Nix Lotion: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Nix Lotion (permethrin topical) is a topical anti-infective from the pyrethrins drug class. It is used to kill head lice and their eggs, and comes as a creme rinse or liquid applied to the hair and scalp. It can kill lice and nits after a single treatment and may help prevent reinfestation for a period afterward.

What is Nix Lotion

Nix is a topical treatment used to kill head lice and their eggs (nits). It comes as a creme rinse or liquid that you apply to the hair and scalp.

Nix Lotion uses

• Treating head lice
• Treating pubic lice (crabs), according to one source

Benefits of Nix Lotion

• Kills lice and nits after a single treatment
• Can help prevent lice from coming back for a period of time after treatment

How Nix Lotion works

Permethrin works by paralyzing and killing lice and their eggs.

Nix Lotion dosage

Wash hair with shampoo only; do not use a shampoo with conditioner or a conditioner alone, since this may reduce how well Nix works. Rinse the shampoo out and towel-dry hair so it is damp but not wet. Shake the bottle well before use. Protect the eyes with a washcloth or towel while applying.

Completely saturate the hair and scalp with the product, starting behind the ears and at the back of the neck. Keep the product out of the eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and vagina; if it gets into these areas, rinse with water. Leave the product on the hair for the directed time, then rinse with warm water.

Towel dry hair and comb out tangles afterward. Use the nit comb on damp hair to remove lice eggs, working on one small section at a time. If live lice are seen seven days or more after the first treatment, a second treatment may be needed.

Do not apply to eyebrows or eyelashes without talking to a doctor first. Not for use on children younger than 2 months old.

Available forms and strengths

• Creme rinse
• Topical liquid
• Topical lotion
• Shampoo

Side effects of Nix Lotion

Common

• Mild burning, stinging, itching, or mild rash
• Numbness or tingling where the medicine was applied
• Headache, dizziness
• Fever
• Stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea
• Scalp itching or redness

Serious

• Signs of an allergic reaction such as hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
• Severe burning, stinging, redness, or swelling after applying
• Breathing difficulty or an asthmatic episode, especially if allergic to ragweed
• Eye irritation
• Skin or scalp irritation that continues, or signs of infection

Warnings and precautions

• This medicine is for external use only. Do not use on children under 2 months old, near the eyes, inside the nose, ear, mouth, or vagina, or on lice in the eyebrows or eyelashes.
• Ask a doctor before use if you are allergic to ragweed, since this may cause breathing difficulty or an asthmatic episode.
• If pregnant or breastfeeding, ask a health professional before use.
• Keep out of reach of children.
• Do not use larger or smaller amounts than recommended, or use it for longer than recommended.
• Nix is not expected to be harmful to an unborn baby, but you should tell your doctor if you are pregnant. It is not known whether this medicine passes into breast milk or could harm a nursing baby. One source advises not breastfeeding while using this medicine, though another source says it is unlikely to harm a nursing infant and advises checking with your doctor first.
• For external use only. Do not swallow. Do not use on children under 2 months of age. Avoid contact with the eyes, nose, ears, mouth, and vagina. Do not use for lice on the eyebrows or eyelashes; consult a doctor instead.
• Keep the eyes tightly closed during application. If it gets into the eyes, rinse immediately with plenty of water. People with a ragweed allergy should ask a doctor before use because it may cause breathing difficulty or an asthma episode.
• Temporary itching, redness, burning, tingling, or scalp irritation may occur after treatment. Stop using Nix and seek medical advice if breathing difficulty, persistent irritation, eye irritation, or infection develops.

Storage

• Store at room temperature.
• Keep all medications away from children and pets.
• Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.

When to see a doctor

• Stop use and see a doctor if you have breathing difficulty, eye irritation, or skin or scalp irritation that continues, or if infection occurs.
• Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction such as hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Call your doctor right away if you develop worsening redness or pus, which may signal a skin infection from scratching.
• If someone swallows this medicine, get medical help or contact a poison control center right away.

Alternatives

• Ivermectin 0.5% lotion
• Spinosad 0.9% topical suspension
• Malathion 0.5% lotion