Head lice infestations are a common problem for school-age children, as they spread them among themselves in the classroom. Head lice are annoying and unsightly, but with proper care and attention, you can get rid of them forever in a week or two. Both body and canine lice can be eliminated if you know which tools to use. Read on to find foolproof ways to get rid of head lice from home starting today.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Getting rid of head lice
Step 1. Choose a pediculicide (head lice treatment)
Using this product is the quickest way to get rid of these pesky pests. Some pediculicides are formulated to kill both lice and eggs, while others only kill adult lice. This second type typically requires further application. To use the product read the instructions on the package carefully and follow these steps:
- You can find a cream containing 1% permithrin, such as NIX, or a shampoo with 0.33% pyrethrin, such as PYR, in pharmacies as over-the-counter medications.
- Or, you could see your doctor and get a prescription for specific medications for you.
- Make sure the person being treated is wearing old clothes and sitting in the bathroom. This makes final cleaning easier. Apply the treatment to the hair and scalp according to the instructions on the product packaging.
- Leave the product to act for the recommended time. Usually an hour or less. Do not leave it on for longer than indicated.
- Finally, rinse with water only. You don't have to use shampoo for 2 days.
Step 2. Comb your hair using a specific nit comb
This will speed up the treatment process if you are using a pediculicide, but you can also get rid of lice with just the use of the nit comb. Lice combs are useful tools, specially designed to remove nits (eggs) and dead lice from the hair and scalp.
- Divide the hair into sections;
- Starting from the scalp, run the comb from the roots to the end of the strand;
- Rinse the comb in a bowl of warm, soapy water. This step allows you to kill the lice and their eggs; they die quickly without a food source.
- Continue combing each strand until you have completed the entire head;
- After each use, sterilize the comb by placing it in a dish of very hot water. Lice and eggs die when exposed to temperatures of 53 degrees for 5 minutes or more.
Step 3. Wash the affected person's clothing and bedding
After this initial treatment, it is important to wash all clothes, sheets, pillowcases, stuffed animals and all other fabrics with which the person has come into contact with very hot water; then dry them in a hot dryer. While head lice don't live very long when they're not on a person's head, it's still important to wash all clothing so you can be sure no one else in the family can get infected.
Items that cannot be immersed in hot water, such as brushes and hair accessories, can be placed in airtight plastic bags for at least two weeks. Head lice die without air and food
Step 4. Inspect the hair for any signs of life
After the initial treatment or combing, it is necessary to carefully monitor the hair every 8 hours to check if there are any signs of new appearances. Head lice hatch in cycles and it is nearly impossible to get rid of them completely in one go. Do a thorough combing every 8 hours for the first 3 days. After that, continue to monitor the scalp every 16 hours, use the lice comb as needed for the next 2 weeks.
Most treatments require a second application after about 10 days to kill any lice left alive during the initial treatment
Step 5. Use a specific treatment oil to facilitate quick lice elimination
Whether you are using a pediculicide or not, there are natural substances that repel and kill lice. If you are sensitive to chemicals, an oil to naturally fight lice is definitely worth trying.
- Melt half a cup of coconut oil or half a cup of warm Neem oil and massage it into your hair and scalp. Both of these oils have antibiotic properties;
- Run the anti-nit comb over the oil treated hair. This way the eggs should come apart much easier.
Step 6. Use an essential oil spray
Some essential oils are lice repellent and allow you to loosen the nits more easily. Fill a spray bottle with 5 drops of essential oil per 1 gram of water. Try one or more of the following alternatives:
- Tea tree oil
- Lavender
- Origan
- Peppermint
- thyme
- Eucalyptus
Step 7. Prepare to fight a long battle
Adult lice and larvae are fairly easy to get rid of, but their eggs (called nits) are much more difficult to defeat, and that's where most of the problems arise. Often, after a treatment, people think they have gotten rid of the lice, but most of the time the problem recurs due to a simple couple of eggs not eliminated. Constant vigilance is needed to win this battle.
Step 8. Avoid spreading lice to other people
Head lice can infest quickly. When you are treating the problem on a person, wash all bedding, scarves and hats in hot water and dry anything that cannot be washed normally. Disinfect brushes and combs with warm, soapy water.
- Keep carpets clean by vacuuming regularly;
- Do not apply any lice treatment to animals; they are harmful and can even become lethal.
Part 2 of 2: Getting rid of other types of head lice
Step 1. Treat body lice
These live in the seams of clothing and feed on human blood. They are larger than hair lice and are easily spotted on the body. They are generally found in areas where people live very close together or do not have access to toilets and showers. They are usually easy to get rid of once you can wash frequently. To treat body lice, do the following:
- Eliminate infested clothes. Head lice can live up to a month in clothing. Don't try to recover them, throw them away.
- Shower or bathe regularly and use soap.
- Wash clothing, bedding, sheets, and any other fabrics on time.
- Your doctor may prescribe a permethrin, malathione, or benzyl alcohol cream to help reduce itching.
