17. Where did AirAllé come from?
The inception of the AirAllé® device can be traced back to Dr. Dale Clayton’s laboratory at the University of Utah, where he serves as a professor in the Department of Biology. Originally known as the LouseBuster, Dr. Clayton’s research primarily focused on the biology of feather lice found on birds. While he successfully cultivated lice on captive birds, such as common pigeons, during the 1980s and early 1990s, relocating his lab to the arid climate of Utah posed challenges in maintaining lice populations. Seeking a solution, he consulted colleagues working with small insects and discovered that the arid environment made them susceptible to dehydration. By installing steam lines to increase humidity, Dr. Clayton resolved the issue and successfully cultured feather lice. Around this time, Dr. Clayton’s own children contracted head lice that appeared resistant to chemical shampoos. Drawing from his experience with pigeon lice, he explored methods to control head lice by reducing scalp humidity. Over the following years, various methods were tested in his lab, including chemical desiccants, electrode-fitted heat caps, rice bag caps heated in microwaves, and hair dryers of different sizes, up to the scale of a leaf blower (not recommended for home use). These approaches were tested on student volunteers in the lab, including Dr. Clayton’s children, who temporarily carried a small number of head lice that could be quickly removed with a nit comb after each test. The experiments revealed that existing hair dryers were inadequate for controlling head lice. While bonnet-style hair dryers heated the hair and scalp, the static heated air did not effectively kill lice unless it reached uncomfortably high temperatures. Desiccating lice required a combination of heat and substantial airflow. However, conventional blow dryers were problematic as they tended to tangle the hair, shielding the lice from the effects of moving hot air. Moreover, hair dryers posed burn risks when directed at one location for an extended period, as needed for lice treatment. After months of experimentation, Dr. Clayton and his team envisioned a novel custom-built device that combined fast-moving heated air, precise application angles, and appropriate treatment duration to potentially kill head lice and their eggs. Fine-tuning the specifications involved further months of experimentation using custom-engineered LouseBuster prototypes. The outcome was the publication of a paper in the journal Pediatrics in 2006, presenting data on the comparative success of different types of hair dryers and the LouseBuster device for eliminating head lice and their eggs. A press release by the University of Utah sparked global media attention, validating the widespread interest and urgent need for such a device. Incorporated in 2006, Lice Clinics of America, Inc. was formed to bring the LouseBuster product to the market. A subsequent study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology in 2011 demonstrated the high effectiveness of the LouseBuster in killing lice and eggs, even in the hands of novices.