Less lice, more out of life

CEBU, Philippines - Nothing can be more embarrassing to a child—and a parent—than having those pesky head lice or “kuto” running around his scalp. Never mind that kuto isn’t fatal or does not spread diseases. Never mind that kuto doesn’t jump or fly and infect people and objects around it. Or that their nits or eggs – also known as “lisâ” – can’t pass from child to child like live bugs.

The fact remains that no matter what the truth is about head lice, kuto can be not just a medical but also a social condition not only for the child but for the parents as well.

Parents who discover these parasites clinging to their kids’ hair often react with horror, fearful of what the condition may bring to their child’s self-confidence and social upbringing. But what shock parents even more when their child has kuto is that the condition not only reflects on their child’s poor hygiene but more importantly, on their capacity to be good parents to their child.

On the child’s part, having classmates and playmates discover his kuto means being ostracized or taunted for being “kadiri” or disgusting. Having kuto would most likely mean no one would want to sit beside or be near him, much more become a friend, diminishing further the child’s self-esteem and confidence. Sometimes, kids are kept from going to school and parents of other kids are reluctant to invite a kid with “kuto” to a birthday party for fear of infecting guests.

“Embarrassment and social stigma frequently accompany identification of infestation,” said the U.S. National Pediculosis Association. Pediculosis is an infestation of the hairy parts of the body or clothing with the eggs, larvae or adults of lice, according to the New York State health Web site.

It doesn’t help that many myths surround head lice. Not many parents know that “kuto” has nothing to do with hygiene—its just as likely to live on clean hair as it does on dirty hair. Being near a kid with kuto doesn’t necessarily mean automatic infestation as lice don’t fly. “What having head lice mostly means is that somewhere within the past month, your head has touched the head of someone with lice, and an opportunistic critter has walked on over,” according to the article “Should Head Lice Keep Kids Out of School?”

While the solution to head lice is to contain them immediately, some parents are reluctant to use over-the-counter anti-lice shampoos for fear they may be too toxic.

Happily, Lamoiyan’s Licealiz Shampoo contains the active ingredient Pyrethrin, which is naturally derived from Chrysanthemum flower extracts. Sources from the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Philippine Dermatological Society endorse Pyrethin as safe and reliable in removing head lice and their eggs.

In prescribed doses, the Pyrethin-formulated Licealiz Shampoo is safe and effective even for use of children as young as six years old. Licealiz is applied on the hair like regular shampoo, left on for ten minutes before rinsing. If your kids have head lice, the recommended application is twice a week for two weeks.

Unlike other lice-treatment shampoos, Licealiz doesn’t turn your child’s hair dull. Its hair-conditioning formulation helps keep your child’s hair soft and healthy.

Best of all, Licealiz is priced up to 50 percent lower than other brands and is now made available in convenient and even more affordable 10ml sachet packs. And Licealiz is readily available in leading drugstores, supermarkets and department stores nationwide.

It may take time for attitudes to change when it comes to head lice. But, with Licealiz Shampoo as the quick, safe and effective solution for your kids’ “kuto”, there’s no need for you – or your children - to suffer from it any longer than you have to.