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Health Alert:

Lavendar, tea tree oil and possibly other essential oils found in head lice products (most prevalently those claiming to be "natural and safe") have been found to disrupt the hormone balance in children, leaving boys with enlarged breasts. The full extent of these oils' effects on children is unknown.

We maintain that these oils do not kill lice any more effectively than plain, simple olive oil. Don't take chances with your child's future health, especially where there is no benefit to using these expensive products. Stick to olive oil-- you know it's safe.

"Natural" Products containing essential oils are not necessarily safe.

There are numerous products now on the market containing various essential oils. Yes, these products may be "natural" but that does not mean they are safe. Many essential oils are specifically not recommended for use on infants, young children, pregnant or nursing mothers or the elderly. And the effects of these products are not studied or regulated. Some essential oils contained in these products are linked to miscarriage and other serious health issues.

The following is quoted from a web article posted by the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago, written by Rob Danoff, DO, MS entitled, Potential Danger of Herbal Products,"

"Why, you may ask, would something claimed as a natural herbal supplement be dangerous? Well, millions of Americans assume herbal supplements to be safe because they are "natural," but, unfortunately, in 1994 Congress passed the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, which President Clinton signed. This act removed the requirement that dietary supplements undergo the same premarket safety evaluations which are required of pharmaceuticals. Bottom line, this act leaves the nutritional supplement industry mostly non-regulated, meaning you can't ever assume the product you are buying is safe, or even has the claimed ingredient in the amount stated! This guideline does not protect the consumer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration can only intervene after an illness occurs, or if safety concerns are raised based upon evidence and consumer complaints."

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