Creator Dale Clayton thinks it looks like a Shop-Vac or maybe even a projector, but the job of the LouseBuster is to kill.
"It kills head lice on people using blasts of hot air," Clayton explained.
Ale Aguiler describes how it feels, "It's like massage because it's got the little prongs coming out. It's not too hot, it's way cooler then the hair drier I use. It feels really good."
So, some are asking why not just use a hair dryer?
"Because it mats the hair down and protects the lice. It's too hot. It's hard to take that much heat and not enough volume of air," said Professor Clayton.
He maintains that warm air is more effective than any kind of prescription shampoo.
"The chemicals don't work very well anymore because the lice have evolved resistance," said Clayton.
The early prototype of the LouseBuster was loud, clunky, and got easily tangled in long hair. Now, after several refinements, the device is easier to use and is now FDA approved.
Professor Clayton hopes schools will purchase them.
"You can treat people on the spot, rather than having to send kids home," he said.
The treatment takes only 30 minutes.
Dr. Clayton, who is an evolutionary biologist, first came up with the idea when one of his kids got lice. He remembered the embarrassment and suffering it caused them and wanted to do something about it.
He said after just one treatment patients see results.
As with any lice treatment, a comb-out afterward is recommended. But, unlike other methods, you don't have to be as thorough and don’t need to repeat the treatment a week later.
A study to be published next month found that the LouseBuster kills close to 95 percent of lice and their eggs.
The device is available at a discount to non-profit groups. There are also local technicians who make house calls with the treatment.
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