Method of combatting human head lice

Abstract

The invention provides a method of treatment of a human subject to combat infestation by multicellular ectoparasites with exoskeletons, in particular head lice, which method comprises topically applying to said subject a first and a second pediculicide, said first pediculicide being a carbamate or organophosphate pediculicide and said second pediculicide being a pyrethroid or pyrethrin pediculicide, characterized in that said second pediculicide is applied between 15 minutes and 12 hours after the application of said first pediculicide.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of combatting infestation of a body having hair by multicellular ectoparasites with exoskeletons, the method comprising, in order:
 topically applying a first pediculicide composition to the hair;   rinsing the hair; and   topically applying a second pediculicide composition to the hair, the first pediculicide composition comprising malathion and the second pediculicide composition comprising permethrin, characterized in that the second pediculicide composition is applied between 15 minutes and 12 hours after the application of the first pediculicide composition.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the ectoparasites are head lice. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , characterized in that the second pediculicide composition is applied between about 20 minutes and 4 hours after the application of the first pediculicide composition. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first pediculicide comprises 0.02 to 0.4 weight percent malathion. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second pediculicide comprises 0.2% to 3% wt permethrin. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second pediculicide composition comprises 0.5% to 2% wt permethrin. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second pediculicide composition comprises about 1% wt permethrin. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first pediculicide composition is a shampoo and the second pediculicide composition is a cream rinse. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second pediculicide composition is a shampoo. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second pediculicide compositions are applied in the form of a solution, a cream, a gel, a cream rinse, a dispersion, a powder, a lotion, a spray, or an unguent, with at least one of the compositions being a shampoo or a cream rinse.