Getting Rid of Head Lice
Treating and getting rid of head lice is all about treating the individual, protecting the family, and the household.
You may need to buy shampoos and hair conditioners specifically designed to treat head lice and nits. Also, you will need a special comb, either electronic like the Lice Guard or a regular lice comb, to pull the nits from the hair shaft.
It is very important to remember to treat ONLY the infested person.
Don’t treat the other members of the family unless they are affected too. Some lice killing shampoos contain pesticides so you may want to opt for a natural product like Licefreee!. If the infected person has asthma, is pregnant or nursing, be very careful and ask your doctor which product you should use.
Getting rid of head lice begins with the removal of all clothing. Apply a medicine called pediculicide and follow label directions very carefully. If the infected person has long hair, a second bottle may need to be used. If you decide to use this medicine, do not use a shampoo with cream rinse or a conditioner before using it.
Do not shampoo for two or three days once you have treated the hair. After treatment look at the hair and scalp. If you still see some lice that are alive but are moving slowly do not re-treat. Also, the person affected should put on clean clothes after the treatment.
Comb out the dead adult lice and the head lice nits with a special comb. Sometimes it takes a little longer for the product to kill the adult lice. If the head lice are not dead and are still actively moving around, that may mean the product is not working and the head lice are resistant to it.
You will need to contact your doctor or your local health department for a different medicine. Using a hed lice nit comb for removing dead adult lice and nits is very important. Head Lice Nit combs often come in head lice removal kits and a flea comb used for a dog or cat may also be used to comb out the dead lice and nits.
After the treatment, check the hair every one to two days, continue combing with the nit comb and check for any sign of live lice. Repeat the treatment in ten days. To make sure that all lice are gone, continue checking for several weeks.
Getting rid of head lice in the household may be a little rough, but again extremely important. Machine all washable clothing and bed linens in a hot water wash cycle at a temperature of at least 130 degrees Fahrenheit. The clothes should be dried on the hot cycle of the dryer for at least 20 minutes.
If the infected object is not washable, you should take it to a dry cleaning establishment. Or, you can effectively getting rid of head lice and nits in nonwashable items by placing them in a plastic bag for two weeks. This will suffocate all those pesky pests!
Combs and brushes should be soaked in Lysol or rubbing alcohol for an hour, or washed with hot, soapy water. It is recommended not to use lice sprays, as they can be toxic if they are inhaled. Nursing mothers, pregnant women, people who have asthma or other allergies or medical conditions should contact their doctor before using any medicine use to kill and getting rid of head lice.
One last thing to remember is to NOT use lice-killing products on eyebrows or eyelashes.