The controversy surrounding insecticidal lotions has spawned a number of non-chemical alternative treatments which are marketed under terms such as ‘aromatherapy’, ‘herbal’ and ‘natural’. These can appeal to parents who don’t want to use pesticide-based treatments, but prefer a faster and easier solution to wet combing.

Most of these shampoos, creams and repellent sprays contain a combination of essential oils and herbal extracts; particularly neem, tea tree, rosemary, lavender, nettle, thyme and chamomile.

Neem is said to be a ‘natural insecticide’ and has been used in Indian herbal medicine for thousands of years. Tea tree oil is reported to be a ‘natural antiseptic with antibacterial properties’. And fragrant oils such as lavender are claimed to repel head lice.

The makers of ‘Nitty Gritty’ say their natural lotion “creates an aroma which lice recognise as a hostile environment”. We asked for evidence to support this claim, but they were unable to provide any, saying these remedies had been “proved over time”, and were “part of herbal folklore”.

The medical profession tends to be cynical about any kind of ‘alternative’ treatment. And those who have examined the claims made about natural head lice lotions seem to take a similarly critical view.

The British Medical Journal’s website says: “Aromatherapy oils, it is claimed, can repel lice by disguising the hair’s natural scent. However, as far as we know, head lice do not have any way of detecting human odours. Since they live on human heads, they do not need to seek them out. In any case, the powerful smell from these oils disappears after a short time.”

The claims made on the packaging of these ‘natural’ products can also appear dubious. ‘Nice’nClear’ is sold in most Boots stores. The box boldly proclaims that it ‘eradicates lice and their eggs’. But the instructions inside say: ‘designed to aid the effective removal of head lice and eggs’. There seems a world of difference between ‘eradicate’ and ‘designed to aid’.

One problem with any product containing essential oils and herbal extracts is that some people may suffer an allergic reaction. And it’s difficult to know until they’ve been tried on the skin. We found the following warning in the small print of one product: ‘Tea tree aroma may affect epilepsy and acute asthma sufferers.’