Getting ahead of head lice.

Dermatologists are the nominal experts in the management of head lice in Australia, yet many dermatologists infrequently treat patients with this condition. Most people are managed in the community by school nurses, local council health officers, pharmacists, paediatricians or general practitioners. Only a small number will present to the dermatologist and commonly these patients will have tried a variety of treatments and failed to respond. Resistance is reported to all of the currently available insecticide treatments and this makes management of this common community-acquired infestation more involved.