There are so many different ways to people try to get rid of head lice, such as, store-bough shampoos and lotions – right all the way through to shaving your head bald.

Unfortunately, they all suck!

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• It works fast – usually you will be able to get rid of head lice within 24 hours
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• It’s cheaper than store bought treatments
• It’s safe to use on children or even babies (you can even use it on your dog)

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Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Head Lice

It is the bane of every parent’s existence and a very common occurrence among school age children. Your child has head lice is a phone call or note that no parent wants to receive and yet approximately 12 million per year will discover their child has head lice. At this point, panic may set in! Parents have been known to go to some drastic measures to stamp out this infestation, and while you need to be diligent and thorough, there is no need to drag out the clippers and lye soap just yet. If you use a systematic approach, you can have your child bug and nit free in a matter of days.

Lice

It is important to understand the bug you are dealing with before setting about finding the best head lice treatment. Pediculus humanus capitis is the official scientific name for head lice and they are a parasitic bug that feeds on the blood of humans. This parasite resides most often on the head, close to the scalp but can be found anywhere on the body that hair is present, i.e.… eyebrows, eyelashes and pubic area (the latter is rare).

An adult louse is no bigger than a sesame seed and the females are slightly larger than the males. During their lifespan, they will need to feed every three to six hours and the female will lay approximately 3-5 eggs per day. The typical louse only lives about 30 days, but this means a female can deposit 150 eggs into your child’s hair in a relatively short amount of time, and once the eggs hatch the problem become exponentially worse.

Nits

Nits are the first lifecycle of head lice, however since nits are immobile they will not be the first signs you see on your child. The female louse lays these eggs along the hair shaft, generally very close to the scalp so they are close to a ready source of sustenance as soon as they hatch. Eggs are held in place by a “cement” substance created by the female’s saliva. Louse eggs are brown in color and turn white once the nit has hatched.

Incubation for louse nits is approximately 10-14 days at which point they hatch and must consume a blood meal within 24 hours or they will die. Lice at this age are referred to as nymphs and will not yet be able to reproduce, they must feed and molt three times before they can lay or fertilize eggs. Time frame from nymph to sexually mature adult is around 10 days. It is at this point that a head lice infestation can begin multiplying exponentially.

Myths

As with many things in life, there are facts and then there are myths. When it comes to common head, lice there are several misconceptions that need to be addressed:

• Disease- ticks and mosquitos are similar parasitic creatures in that they feed on human blood as well, that being said many people believe that lice can carry and pass the same blood borne illnesses as these other parasites. According to the Centers for Disease Control, head lice are not known to carry any type of disease.
• Hygiene- there is a popular misconception that head lice is synonymous with poor hygiene. In truth, lice prefer clean hair and scalps as this makes it easier for them to reach the scalp and a quick meal.
• Carpets/ Mattresses- many head lice treatment kits will include aerosol sprays for home infestation management. Though it is important to thoroughly clean bed sheets, blankets and pillowcases there is no evidence that lice can or will live and breed in carpets or materials.

Symptoms and Signs

Nothing makes a parent more nervous than an itchy scalp! Scratching can be a signal that something is wrong, but it does not necessarily mean your child has contracted head lice. When you notice the first signs of itching it is time to do a thorough inspection of the hair shaft and scalp. A typical inspection may look something like this:

• Lighting- Sit your child down in the lightest room possible, an area that receives direct sunlight is best, but artificial lighting will work as well.
• Using a wood pencil or popsicle stick gently part the hair, down to the scalp. You will want to start with either the crown, nape of the neck or area above the ears. This is a slow and painstaking process, as at first glance you may see nothing at all. Carefully examine the scalp for tiny bugs, sores, nits and red specs of louse feces.
• Test- if you see, tiny white or brown specs attempt to remove them from the hair shaft by grasping and gently pulling. If the spec comes away easily, it is likely dandruff or other debris. Eggs will be firmly attached and difficult to remove.

Treatment- Medication

You can see your pediatrician for prescription strength head lice treatment, however, the over the counter medication is easier to obtain and most of the time just as reliable. You should know that these head lice treatments do contain permethrin or pyrethrum which are low toxicity insecticides derived from chrysanthemum flowers.

Prescription strength head lice treatment is also available however seldom recommended for children under the age of six, pregnant and nursing women or those who are immune suppressed. Usually, your doctor will recommend over the counter treatments and consistent use of a nit comb, before prescribing something stronger.

Treatment- Home Remedies

As with many common ailments there are a variety of home remedies you can employ as well, some better than others. Popular home remedies include:

• Vinegar- most often used as a rinse agent; however it may be applied and covered with cap or towel for up to one hour. Vinegar helps to loosen the cement-holding nits in place.
• Mayonnaise- this is a very popular home head lice treatment, however results are mixed. Some people swear by it while others have had less luck. Completely coat the hair all the way to the scalp with mayonnaise (real not salad dressing) cover with plastic wrap or shower cap and leave for several hours. You can either rinse or comb first, your choice; however combing through mayonnaise in the hair is a messy process. Wash hair with dish detergent to remove residual oils, then comb through again with nit comb.
• Salicylic Acid- Denorex and Selsun Blue dandruff shampoos both contain salicylic acid, which can kill both nits and live bugs. A number of people use a combination treatment, starting with vinegar or mayonnaise and following up with these dandruff shampoos.
• Other- Tea tree oil, peppermint oil and coconut oil are all good additives for your shampoo and effective head lice treatments as well as a preventative. Be sure if you use peppermint or coconut oil that they are the type safe for topical application.

Treatment- House/ Clothing

As stated previously home sprays are really not worth the trouble, head lice cannot survive more than a day away from the host so any that fall to the carpet or furnishings are likely to die quickly. Of course, you will still have quite a bit of cleaning to do, particularly with bed linens and pillows. It is best to wash these daily if you are battling an infestation and if you are unable to launder pillows look into plastic slipcovers.

As soon as you complete your first round head lice treatment, shower or bathe your child and take all clothing, towels and wash cloths directly to the washing machine. Wash thoroughly, adding a bit of bleach when appropriate and dry on the hottest settings. Repeat the process every time you comb through the hair or each morning until head lice are eradicated.

Prevention

Head lice cannot jump or fly, however they are spread from human contact. In school age children, head lice tend to spread due to shared hair care utensils, caps and scarves as well as close proximity. Even sitting close together on the school bus can allow the bugs to transfer from one host to another. Instruct your children to never share hair brushes, bows, hats or other items especially if there has been an outbreak.

Regular blow drying and using coconut shampoos seems to be a good deterrent to head lice infestations. Lice are repelled by coconut oils and regular blow-drying will often remove the bugs before they have a chance to lay eggs.

New Research

You have likely heard from other parents about the futility of using over the counter head lice treatment, and some research is suggesting that the bugs have become immune to its effects. This is why many times home remedies work more quickly or effectively. Recently there have been a number of head lice treatments hit the market that boast all natural ingredients which have proven to be successful.

Conclusion

There is no shame in getting head lice, it is prevalent in society and children are vulnerable to them. Head lice become a problem when left untreated; in fact, they can reach epidemic proportions in a relatively short amount of time. Lice are difficult to get rid of many times, but not impossible. If all else fails, purchase a metal nit comb and use it on a daily basis. Over the course of a few weeks, you should begin to see positive results.