Kyong Yoon, Ph.D. at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville conducted a study about the strains of lice resistance to a commonly used drug. This resistance has caused problem in 25 states and is referred as a growing problem in many studies since 1990s.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), annually around 12 million people get head lice. "It bites your scalp and then it injects a little bit of its saliva into your scalp. And that's why most people, about 80 to 85 percent of people, have an allergy to that and that's why they get the itching," said Melissa Parker of Lice Clinics of America.

There are ways to prevent head lice from spreading. One should avoid head-to-head contact and not share items that touch hair, like hats or hair combs and brushes and others. There are ways to treat lice. According to Yoon, on using a medication over and over, lice develop resistance. Head lice do not spread disease, but are irritating.

Pyrethroids, a common ingredient in many household pesticides, treat lice from developing resistance. As years passed, the treatment has started becoming less effective. The pesticide, which was 100 % efficient in treating lice in 2000, remained only 25% effective by 2013.

The US National Library of Medicine National Institute of Health published the study, which mentioned resistance developing ability in super-lice. Yoon's findings were read at the American Chemical Society in August 2015.

According to the Lice Clinics of America, in order to treat lice, heated air can be used as an additional treatment along with doctor's prescription. One such prescription used is AirAlle, a FDA-approved device.