Head Lice Treatment Tips

The head louse is a tiny parasitic insect that lives in human hair and subsists on small amounts of blood drawn from the scalp. There are three forms of lice: the nit or egg, the nymph, and the adult. Head lice are most commonly found on the scalp, behind the ears and near the neckline at the base of the head.

Humans have been searching for ways to fight those critters since the beginning of time! Seriously, the recent epidemics in school children have brought pesticide resistant strains that are very hard to eradicate!

Keep on top of the situation by treating all the kids and adults in the home and cleaning their bedding and even car seats and sofas the same day. Get a metal comb specially designed for lice. It works much better than those cheap plastic ones that come in the kits. And be prepared to spend at least half an hour to an hour a day in bright light combing through damp hair and pulling out nits. Put any dead or treated nits/lice in a bowl of hot water and rinse down the sink. Wash all towels used during the process in hot water and dry them just like the bedding, immediately.

Treating head lice may include the use of a specialized comb to remove nits or medications that may be available over-the-counter or by prescription, depending on the severity of the infestation.

First thing you can do is buy a small fine tooth comb - the small black kind. They should be inexpensive and in any drugs store. Then, find a bowl of water you can dunk your head in while leaving your face out. Dunk your head for five minutes or for as long as you can - 15 minutes. Then use the comb. Do this 2 to 3 times a day until you get rid of them.

There are shampoos available at your local pharmacy for head lice like Rid, Nix or Kwell. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully since they have ingredients that are common in garden/farm pesticides. Chemicals are poisons and not worth risking our children's lives. Before using dangerous harmful chemicals that seep through the scalp and into the blood stream consider alternative non chemical treatments.

Don't use Vaseline, kerosene or mineral oils they are awful to wash out and dangerous as they can catch fire! Head lice may be found on eyelashes or eyebrows. These lice should be mechanically removed (plucked) with great care. Don’t use chemicals near the eyes!

The most effective way to get rid of head lice is with a nit comb, a good light, and a magnifying glass. This is especially true for children under two-years-old, who may have adverse reactions to head lice shampoo and other chemical head lice cures.

There are also herbal remedies to treat head lice, including products with tea tree oil and other essential oils. Because they are 'natural,' these are not regulated by the FDA, have not been proven to work, and should be used with caution and avoided in younger children.