Head lice are unfortunately very common which means that most people will catch them at some point, usually as a child. These insects spread by crawling from one person's hair to another's, so it is no surprise they are most common amongst children who often play with their heads touching. Knowing how to deal with head lice removal is therefore important as infestations occur frequently in school children, their friends and families.
Removal can sometimes seem difficult because if a child's hair comes into contact with somebody who has not been treated, new pests can crawl onto it. It would also appear that these insects may be becoming resistant to the chemical composition of some lotions. There are solutions to these problems, however.
Once these pests have been detected it is important to deal with the problem promptly. Pharmacists can recommend a lotion to apply to the hair and scalp in order to kill the lice. The newer lotions are silicone and oil-based and have a physical effect (they work by smothering) rather than a chemical one like the traditional lotions. Scientists are hoping that the pests are unable to become resistant to these newer lotions.
A health-care professional should be consulted before using any lotion, as some lotions are not suitable for everyone. It is particularly important to seek professional advice if treating a baby, pregnant women, an asthmatic, eczema sufferer, someone with cuts to the head, or someone with allergies or sensitive skin.
The instructions that come with the lotion should be followed carefully as different lotions need to be left on the scalp and hair for varying amounts of time, from minutes to overnight, before being washed off. They usually need to be re-applied after seven days but some newer lotions only need to be applied once.
If one member of a household has nits, as they as sometimes known as, the whole family should be treated and towels, sheet, pillowcases and clothes need to be laundered in order to remove any stray pests. It is also important to tell a child's school, and ideally the school should send a letter out advising parents to check for parasites, to try to prevented treated children from catching them again. Long hair that is tied back and braided Afro hair are also less likely to become re-infested than loose hair.
A natural way to deal with this problem is by wet combing with a fine-toothed comb; these can be purchased at pharmacies. Lots of conditioner needs to be used after washing and rinsing the hair, and the hair is then combed. After every stroke, wiping with tissue paper or rinsing the comb in a container of warm water will remove any pests. It is important not to miss any sections of hair and to repeat every few days until not a single louse is found. This is a good treatment for people sensitive to medicated lotions or desiring a more natural treatment but it is obviously more time consuming, especially for those with lots of thick, long, curly or difficult to comb hair.
Most people will suffer from nits, as they are commonly called, at some point or have to deal with a child who has them, but it is possible to deal with head lice removal simply and prevent the itchiness, irritation and embarrassment, which would undoubtedly occur if left untreated.
Removal can sometimes seem difficult because if a child's hair comes into contact with somebody who has not been treated, new pests can crawl onto it. It would also appear that these insects may be becoming resistant to the chemical composition of some lotions. There are solutions to these problems, however.
Once these pests have been detected it is important to deal with the problem promptly. Pharmacists can recommend a lotion to apply to the hair and scalp in order to kill the lice. The newer lotions are silicone and oil-based and have a physical effect (they work by smothering) rather than a chemical one like the traditional lotions. Scientists are hoping that the pests are unable to become resistant to these newer lotions.
A health-care professional should be consulted before using any lotion, as some lotions are not suitable for everyone. It is particularly important to seek professional advice if treating a baby, pregnant women, an asthmatic, eczema sufferer, someone with cuts to the head, or someone with allergies or sensitive skin.
The instructions that come with the lotion should be followed carefully as different lotions need to be left on the scalp and hair for varying amounts of time, from minutes to overnight, before being washed off. They usually need to be re-applied after seven days but some newer lotions only need to be applied once.
If one member of a household has nits, as they as sometimes known as, the whole family should be treated and towels, sheet, pillowcases and clothes need to be laundered in order to remove any stray pests. It is also important to tell a child's school, and ideally the school should send a letter out advising parents to check for parasites, to try to prevented treated children from catching them again. Long hair that is tied back and braided Afro hair are also less likely to become re-infested than loose hair.
A natural way to deal with this problem is by wet combing with a fine-toothed comb; these can be purchased at pharmacies. Lots of conditioner needs to be used after washing and rinsing the hair, and the hair is then combed. After every stroke, wiping with tissue paper or rinsing the comb in a container of warm water will remove any pests. It is important not to miss any sections of hair and to repeat every few days until not a single louse is found. This is a good treatment for people sensitive to medicated lotions or desiring a more natural treatment but it is obviously more time consuming, especially for those with lots of thick, long, curly or difficult to comb hair.
Most people will suffer from nits, as they are commonly called, at some point or have to deal with a child who has them, but it is possible to deal with head lice removal simply and prevent the itchiness, irritation and embarrassment, which would undoubtedly occur if left untreated.