Dangerous pesticides should NEVER be used to treat head lice
February 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment
It has been known for some people to resort to dangerous pesticides as a way of treating head lice that are only intended for use on animals. Some veterinary preparations for treating fleas also list lice as one of the things the preparation will treat. NEVER use a product that has not been tested and licenced for human use on yourself or your child ….there could be serious side-effects from doing so….even respiratory disorders and fatalities have been reported.
Household sprays for treating head lice
December 31, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Some companies have marketed aerosol sprays for treating head lice that patients can spray in their environment and on to furnishings.
What’s the problem with household sprays for treating head lice?
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As already discussed, head lice spread from head to head and do not survive for long away from a scalp where they can feed and breed. As a result, very few lice are in the environment unless they have been dislodged there from scratching and combing. As a result, the benefits of spraying the environment are minimal.
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Environmental sprays can encourage paranoia…say when a suspected lice carrier visits, spraying the household may be exuberant afterwards. We need to remember that lice-killing sprays are pesticides and it is not healthy to breath in high levels of pesticide.
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Spraying furnishings such as bedding means close inhalation of the spray for a full sleep cycle. This may cause irritation to the airways.
On balance, effective vacuuming and / or washing of the places where lice may have been in contact is a safe and sanitory control over those stray lice on furnishings.
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.
Are all head lice the same?
December 13, 2008 | Leave a Comment
As discussed earlier this week, there is clear evidence of head lice found by paleontologists and archeologists dating back to Ancient Egyptian times. There are nits found on mummies’ remains and in ancient combs and there are even indications that high priests in these time used to shave their heads in order to eliminate head lice. Close examination of these findings indicates that they are identical to their present day relatives.
Are all head lice the same….or do they vary?
Whilst todays head lice are descendants of the ancient head lice and have not shown significant evolutionary change, there are two types of lice that thrive more easily on different hair types.
Not all hair is alike. Caucasians , native Americans and Orientals have hair that is round when in cross section. By contrast, people of African descent have hair with a more oval shaped cross-section.
The most common lice to be found in the U.S are the ones that were thought to have arrived with the early settlers from Western Europe who were largely Caucasion. Understandably, these lice adapted to thrive with their hosts and to grasp effectively onto a round hair shaft. Because they cannot easily grasp onto an oval hair shaft it is unusual to find this strain of lice on black childrens’ hair. For this reason, every other group than those children of African descent have struggles with head lice infestation.
By contrast, African lice have developed so that they can effectively grip to the oval shaped hair shaft. As a result, African natives are at higher risk of infestation by this strain of head lice whilst other communities are unlikely to be affected.
The result? Nobody escapes the risk of infestation by one or the other types of lice.
Head Lice Remedies in History
December 11, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Some ancient remedies for head lice sound quite exciting, exotic and sometimes downright dangerous throughout history indicating how highly motivated a sufferer of head lice infestation is to get rid of the little critters!
- c1,200 BC – The Chinese were using mercury and arsenic based potions to eliminate head lice.
- c430 BC – Ancient Egyptian priests used to shave their heads to eliminate head lice.
- c64 AD – A physician in Nero’s army (Dioscorides of Anazarbus) suggested two possible remedies for head lice. (1) Rubbing on ceder oil). (2) A blend of oregano and garlic boiled together to kill lice and bed bugs (the only trouble is the enemy would have smelled them coming!)
- c64 AD – Pliny the elder suggested dog’s fat and eating serpents cooked like eels as a way to eliminate head lice.
- c 100 AD – The Chinese discovered Pyrethrum powder as an insecticide that was helpful to treat lice.
- c1020 – Mercury still used as a treatment for head lice even though there was now growing awareness that it is a neurotoxin.
- 1352 – Marco Polo discovered a string around the neck containing mercury was an effective insecticide.
- 15th Century – an array of daunting sounding remedies: (1) Strew horsemint around the house. (2) Wash hair in sea water. (3) Limewash and vinegar applied as a paste. (4) Wrap head in a strip of fabric basted in fat and mercury mixed together.
- 1653 - Apply a mixture of bryony, mercury, brimstone, potassium nitrate mixed with vinegar and oil plus other rare ingedients. This was acknowledged to be unsafe for young children….enough to make your hair curl (if not drop out).
- 1681 – Culpepper suggested a liquid of English Tobacco juice.
And so the list continues….makes current treatments seem quite innocuous by comparison…or are they. Over the coming weeks a discussion of the different prescription, over the counter and home remedies for head louse elimination will unfold. You decide.
What is the life expectancy of lice?
December 5, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Normal life expectancy of head lice
The normal life expectancy of a louse (from being a newly hatched nymph to the end of its adult life) is a maximum of 30 days.
Whilst this might seem a very short life expectancy for a head louse, their potential for breeding in this time is phenomenal. If one takes an average of 5 – 10 eggs laid per day and 23 potential breeding days after they reach adulthood, an active head louse can expect to lay between 115 and 230 eggs in its lifetime all things being equal. It is easy to see how serious head lice infestation comes about if the lice remain undetected for some time – even if the life expectancy of the original offending head lice is only 30 days.
