Kills head lice by smothering rather than poisoning them — which is why resistance has not developed against it.
Explained by a GMC-registered GP, not a leaflet
Honest about what we can and cannot prescribe remotely
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Registered with the Care Quality Commission
Dimeticone is a silicone oil that kills head lice physically rather than chemically. It coats the louse, blocks the openings it breathes through, and disrupts its ability to manage water — so it dies.
Because the mechanism is physical, lice cannot become resistant to it in the way they have to older insecticides. That is the main reason it has become first choice.
It is not absorbed, has no systemic effects, and is suitable from six months of age.
Treat only when you have seen a living, moving louse. Itching alone, or nits (empty egg cases) stuck to the hair, are not enough — nits remain glued to hair long after an infestation has cleared, and treating them achieves nothing.
Dimeticone is less effective against eggs than against lice. The second treatment kills whatever hatched in the meantime — and skipping it is the commonest reason head lice appear to come back.
Detection combing with a fine-toothed comb on wet, conditioned hair is the reliable way to know whether treatment worked. Comb from the scalp to the ends, wiping the comb on white tissue after each stroke.
Side effects are uncommon and mild, because nothing is absorbed.
The important practical warning is flammability. Hair treated with dimeticone is flammable while the product is on — keep away from open flames, cigarettes, gas hobs and hairdryers until it has been washed out.
It is considered suitable in pregnancy and breastfeeding, and is generally the preferred option because nothing is absorbed.
No drug interactions — it is not absorbed and acts entirely physically.
No monitoring required.
The only thing to check is whether it worked, by detection combing a day or two after the second application.
Head lice almost never need a doctor, and we would rather tell you that than take a fee.
Dimeticone is available in every pharmacy and supermarket without a prescription, and pharmacists can advise for free. For an ordinary case that is the whole answer.
Where a consultation is occasionally worth it:
A prescription is never guaranteed. This page is information, not an offer to supply.
Dimeticone costs a few pounds over the counter, and own-brand versions are identical in strength to the branded ones at a fraction of the price.
Buy a bottle size that matches the hair. Under-dosing long, thick hair is a real cause of failure, and a bottle sized for short hair will not cover it properly.
NHS prescriptions are free for children in England and free in Wales, though buying it is usually faster.
Two applications a week apart, then stop. There is nothing to taper.
Nits left in the hair after treatment do not mean failure. They are empty shells and stay glued to the hair as it grows out.
No — check everyone, treat only those with living, moving lice. Treating people who do not have them is wasted money and unnecessary chemical exposure.
Usually a missed second application, not enough lotion, or an untreated contact. Genuine resistance to dimeticone is not the issue, because it kills physically rather than chemically.
No. Nits are empty egg cases cemented to the hair, and they stay there as the hair grows out. Only living, moving lice matter.
No. Head lice are not a reason to miss school, and exclusion policies are not supported by guidance. Treat, and carry on as normal.
Yes — it is generally the preferred option because nothing is absorbed. From six months of age; take advice below that.
It is flammable while it is on the hair. No cigarettes, gas hobs, open fires or hairdryers until it has been washed out.
Clinically reviewed by Dr Mohammad Zubair Khan, GMC 7563469
Last reviewed
September 8, 2026
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It means the diagnosis can usually be made from your history and photographs, and that treatment can be arranged safely without examining you. Where a condition is not marked treatable online, it is because examination is the diagnosis — listening to a chest, feeling an abdomen, examining an ear or a joint — or because a procedure or device is needed.
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