Jason Biggs’ wife among growing lice victims as $1.3 billion treatment market soars

Lice infestations have skyrocketed globally, experts say, and the treatment market is expected to reach $1.3 billion in the next five years.

ResearchAndMarkets.com’s Global Lice Treatment Market Report 2024 reveals that there has been a “global increase in the incidence of lice infestations.”

In the US, the CDC notes that there is “no reliable data” on how many people contract lice each year, but it is estimated that between six and 12 million children between the ages of three and 11 are affected by these tiny insects.

The report suggests numbers could be rising as lice have become “resistant” to older chemical-based treatments. And no one is immune.

More recently, Jason Biggs’ wife, actress Jenny Mollen, brought the issue of lice to light after discovering an infestation mid-flight.

This means there is greater demand for new formulations and “environmentally friendly methods that can address resistant strains of lice.”

Eliana Ortega, who is the founder of Bigger than lice – a New York-based home lice removal service – told DailyMail.com that over the past two years it has seen a “significant increase” in cases of lice infestation.

Discussing the possible reasons for this increase, he says: “I believe this increase is related to recent population growth and immigration.”

Mrs Ortega added: ‘Public schools are now overcrowded, with approximately 35 per cent more students in each class compared to previous years.

“This situation makes sense, since lice are transmitted by head-to-head contact and young children often do not maintain their personal space.”

In a recent Instagram video, Jenny Mollen brought the topic of lice to light after discovering an infestation mid-flight on a commercial flight.

In an apparent effort to prevent the spread of lice, the Crazy, Stupid Love actress revealed in a post that she opted for a questionable solution: a plastic bag over her head.

Responding to critics who criticized her for boarding a plane with lice, Mollen explained in a second video that she didn’t notice the infestation until she was already on the plane.

“I thought I was going through perimenopause,” she explained.

He has since received treatment, along with his family and several other people who were exposed.

ResearchAndMarkets.com’s report on the lice treatment market notes that there has been an “influence of innovative solutions and techniques including advanced lice combs with innovative features designed to facilitate easier and more effective removal of lice.”

Manufacturers have also embraced natural remedies in response to growing demand for safer, chemical-free treatment options for families.

In terms of geographical information, researchers found that North America reigns as the largest market, while Asia-Pacific is considered the fastest growing region.

TikTok account whatifshow recently revealed that up to 20,000 tiny insects could live on your head after a month, many of which would resist treatment.

These blood-sucking parasites are removed in nine to 10 days with FDA-approved permethrin lotion and a fine-toothed comb that traps lice and eggs.

However, ignoring the bugs allows them to make your scalp their new home, which can lead to infections.

Lice can be contracted by sharing tools such as brushes, combs, or towels with someone who has an infestation.

And they are most common in elementary school children who pass the bugs to each other during play.

These little insects can fly and jump from person to person, so if one child is infested with lice, chances are the rest of the family is too.

Symptoms include extreme itching of the scalp, a tingling sensation on the scalp, and sores or scabs on the scalp from scratching.

You may also see strands of hair covered in tiny white eggs, known as nits, that appear yellow.

A week later, adult lice will begin to appear and crawl all over the scalp.

Extreme infestations left untreated for a long time can lead to toxic shock syndrome.

The fully grown and developed adult insect is the size of a sesame seed.

It has six legs and is tan to grayish white in color. They can live up to 30 days on the scalp.

‘Now things are getting spicy. You would scratch to try to relieve that terrible itch, but this would only leave you with painful bumps that would risk infecting you,” the TikToker said in the video.

Adult lice can lay between six and 10 nits per day when they find a host, and the eggs take about nine days to hatch.

If left untreated, these nits can multiply by tens of thousands.

“Over time, you could end up carrying 20,000 of these unwanted hitchhikers, including treatment-resistant super lice,” the narrator said.

Lice feces are another nightmare of this parasitic infestation.

Your scalp will begin to smell bad due to the buildup of bacteria on the lice, their eggs, and their excretions.

At this point, the person’s sleep is interrupted due to the itching and stench coming from the head.

Australian baby and child CPR experts have just debunked the biggest myths and misconceptions about head lice, including that they can’t live anywhere other than the human head and are not transmitted by jumping or flying from a person. to person.

Keeping your hair clean and shiny will not deter lice, as they “don’t discriminate” and are not the result of dirty hair or poor hygiene.

CPR Kids does not recommend insecticides to treat lice.

“Insecticides can actually have more serious health effects than the lice themselves, as they can cause skin irritation,” the post said.

Finally, keeping your children away from school or daycare will not solve the lice infestation, and CPR Kids says eradication is more effective.

“Lice eradication is most effective if schools and the community work together to treat an infestation, for example by running a Nitbuster program,” they said.