Step 2. Treat pubic lice
These lice, also known as lice, are often transmitted through sexual contact. They can also live in areas of the body that have thick hair, such as the eyebrows, ears and armpits. These lice and related nits are easily seen. There are several ways you can get rid of it:
- Get a non-prescription lotion containing 1% permethrin or a pyrethrin and piperonyl butoxide cream from a pharmacy. These chemicals effectively kill lice. Use them carefully following the instructions on the package.
- Remove lice with a nit comb.
- Wash your clothes and underwear in very hot water.
- Soak combs and other items in hot water for 5 minutes.
- Shave the pubic region. It is an effective way of getting rid of lice that tend to cling to the hair, especially when done in combination with chemical treatment.
- Keep the area checked for signs of new lice. A second treatment may be required.
- Tell any partner you have had sex with in the previous month; they too will have to undergo the control and eventual treatment.
- Use shampoo containing lindane only as a last resort. It is effective, but studies have found that it has a negative effect on the brain.
Step 3. Treat canine lice
These are not transmitted to humans (nor human lice to dogs), but they can create discomfort for your pet. There are two types of dog lice: Trichodectes canis, known as the biting louse, and Linognathus setosus, known as the sucking louse.
- Take your dog to the vet. It is important to be sure that it really is head lice.
- Use a powder, spray, or other form of treatment as directed by your vet.
- Wash all the fabrics and materials in your kennel, as well as anything your pet has come into contact with with very hot water.
- Soak all grooming tools in very hot water for 5 minutes.
Advice
- Use a flat hair straightener or flat iron over the eggs. The heat they produce will kill the small parasites.
- Try not to scratch your head. Even though it is very itchy, scratching it will make the sensation worse!
- Try to avoid head-to-head contact.
- Another natural product that has been shown to be effective in reducing the spread of lice is fresh rosemary. Many shampoos and sprays based on this herb are good because the lice are repelled by the scent of rosemary. You can put a small amount of fresh rosemary sticks (2-3) inside each family member's pillowcase. They can be placed under the pillow so that they do not disturb or interfere with the person's sleep and cannot be perceived. If you keep the rosemary for more than a week, the lice will leave the hair and will not lay any more eggs.
- Apply any essential oil to your hair to kill lice. Keep it on your hair when you sleep. Wash them afterwards to remove any oily residue. Wrap them in plastic wrap or a plastic bag. Make sure you don't leave a small child alone with the plastic bag to avoid choking.
- Use a shampoo containing tea tree oil all year round to prevent head lice.
- Do not use other people's hair accessories.
- Make sure you perform all procedures correctly and slowly to ensure their effectiveness.
- Items that cannot fit in a dryer can be placed in black plastic bags and left in the sun for a day or more. Even if the weather is not particularly hot, the inside of the bag heats up and kills the lice.
- People living with an infested subject also need to be monitored.
- If you can't use spray lice products on furniture in your home, use large sheets or sheets to cover them for a couple of weeks. You can also place blankets on the floors of the main areas where the infested child tends to play.
- A good way to start the treatment is to brush your hair very often and see what falls into the sink.
- To prevent future infestations, consider isolating risk items, such as a hat from a thrift store, by placing them in a sealed plastic bag for at least two weeks before leaving them indoors. If you can, avoid getting hats in thrift or thrift stores or hanging your coat or hat on hangers in public places that can get haunted.
- If you are a man (or a nonconformist woman), don't rule out the idea of completely shaving your head with a disposable razor and an electric hair clipper. Keep your head shaved and clean for at least two weeks.
- Remember that if you have children it is wise to put all plush toys in airtight bags for 3 weeks to kill all lice.
- Vacuum all beds, pillows and sofas.
- Do not borrow combs or brushes from other people. You should always have yours.
- If possible, try to keep your hair short (especially if you are a girl), as it is much easier to care for than long hair.
- Boil the Neem leaves or make a paste and put it on your hair and scalp for half an hour. Rinse thoroughly and comb your hair with an anti-nit comb.
- Don't share hats with your friends.
- Wash your hair with warm water.
- Blow-dry your hair as often as possible.
- Since head lice can move from one piece of clothing to another, it can be helpful to isolate clothes that have been worn, even if briefly, from clean ones.
- Check your hair every two weeks.
- If your child has nits, prevent him from playing with other children.
- Read carefully all instructions on all anti-lice spray packs. Keep in mind that these are pesticides and that they penetrate the scalp.
- Head lice treatment doesn't go away in a day. It is necessary to perform it again at least a week after the first.
- Head lice have a reproductive cycle of 7-10 days, so it is advisable to repeat the combing procedure every six days or so until you are sure that they have absolutely and definitively disappeared.
- Remember to soak all the brushes and combs you used for the treatment in hot water.
- If you put a headband or bandana on your head, prevent other people from wearing them.
Warnings
- Treat your hair when in the tub.
- Do not use the same comb that is shared between several people in the family.
- Do not leave any product on the hair for longer than indicated. You could cause damage to the scalp.
