Does not get Full Marks from me. (Full Marks Liquid)

Member Name: welshwickedone

Product:	Full Marks Liquid
Date:	02/01/07 (630 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Suitable for Asthma sufferers and people with sensitive skin.

Disadvantages: Expensive, not 100% effective, use of chemicals .

Full Marks Liquid 200mls.
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As a retired hairdresser, over the years I have had the unpleasant experience of being greeted by Head Lice on many occasions, and yet I have been lucky enough to have only suffered with them myself once before when my daughter brought them home from school with her. This was several years ago now and yet I still remember the horrible feelings I had when I found them in my hair. That was until about five days ago when I let my guard down due to the stress of Christmas and because my children were on school holidays.

It is quite strange how it all came about really was when my friend called over two days after Christmas with her children and was chatting away about her new bug busting kit she was getting through the post. At first I must confess, I really did not put two and two together until the next day when she called over the house again with her new kits, showing it off. I thought it was something for her several cats until to my horror she opened the kit and produced five different size nit combs. Instantly panic ran through my blood as my daughter had stopped over there house two days earlier and my son was over there two playing with the youngest child of my friend.

Although my friend was only stopping for a quick coffee, I must confess it seemed like hours and with ever minute that went by my skin crawled more and more as my head began to itch frantically. Finally, she finished her coffee, packed away her bug kit and returned home not a minute too soon. I do not think her car could have got very far before I grabbed my faithful nit comb and began the family screening starting with my Son.

Happiness prevailed as I finished combing through his hair carefully, section by section and found him to be free of lice. Next, it was my Daughters turn and that is when the happiness passed as section by section I comb through only to discover she had lice. I must confess anger began to build in me as I moved on to my partner and inspected his hair. Another one don and lucky for him another one free from lice, but then it was my turn. I dragged the comb through my hair, section by section, hoping not to discover any lice. However, unlucky for me I found one and I must confess I was furious and angry as I grabbed my coat and we all made off to a pharmacy to obtain some treatment for me and my daughter. Hence, bring on the Full Marks Lotion and this review.

About Full Marks Liquid.
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Full Marks Head Lice treatments come in a variety of forms, which include mousse, liquid and lotion in various size bottles. It is produced by Seton Healthcare Group PLC in the U.K. and is a registered trademark of Seton.

This review is of the Full Marks Liquid 200mls bottle, which should treat up to four heads and is suitable for adults and children over 6 months of age. As with all treatments for head lice always consult your Dr or pharmacist before using the product and check for allergies from the active ingredients. I purchased the liquid in Full Marks rather than the mousse as I am an asthma sufferer and this form of Full Marks is suitable for use by asthmatics.

The product comes in a white box, which clearly states the product name and has a family of four on the front of the box. The liquid itself is in a brown glass bottle with a white plastic lid and a white label, which also contains product details. This product also contains a detailed leaflet with directions and precautions.

Full Marks Liquid contains Phenothrin, Potassium Citrate, Citric Acid Monohydrate, Emulsifying Wax, Methylhydroxybenzoate, Propylhydroxybenzoate, Perfume HT52, Diethylene Glycol, Dimethyl Phthalate and Purified Water.

The company states that Full Marks Liquid has been specially formulated for treatment of head lice and if used according to instructions a single application of Full Marks Liquid will kill head lie and there eggs.

The Application.
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Before you start, always read the instruction leaflet carefully and if you use this product regularly due to your profession or you suffer with sensitive skin always wear gloves to apply the liquid.

The Liquid itself is of a white creamy consistence and has a quite pleasant smell to it which it not harsh when inhaled, and although it says liquid, it is quite thick in consistence.

Apply the liquid to Dry hair and be sure to apply sufficient liquid to make sue that no part of the scalp is left uncovered. Gently massage the liquid through the hair being sure to cover all the hair from root to tip and the scalp.

Allow the hair to dry naturally whilst the lotion is still on the hair and scalp.

Leave the liquid on hair for twelve hours or overnight.

After 12 hours, wash the hair with normal shampoo and condition if required.

Whilst the hair is still wet comb through with a normal comb and then a fine toothed nit comb to remove all the dead lice and eggs.

Warning.
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In rare cases this product has had an undesired effect of skin irritation and a person warning from me is that if you have any cuts or sores on your scalp you may experience a slight tingling burning sensation when apply this product however this does pass after a few minutes.

The Results.
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Finally, the next day when the treatment was complete it came time to remove the liquid and see the results for myself. First, my hair was washed and combed through, only to reveal one most definitely dead louse and two small eggs. Then it was time for my daughter and the same procedure was followed. As I combed through her hair section by section we revealed three lice and several eggs, but to my horror one of the lice was most definitely still alive. I could have screamed with this discovery and phoned my local pharmacy for advice. The pharmacist explained to me that this is sometimes the case and it does not mean that the liquid has not worked; it is just that some lice take longer to die and any remaining will die within the next 24 hours.

I will be totally blunt and say that I find this very hard to believe and am now checking our hair every day twice a day to be sure that if any of the eggs left were not killed that as soon as they hatch they are removed to prevent them laying eggs themselves.

My Opinion.
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What a waste of money and at £9.99 for a 200ml treatment, what an expensive useless product at that. I can assure everyone now I will not let my guard down again and will continue with my regular two-day inspection of my children's hair even when they are not in school as prevention is a much better form of defence than these expensive and ineffective treatments.

I think that in future I will stick to some of the old-fashioned remedies I know of and use those instead. Before I finish this review though I would like to take the chance to pass on some of the old-fashioned remedies I have heard of as well as some interesting facts about head lice.

Welshwickedone's Extra Facts.
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Although I have never personally tried this one, I have heard that some people believe that if you apply fabric conditioner to the hair, the head lice cannot get a grip on the hair and they are unable to attach there eggs to the hair follicles. (Yes a strange one, I know and to be honest, one I am not keen to try or believe.)

The other old-fashioned remedies I have heard of, I have actually tried. Mix one tablespoon of Tea tree Oil with six tablespoons of cooking oil and apply to the hair. Comb through with a fine toothed lice comb. The Tea tree Oil is not only a natural antiseptic, but also the lice are apparently repelled by the smell and release there grip. The cooking oil makes it easier to comb away the lice and eggs from the hair. As I say, I have tried it, but found it no different to applying conditioner to your hair and removing the lice and eggs naturally with a lice comb.

This is a person recommendation for anyone who has discovered they or a family member has head lice. Do not be embarrassed, it is not your fault, sadly head lice is a problem found worldwide. With regular checks of your family's hair, this is a good form of prevention and cure. If one member of your family has head lice, you should always check every member as it is very likely that they may have head lice as well.

When you have treated head lice, you should also be sure to change all bedding and wash all bedding, towels and combs used by the sufferer. Wash all bedding and clothes in a minimum of a 60ºC wash cycle and soak all combs, brushes and hair accessories in disinfectant. The reason for this is that people have been led to believe that the head lice will die within minutes when not on a head of hair. This is not true, as a head lice can survive for two days or slightly longer, even when not on the human head, and therefore can survive on a pillowcase and return to a treated head the next night.

Lice eggs hatch in seven days so you should always comb through hair every day to remove any lice that have just hatched from the eggs as in seven days they can mature into adult lice and lay eggs themselves. Regular daily combing for two weeks, being sure that you are thorough will prevent any lice infection continuing and is friendlier than the use of chemicals.

Welshwickedone © January 2007

Summary: Not that effective in my opinion although easy to apply