Would 30 days be the normal life expectancy of lice?
In reality a head louse would be very unusual to be left undisturbed and at low risk on a scalp for a full 30 days.
Scratching an itchy head, brushing hair, styling hair and using heated hair appliances can all harm or even kill some head lice every time they are done…thereby reducing the life expectancy of lice present. Also, it is unlikely that the same louse will remain on one person’s head if they have close contact with others….cuddles, close work with other children and sharing hair brushes etc can provide the means for lice to travel from one head to another.
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.
Where do head lice come from?
November 29, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Head lice have been around from time immemorial. There are nit combs to be found in museums that date back to the 1600s….even royalty in those days suffered with lice….if it makes you feel any better! If you have a problem with lice at the moment, you need to know that they can affect anyone of any walk of life regardless of personal hygiene standards.
I have never had lice before…now my entire family has them. Where do head lice come from?
Basically head lice come from head to head contact with others…which explains their prevalence amongst younger children (up to the age of 12 and especially girls with long hair) as children of this age are more likely to share toys and work in closer proximity in the classroom. They literally walk from one head to another as head lice do not have wings.
If your child has come home with little visitors you can consider the head lice have probably come from another child working close to them, playing with them or sharing hats, scarves etc. Lice do not live for long away from the scalp. However, you shouldn’t be complacent about this.
The most common way for lice to be passed around the family is by sharing hair brushes in quick succession or enjoying a cuddle with your child. If you know that someone in your family has lice, it is best to avoid sharing hairbrushes, towels scarves, hats and head to head cuddles until the problem has cleared. If your child has a head lice infestation, it is best to check the whole family for lice as they may have spread already.
If you have had a nasty shock with your child coming home with head lice, you need a quick and easy solution that is not going to cost a fortune (like over the counter head louse remedies). Head Lice No More represents just that solution. With household items going into the preparation, you can download this cheap ebook and be on your way to conquering this problem this evening. Once you know you have the little critters in the house you need to get rid of them fast before there is a head louse infestation.
Can mayonnaise kill head lice?
November 22, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Can I use mayonnaise to get rid of head lice?
Using mayonnaise to kill head lice is a home remedy and therefore has limited scientific testing done on the technique to assess its efficiency. However, using mayonnaise to get rid of head lice is a popular home remedy for head lice with the added benefit of deep conditioned shiny hair after treatment is complete.
Method for using mayonnaise to treat head lice
The idea is that the hair and scalp are smothered with mayonnaise and then a cap is worn over it for 12 hours. For this reason, people using mayonnaise to treat head lice tend to do their treatment overnight.
The question is, can mayonnaise kill head lice? The answer is that mayonnaise can probably suffocate head lice and, through the oil in mayonnaise, make the lice easy to comb out using a nit comb.
However, it is doubtful whether the mayonnaise will have any impact upon the unhached lice. The result may be that these lie dormant and then hatch out a few days later causing a recurrence of head lice infestation. The only way to completely avoid this is to do repeated treatments every few days before newly hatched lice start to breed.
As a natural and harmless home remedy for head lice, using mayonnaise to treat head lice probably has a slightly greater efficiency than using conditioner to comb out live lice (as hopefully any lice missed out during combing have died) and may be a lot more messy due to the duration of application of mayonnaise.
For a really efficient and speedy method of treating head lice naturally at home, Head Lice Be Gone is a highly recommended resource costing little more than a couple of jars of mayonnaise and giving you the expertise to conquer head lice infestation quickly and discreetly.
Getting rid of head lice
November 20, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Getting rid of head lice involves a dual pronged attack on the little critters – head lice clearance followed by head lice avoidance.
What head louse avoidance techniques can I use for getting rid of head lice?
A key fact that you need to be quite clear about is that having head lice is not about having poor hygiene (either personally or at home). You do not catch head lice from being a neglectful parent, by not washing hair often enough or by not being particulaly handy with a duster around the house. They spread from other people carrying them and, as discussed in previous posts, they like clean scalps as it is easier to breed there successfully.
The best avoidance methods to get rid of head lice are:
- avoid head to head contact with children who may have lice.
- Likewise, avoid sharing towels, hats, scarves and coats between people who have or may have head lice.
- Stuffed toys, bedding, couches and pillows may have stray lice on them if used by someone with lice. Be cautious when visiting somewhere where you know then to have lice about letting your head come into contact with any of these items.
What head lice treatments can I use for getting rid of head lice?
Treatments to eliminate an existing infestation of head lice can come into three different categories:
- chemical treatments that kill lice and their eggs leaving you with only the job of combing out the nits.
- natural head lice remedies such as mayonnaise, vinegar, tea tree oil etc.
- combing the hair with a nit comb and conditioner as a totally natural and cheap head lice solution.
All of these approaches will be discussed in detailed forthcoming posts so that you are able to make an informed choice as to your preferred method of head louse elimination and carry out that method correctly.
