Pesticides and the Threat to Human Health

Pesticides are not meant to be healthy.

They are designed specifically to kill bugs. Now, a bug is much smaller than a human being (hopefully!) so a lethal dose of a pesticide to a bug is not going to be a lethal dose to a human. However, at what point does human exposure to pesticide cause harmful things to happen?

An article published in April of 2017 reports on a study designed to determine how the pyrethroid family of chemicals affected puberty in boys. 

This family of pesticides is widely used in things like lice shampoos and, according to the article, accounts for about 30% of insecticide use around the world.

How Do You Come in Contact With These Chemicals?

Because of the wide use of these chemicals, there is exposure to them in everyday life. The article notes, “Pyrethroids are difficult to avoid, as they are present in soil, air and water.” In addition, they are common ingredients in lice shampoos and mosquito sprays.

The study found that those boys with greater signs of pyrethroid exposure, as measured through a metabolite in urine, had an increased chance for early puberty. Early puberty is associated with a number of problems that can show up later in life.

What Can You Do?

Let’s consider what can be done on two levels. First, you can avoid direct exposure to these chemicals through mosquito sprays, lice shampoos, and other products. Second, as a nation or as humanity, we can choose products that do not make use of these chemicals. This way, over time, our exposure to these chemicals in soil, air, and water will be reduced.

Catch 22

But what do you do if you or your child ends up with lice? Exposure to a pesticide is not good, but neither is having lice!

The Lice Clinics of America have a FDA approved, proven device that quickly and effectively kills off lice and their eggs without the use of pesticides or other chemicals. It is safe for you and your family and safe for the environment.  Give us a call at our Temecula Clinic!