I don't remember the last time I thought about getting rid of head lice. I'm not sure I was even diagnosed with a head lice infestation. I do know one thing. I faked the symptoms of a head lice infestation to get that little toothpick test done on my head. I used to think those things felt great; nothing like a little hair massage to get the day started right. I guess it's a childhood thing.
Anyway, are you getting a little itchy around the ears or the back of your neck? Do you have an unexplained rash on your head? These are the symptoms of a head lice infestation, otherwise known as a head louse or just plain lice. Just to clarify: lice is the plural of louse, and a louse is the singular organism people find on their heads. You can thank the Lord right now it isn't crabs or scabies (other forms of lice). Normal head lice are about the easiest form of lice to get rid of. Below are some tips for preventing an infestation of head lice and how to get rid of head lice if you're unlucky enough to have them.
Head Lice Treatment & Prevention
If you don't want to get a head lice infestation you should avoid situations where there is intimate contact or personal articles of clothing are exchanged. The most common way for head lice to be transmitted is for a person who already has head lice (and perhaps doesn't have enough of them to notice) offers someone else the use of personal articles like a hair brush after recent use, or a winter hat, or a baseball cap. If you want to prevent a head lice infestation in your home, tell your children to keep their hats, coats, and other articles of clothing to themselves.
Putting your child in with a large group of children in a confined place (think public school) is like sending them to a head lice farm. Since head lice can only be transfered from one human to another, it's best to keep an eye on kids at camp or in school. Trust me, I used to work at a camp for kids, and head lice scares were a weekly occurrence. In fact, the nurse told me while I was getting a finger sewn up that head lice was the biggest health problem she had faced at youth camps. Have your children checked for head lice at least once every two weeks, and if any are found, notify the school or camp director immediately. Chances are more than one child will need to be treated for head lice.
A permethrin shampoo like Rid or Nix will get rid of head lice. If prevention of head lice just isn't possible and you find head lice on your children or yourself, you should treat the infested person for head lice immediately with a head lice shampoo. Rid, Nix, and just about anything with permethrins or pyrethrins will get rid of head lice. Another, less common, head lice treatment is lindane. Most over-the-counter head lice treatments have a 1% concentration of this active insecticidal ingredient, so there isn't really much of a health risk.
Washing your bedding and clothes in very hot water will get rid of head lice if you've come across an infestation. As soon as you find head lice on either yourself or a family member, and after you've washed with pyrethrin or permethrin, you should wash all of the bedding the infested individual has come in contact with. Articles of clothing worn in the past week should also be washed to help prevent a reinfestation. Very hot water in both the wash cycle and the rinse cycle (if possible) is recommended, as well as setting the dryer to high heat when drying the fabrics in question.
To get rid of head lice infestations, thoroughly vacuum places where people rest often. You'll want to vacuum like the dickens if you find a head lice infestation in your house. Vacuuming beds, couches, chairs, and carpets will help suck up any head lice that have escaped the washer/dryer holocaust. Using an agitator on carpets and a bristled attachment on furniture are both recommended, to help uproot any stubborn adult head lice or even nits that may have fallen off and gotten stuck on fabrics or upholstery around the house.Head Lice Remedies
For particularly resistant head lice, there are 5% head lice remedy concentrations available by prescription. Chances are you won't need something that strong because 1% concentrations are often more than enough to kill a few head lice, and there are any number of head lice remedies and treatments available online. Things haven't changed much since one biologist said to the other, "Hey if this stuff kills boll weevils like hell, maybe we should put it in a shampoo to get rid of head lice!" And it's precisely the fact that you're putting a toxic substance (one of the most common insecticides on the market today) in your hair that some things should be noted:
1. If you're pregnant or you think you're pregnant, or you're feeding babies with your boobs, you shouldn't put this stuff on your skin.
2. If it's causes you to break out in hives or rashes, or you drop to the floor gasping for air, you shouldn't put this stuff on your skin anymore.
Aside from those two things, pyrethrin- and permethrin-based head lice treatments should be just fine for getting rid of head lice.
