Thorough combing for treating head lice
February 8, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Thorough nit combing as a means to eliminate head lice is rapidly becoming the nit treatment method of choice for many parents as the persistance of head louse infestation in some schools is making it an unpleasant prospect using chemicals on childrens’ head in the medium to long term.
Pesticides are all toxic to some extent and can eventually lead to head lice becoming resistant to them.
Other treatments for head lice have uncertain safety or efficiacy records (as discussed in earlier posts) and some, such as flammable treatments, are downright dangerous!
For all of the above reasons, many pharmacists are recommending using a high quality nit comb such as LiceMeister and Nitty Gritty combs which have the capacity to remove unhatched eggs, nits, nymphs and live lice from the scalp. Combs such as these top of the range nit combs make nit combing an easy job.
I remember the first time that I used the NittyGritty comb on my daughter’s hair. I had carried out what I thought was an effective nit combing with a cheap metal nit comb one day previously and believed myself to have done a thorough job. Two days later I pulled out over 100 nymphs, 13 more adult lice and a terrifying amount of nits and eggs. A high quality nit comb is a must if your child is being contaminated with head lice. With a bit of conditioner and a thorough nit combing of the hair every two days, an head louse infestation can be completely cleared up within a maximum of 2 weeks without any toxic chemicals going onto your child. They will then stay clear of head lice provided they are not in continued contact with someone who has lice. For this reason, it is wise to check the whole family’s scalps for lice when you first suspect an outbreak.
Hair removal as a means of controlling head lice
December 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Even if desperate to control persistant head lice infestation, parents are advised to avoid the temptation to shave their child’s head.
Whilst hair removal as a means of controlling head louse infestation will be effective (by removing any hair shaft for lice to lay eggs on), it will increase the risk of the child being teased or even bullied because of their different appearance.
Olive Oil and Head Lice – An effective remedy?
December 2, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Most over the counter head lice remedies are pesticides and, for this reason, many parents are reluctant to use them too often (if at all) because of potential side affects from long term usage. As a result, a natural home head lice remedy becomes an appealing option. Nobody wants to risk their child’s health and we are all more environmentally aware these days of what we are washing down out drains. Lindane (an ingredient of one prescription head lice treatment), for example, has been banned in California because just one treatment contaminates up to 6 million gallons of water. In addition it has been shown to increase carcinogenic risks in children.
So, olive oil and head lice…a marriage made in heaven or an effective remedy for head lice?
Olive oil is a popular home remedy for head lice. If you put enough of it on the scalp, the lice will be suffocated then the oil allows them to be slipped out of the hair easily using a nit comb. In this way it aims to work in a similar fashion to the mayonnaise approach. It is more effective than just using conditioner and nit combing as there is less opportunity for the lice to survice the treatment.
The olive oil treatment for head lice needs you to be patient and diligent.
- Soak your child’s head in olive oil (some people leave it on their child’s head overnight covered in a plastic cap). Once soaked with oil, divide the hair into sections and, one by one, comb the live lice, eggs and nits out of that section of hair.
- After thoroughly combing the hair with a fine nit comb, wash the hair thoroughly.
- Repeat this process every 7 days until completely clear of lice (to catch lice as they hatch and before they are old enough to breed).
Whilst olive oil and head lice are a fairly effective remedy, the main success of this approach depends upon the diligence of the nit combing. However, it is safe for your child.
Head Lice No More offers a very effective home remedy for head lice for less than the price of a couple of bottles of olive oil. Cheap and easy to implement, the approach in this ebook uses items that many of us have at home so you will be off to a quick start with sorting out this perennial childrens’ problem.
How can vinegar help head lice?
November 27, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Vinegar is often claimed to be the panacea that cures all evils. Vinegar to cure head lice is therefore a popular home remedy for head lice. The argument is that vinegar destroys the glue holding the louse egg onto the scalp. As this destroys its feeding opportunities, it will die.
How do I use vinegar so that I can help head lice to be killed?
Vinegar, on its own, is unlikely to help kill head lice. If vinegar can help head lice be gone by dislodging the eggs by destroying the glue holding them to your scalp…then it’s a useful tool in your armoury against the little critters!
As vinegar will not necessarily kill the live lice and the unhatched nymphs, nit combing is an essential part of the process. If you do not want to use a chemical treatment, vinegar can be part of your approach to make combing out the lice and nits using conditioner more successful. However, if you want to be absolutely confident that you have sorted the problem the following steps are recommended:
- Shampoo your hair then do a thorough rince of the hair with white vinegar. The glue holding the eggs to the hair will be dissolved by the acetic acid present in vinegar.
- The vinegar itself will not necessarily kill live lice so, at this stage, you may like to use an over the counter head lice preparation to kill the adults off.
- Once the treatment has been completed, do a further thourough rinse with white vinegar to dislodge the nits.
- Once this process is completed, take the time to thoroughly comb your hair using a high quality nit comb. Take your time over this…you don’t want any of the little critters escaping!
- Repeat this process every seven days until clear of head lice.
- Wash clothing and bedding that has been in contact with the scalp at the hottest temperature possible to kill the lice …it is heat rather than the soap that will kill them.
- Vacuum soft furnishings and car seats thoroughly.
If you prefer to use a home head lice remedy that is quick and effective, Freedom From Head Lice recommends Head Lice No More as an inexpensive and effective tool to rid your household of head lice quickly and cheaply.
