Parents will usually err on the side of caution when it comes to protecting their children. Which is why so many are now deciding to avoid insecticidal lotions in favour of a non-chemical approach.

Many parents reguarly check their children with a nit comb – even if there are no signs of infection. This needn’t take more than a few minutes.

And if any nits or lice are found, a more thorough two week bug-bust should solve the problem before a breeding colony has a chance to take hold.

The jury is still out on whether herbal lotions by themselves can be effective. We couldn’t find any UK reports into non-chemical treatments – but this isn’t unusual since these studies are often financed by pharmaceutical companies with large budgets.

And the medical profession certainly seems to be unanimously sceptical – but again, this is a fairly common response.

The instructions with most herbal lotions are usually exactly the same as the bug-busting technique. So if they work, it seems likely that it’s due to the wet combing – rather than the herbal lotion.

‘Nitty Gritty’ (above right) is a good example. The label says it’s a “natural and effective way to detect and remove head lice”. And then adds in smaller type; “when used with a fine tooth comb”.