02.Insecticide treatments
Products reviewed
Categorised by active ingredient
Bioallethrin/piperonyl butoxide
Malathion 
- HL7 Shampoo
- KP24 Medicated Foam
- KP24 Medicated Lotion
Permethrin
- Lice Breaker Pyrifoam Treatment with Conditioner
- Orange Medic Plus Head Lice Treatment
- Quellada Head Lice Treatment
Pyrethrin/piperonyl butoxide
- Banlice Mousse
- Pyrenel Foam
Piperonal/triclosan (antibacterials)
Price paid
From $7.40 for Pyrenel Foam (100mL) to $12.95 for Paralice Aerosol Spray (100mL).
Do they work?
All these products are registered with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), which means they were evaluated before they went on the market to ensure they were both effective and safe. Look for the AUST-R number on the label.
CHOICE's advice
If your child is heavily infested with head lice, you might want to try an insecticide-based product before going herbal.
Reasons why a treatment might not work
There are several reasons why a head lice product might fail to work. These include:
- not using enough of it to adequately cover the scalp and hair
- not repeating the treatment after 7 to 10 days (to kill eggs, which often survive the first application)
- getting reinfested due to head-to-head contact with another person with lice
- resistance to the active ingredient of a product.
When it comes to resistance, results can vary by region. Even if there are reports of resistance to certain insecticide ingredients, it may still work in your local area.
Misuse can contribute to lice resistance and adverse reactions, so it’s important you use treatments as directed (see Treatment tips).