Health Centres - Prioderm lotion (malathion)
How does it work?
Prioderm lotion contains the active ingredient malathion, which is an organophosphorous insecticide that kills parasites such as head lice, pubic lice and scabies mites.
Malathion works by blocking the action of an enzyme in the parasite called cholinesterase. This enzyme is essential for the growth and survival of the parasite. By inactivating it, malathion disrupts vital metabolic processes in the parasites and ultimately leads to their death. Prioderm lotion kills head lice and their eggs.
To treat head lice, the lotion should be applied to the scalp and rubbed into dry hair from the roots to the tips until all the hair is moistened. The best way to do this, particularly with with long hair, is to make a small parting and apply a few drops of the lotion along the hair, then spread this evenly along the length of the hair. Repeat the process with numerous other small sections until the whole scalp has been covered. Leave the hair to dry naturally in a warm but well ventilated room (don't use a hairdryer). Don't cover the head until the lotion is dry. After 10 to 12 hours, shampoo the hair in the normal way. Rinse the hair and comb it using a fine toothed metal nit comb while the hair is still wet to remove the dead lice and eggs.
Louse eggs may be more difficult to kill than live lice, because the insecticide liquid may not penetrate the eggshell to get in to the developing louse. It may therefore be necessary to repeat the treatment after seven days to kill lice emerging from any eggs that survived the first application. Ask your pharmacist for advice about this.
Prioderm lotion is an alcohol-based malathion product. Water-based malathion products, such as those listed at the end of this factsheet, are preferred to alcohol-based lotions for treating pubic lice and scabies, as they are less irritant to broken skin and sensitive areas such as the genitalia. Water-based products are also preferred in children and people with asthma or eczema, for whom this alcohol-based product may be irritant.
What is it used for?
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Head lice.
Warning!
- This medicine is for external use only.
- Avoid contact of this medicine with the eyes. If it does enter the eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of water.
- This medicine contains flammable alcohol. Avoid naked flames, lit objects such as cigarettes, gas and electric fires, and the use of artificial heat, eg hairdryers.
- This preparation may affect permed, coloured or bleached hair.
- It is recommended that rubber gloves be worn by people giving repeated applications or treating large numbers of people with this medicine, for example clinic or school nurses.
- Do not use this medicine more than once in a week, or for more than three consecutive weeks.
Use with caution in
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Asthma (the lotion may cause wheezing)
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Eczema (the lotion may cause skin irritation)
- Sensitive skin (the lotion may cause stinging or skin irritation).
Not to be used in
- Infants under six months of age, except on medical advice.
This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to one or any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
- This medicine is not known to be harmful if used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, as with all medicines, it should be used with caution by pregnant or breastfeeding women and only on the advice of a doctor.
Label warnings
- Caution flammable: keep medication away from fire or flames.
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
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