He is not exactly correct. Head lice breath air the same as you and I and, if submerged long enough under water do in fact drown.
Suffocating agents An increasingly popular "alternative" treatment involves the use of food-grade oils or hair gels in attempts to smother lice on the scalp. Many people have provided anecdotal reports of their successes with this old method, but we have also heard of nearly an equal number of failures. Virtually no data, however, is available to assess the efficacy of this technique. As with any hair conditioner, oils may lubricate and ease efforts to pass louse or nit combs through the hair. Olive oil (or any similar food-grade product) would seem intrinsically safe, but may have associated hazards, nonetheless. Oil may cause accidents (slips), and would be difficult to remove from the hair and scalp (detergents can cause irritation). Do not use motor or machine oils, as these materials can be harmful.
As a preliminary test to measure the effect of such agents on lice, we submerged six active lice in olive oil, and maintained an equal number of non-treated lice in a separate container. Lice removed from oil after one hour recovered, but those submerged for two hours succumbed. Non-treated lice survived for at least 18 hours. We have not repeated this test on active lice nor have we tested this treatment on nits. The results are simply of a very preliminary nature and should not be construed as solid evidence on which one would base treatment recommendations. It would be an error to extrapolate from data of such an informal test; therefore, we do not recommend the use of olive oil (or other such substances) as a treatment for head lice.
2007-01-05 18:22:19
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answer #1
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answered by daddyspanksalot 5
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