Resistance does not occur all at once. It develops over time in louse populations, so, in any particular location, both resistant and nonresistant populations may exist. Therefore, relying on pediculicides alone may fail to eliminate head lice. The Head Lice to Dead Lice Treatment Program's 5-Step Battle Plan will help eliminate even the most persistent head lice infestations. The program uses olive oil to smother head lice.
Olive oil is non-toxic and easy to apply.
Experiments by entomologists at the Harvard School of Public Health have confirmed that olive oil smothers and kills active head lice. Consumers also report that the olive oil makes nit removal easier and remoisturizes the scalp after using a pediculicide. And, unlike pediculicides, olive oil can be used repeatedly or as a precaution after exposure to head lice, without compromising your child's health. If the pediculicide fails to kill an insect, it means that insect is resistant and will never be killed by that chemical, no matter how many times you use it. This is not true of olive oil.