Health experts have warned that applying insecticides such as Sniper to the hair and scalp to treat lice and dandruff can lead to severe poisoning, coma and death, stressing that the chemicals are highly toxic and unsafe in contact with skin.

They said the practice spreads through word of mouth and social media, exposing users to life-threatening health risks with short-term contact.

In an exclusive interview with PUNCH Healthwise, doctors explained that Sniper contains dichlorvos, an organophosphate insecticide that can be absorbed through the skin and interfere with the nervous system, causing uncontrolled nerve activity and organ failure.

Researchers noted that exposure can cause symptoms ranging from nausea and difficulty breathing to seizures, loss of consciousness, and sudden death.

The experts also pointed out that there is no medical evidence to support the use of Sniper for dandruff and hair dandruff, calling such claims dangerous misinformation.

They added that dandruff is a fungal or inflammatory scalp condition that requires proper treatment and is not caused by toxic agricultural or industrial chemicals.

Doctors note that children and people with underlying health conditions such as asthma are particularly vulnerable, warning that repeated or prolonged exposure increases the risk of long-term damage, including nerve damage, organ failure and possible cancer.

The expert’s warning comes amid a recent post on X (formerly Twitter) by user Sela Ibrahim warning Nigerians not to use pesticides on their hair for lice and dandruff.

In response to the post, Dr. Babatunde Adewumi, a public health doctor, detailed an incident in which a man used a sniper on children to scare away soldier ants, resulting in the poisoning of three of them.

The tweet read, “Can be absorbed through the skin and cause death. It happened when a man put a sniper on a child’s body to get rid of soldier ants that were infesting his house. The first child showed up and I was called to do a VHF test. It was at this point in history that he mentioned using a sniper on a child’s body. He lost 3 children to poison.”

In 2019, the National Food and Drug Administration expressed concern about the use and misuse of agricultural preparations of Sniper insecticide and other brands of dichlorovos, and warned the public to refrain from using it as a household insecticide because such misuse poses a public health risk.

In 2025, following the Punch Healthwise report, authorities warned traders not to use the product to protect food from spoilage.

Despite warnings, Nigerians continue to use pesticides for actions for which they were neither intended nor designed.

Adewumi, who is also the founder of Quinta Health, further elaborated on the dangers to PUNCH Healthwise, saying that using Sniper on hair and skin is extremely dangerous and can be fatal.

“Using Sniper insecticide on human hair or skin is extremely dangerous and can be fatal. The insecticide contains an organophosphate insecticide called dichlorvos (DDVP), which is strictly for agricultural use. or intended for industrial use, and are often prohibited for home use due to their high toxicity. Applying them to lice or dandruff heads can cause severe systemic poisoning, respiratory failure, and death.

Public health doctors explained that dichlorvos works by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase, an enzyme essential for normal nerve function, causing nerves to continually fire, causing respiratory failure and organ shutdown.

Professor Adewumi said: “Sniper inhibits acetylcholinesterase in the nervous system, which can cause nerves to fire erratically, causing organ overactivity and organ failure. There is no medical evidence that it is effective against dandruff, which is usually a fungal or inflammatory scalp condition.”

He added that the chemical strips the scalp of its natural oils, causing severe dryness, skin damage and possible permanent scarring, while there is no cure for dandruff.

The doctor said: “These powerful chemicals strip the skin of its natural oils, causing extreme dryness, brittleness and potentially permanent scarring of the skin.”

Adewumi identified several risks faced by those who apply Sniper to their hair or skin. This includes acute poisoning with symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, blurred vision, and excessive lacrimation.

Public health experts further noted that exposure can cause neurological and respiratory crises.

“Exposure can cause muscle spasms, tremors, seizures, coma, and life-threatening respiratory failure. Mortality: There have been documented deaths from using sniper to the scalp, including one in which a child died after having his hair treated with insecticide at the recommendation of others,” he explained.

Adewumi warned that long-term exposure to chemicals is linked to cancer, liver damage, neurological damage and reproductive harm.

The doctor further condemned the practice, saying it was fueled by home remedy advice shared on social media and word of mouth from hairdressers and colleagues who did not understand the deadly nature of the chemicals.

Internist Dr. Ebenezer Popoola also warned that many users may not immediately associate their symptoms with sniper exposure, as initial symptoms such as headaches, nausea and scalp irritation may appear mild.

He said: “First of all, this is already being abused and the people who are using it are using it with a level of ignorance, so it is dangerous in itself. From a medical point of view, the symptoms can be very subtle. People can experience symptoms that they don’t immediately associate with it, like headaches and nausea.”

Popoola noted that more obvious symptoms include scalp irritation and eye irritation other than the hair loss that users are experiencing.

Internal medicine experts said continued exposure could cause asthma worsening, difficulty breathing, muscle spasms, seizures and coma, adding that the chemical could damage multiple organs, including the brain and kidneys.

Popoola said why people engage in risky behavior is due to misinformation, cultural habits and poor access to proper medical care.

He said, “First of all, it is a cultural or community practice. We have found that in the Nigerian environment, people tend to take medical advice based on their own experience rather than going to the hospital for professional advice. So when someone feels that they have taken advantage of it, it becomes the norm in society, in the community.”

Doctors noted that misinformation played a key role in medical practice, as users did not understand that the chemicals killed cells around the application site.

Professor Popoola explained, “The effects of chemicals are beyond their imagination. Because the chemicals are killing the cells around that location, in a sense they are killing those cells, so they are actually treating the problem. So if you want to kill a cockroach and you use a sledgehammer, the cockroach will still die, but the environment around that location will feel the impact of the sledgehammer.”

He cited lack of access to proper treatment as another reason why people resort to pesticide use, noting that in many cases people choose not to receive proper treatment even though it is available.

Mr Popoola advised people using the pesticide to stop it immediately if they are aware of the risks, and to seek medical attention if they have been exposed.

Doctors advised people with symptoms to visit a hospital for further tests to assess how much their organs have been affected.

Popoola explained that experts may prescribe special medications to affected individuals or recommend necessary lifestyle modifications to reverse or halt the progression of complications.

Internal medicine experts called on those affected by harmful advice to help educate members of the community to prevent others from participating in such behavior.