which one should you choose?
On this page you will find a comparison of the 3 leading lice shampoos in the UK:
- Hedrin
- Linicin
- Paranix
Hedrin Once is the overall best lice shampoo 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 three lice shampoos, which you can see 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
The Linicin range contains four different lice shampoos, all of which have a very short duration of action. You can see the four shampoos below and 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 | ||
NOTE: Please note that 'Linicin Plus 15 min Shampoo' is designed for fine and straight hairwhile 'Linicin Plus 15 min Solution' is made 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 | ||
*Consult your doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding and want to use this lice shampoo.
Paranix
The Paranix range consists of three types of lice shampoo that have different active ingredients with different modes 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 shampoo.
How do you use lice shampoo?
Most lice shampoos are used according to the same principle:
- Rub the shampoo into your hair (either wet or dry hair - see product instructions)
- Leave the shampoo on for a while (10 minutes to 8 hours - see product instructions)
- Rinse the shampoo out of your hair
- Dry your hair
Note that individual shampoos often have an extra step or certain precautions - such as applying the shampoo directly to the hair (without water), combing through the hair, not blow-drying with a blow-dryer, air-drying, etc.
It is very important to always follow the instructions on the packaging, otherwise you risk the shampoo not working optimally or making it difficult to wash out of the hair.
About the lice shampoos in this article
In this comparison, we have chosen to include only lice shampoos that are sold in Denmark and have the following in common:
- Ingredients: They contain no insecticides or other harmful chemical substances.
- Resistance: Lice cannot develop resistance to them.
In addition, there are some types of lice conditioners that are marketed as lice shampoos; we haven't included those either.
About this comparison
Lice shampoo is the easiest and most effective way to control lice. However, there are many different products with many different modes of action. That's why we've made this comparison of lice shampoos.
In the comparison, we have based the comparison on the shampoos:
- Efficiency and effectiveness
- How to use
- Price
- Health safety
Each lice shampoo has been given a star rating (★), where 1 star is the lowest and 5 is the highest.