Head Lice | Head Lice Treatment
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Find herbal remedies for head
lice. Our pharmacist has researched many remedies and products to find
the best for head lice which may be a better, safer alternative to
prescription drugs. Pharmacist reviews top products for head lice
treatment.
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There was some news last week from the Center for Disease
Control that some head lice are becoming harder to treat. They have apparently done an evolutionary type
of "change" and some seem to be
adapting to specific shampoos used to eradicate them. This could
be a parents worst nightmare. Take
heart however, pyrethrin shampoos are still the best way to get
rid of head lice.
Head lice seem to be
very hardy bugs and have been around for thousands of years.
They are very contageous if your child
comes into direct contact with the head of someone who is
infected. You can also come into contact with
head lice by sharing combs and brushes, or hats. Head lice can
also be picked up from sharing pillows and
from some upholstered furniture. It is a good idea to keep any
area where the person infected with head
lice may sit vacuumed before, during, and after the treatment
process.
If your child comes into contact
with head lice at home it is very important that you notify
his/her school and any playmates immediately. If
your child is under two years of age it is best to contact your
pediatrician for head lice treatment advice as
most pyrethrin shampoos are generally not recommended for
children under the age of two.
Using a
shampoo formulated to specifically kill head lice is still the
most effective method of eradication. Make sure
that you follow the directions exactly. Pay close attention to
the thickness and length of the hair of the
infected individual. You may need to use more shampoo to ensure
proper coverage. As with treating other
types of infestations, such as fleas, head lice sometimes need
to be treated twice. Head lice shampoos
have some difficulty penetrating the head lice eggs which can
hatch generally a week to ten days after the
first treatment. A second shampoo treatment usually kills all
the freshly hatched head lice. Don't be upset,
many times a second head lice treatment is necessary. The use of
the nit comb is also an important part of
treatment. The nit comb is specifically designed with small very
close teeth. This nit comb will help you to
comb out all killed and dying head lice from the scalp/hair
which is the best way to keep an eye on the
progress you are making.
Clothing and bedding will also need to be washed on a daily
basis during
treatment. Use hot water to wash clothing. Any hat or scarf or
clothing item that came into contact with
the head lice infested individual will need to be dry cleaned if
you can't wash them. |
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Home Remedies for Head Lice
One of the most common parasites to be found on our body is the head lice (Pediculus
capitis). We are its humble hosts on whom these parasitical insects thrive.
These are found mainly on the scalp which also happens to find its way on your
neck and face. The six shaft like legs grasps the hair for better movement. Head
lice reflect lack of hygiene and sanitation but many a times that is not the
case. Children are most common hosts for these parasites due to the daily
interaction with number of children. A simple head-to-head contact with the
infested person can open the Pandora’s Box.
Other ways and means to transfer this condition is by used combs, sharing
towels, hats similar products related to your hair. Lice could not survive for
more than 24-hours without feeding. Their main source of energy is by sucking
blood from the host’s body. You can find three forms of lice- the egg also known
as nit, the nymph and the adult. The common symptom once infected by head lice
is a tickling sensation felt in the hair as well as constant itching due to the
bites. You can find different types of lice like head lice, body lice and pubic
lice.
Self-Care Measures
•You can use louse or nit combs which are of great helps in minimizing their
population.
•Always keep your hair well-groomed and clean by using the proper shampoo.
•Washing your hair everyday and keeping it clean may just be one of the
deterrents of warding off this problem.
•Going bald or having short hair makes it easier to remove the lice.
•Keep your surroundings clean.
•If you start the treatment keep in mind to clean everything around
simultaneously to prevent re-infestation.
Home Remedies for Lice
In your regular shampoo mix 3 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon tea tree oil and
1 teaspoon eucalyptus oil. Apply this solution and cover your head tightly with
a plastic bag for half an hour and then rinse it off. This can be used as a
remedy to fight off these invaders.
After washing your hair apply mayonnaise all over your scalp. Keep it overnight
by covering it. Rinse it the next morning and remove the lice with the help of a
lice comb. The lice would slide through your hair with ease.
Apply Vaseline freely on your scalp to suffocate and remove the lice. It may be
tiring affair as Vaseline is not that easy to remove. Before washing you can
apply corn flour to make the process easy.
Make a concoction by mixing 20 drops each of eucalyptus essential oil and tea
tree oil, 10 drops each of aniseed essential oil and lemon oil with 75ml olive
oil. Apply this on your hair and leave it for an hour. Later, wash it to get
positive results.
You can rub Listerine Antiseptic Mouthwash on your scalp. It may happen to kill
the lice due to the presence of essential oils like eucalyptol, thymol, menthol
and methyl salicylate and alcohol.
You can make a solution of baby oil or any other mineral oil with equal
proportion of vinegar. Apply this on your hair. Once doused with this solution
cover your hair for one hour before shampooing it. This may help in reducing the
lice due to the inbound properties of vinegar and the oil.
Warning: The reader of this article should exercise all precautionary measures
while following instructions on the home remedies from this article. Avoid using
any of these products if you are allergic to it. The responsibility lies with
the reader and not with the site or the writer. |
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