louse-closeHead lice are natural parasites that live on the scalp of humans as well as on chimpanzees. These flightless, blood-sucking parasites are contagious and can easily infect others through direct contact if the person uses or wears clothing worn by someone who is infected. They are also extremely difficult to get rid of because the eggs (or nits) they lay are glued to the base of hair follicles.

Because of the choice of area that lice prefer to inhabit, treatment for lice has always been a constant challenge.  In fact, several years ago, many lice remedies were created but most of them have been found to cause more damage than the lice themselves. Nowadays, people are resorting to natural head lice treatments to address head lice infestation. Here are some of the reasons why.
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Health reasons

Many of the lice treatment shampoos include pesticides in their ingredients to kill lice. Although they may be effective, some of these chemicals have been associated with a significant number of cancer cases, blood and liver disorders and even nervous and immune system conditions. This may be because of two things. First, the scalp is capable of high rates of absorption, which means that chemicals applied on the hair and scalp have a greater chance of being absorbed than chemicals applied on any other part of the skin. Second, pesticides often make use of toxins to immobilize and get rid of pests. If the same ingredients are used in lice treatment shampoos, then the same toxins get absorbed by the body.

In contrast, natural head lice treatments do not make use of dangerous chemicals, so they do not involve the same health risks as lice treatments shampoos. However, caution is still advised in taking or using natural head lice treatments. Some natural lice remedies can still be allergenic to some people.

Cost

In the case of head lice treatment, more expensive does not always mean more effective. Lice treatment shampoos and medications can cost you hundreds of dollars, especially if infestation keeps reoccurring. On the other hand, most natural head lice treatments will cost only a small fraction of what you would normally spend on shampoos. Some could even be free. That’s because most of the materials you would use in natural treatment for lice can be found at home or are considered regular household ingredients and materials. Not only are they significantly less expensive, they are easier to procure as well.

Effectiveness

This can be measured in several ways. First, if success means eliminating the adults, then most natural head lice treatments work as well as lice treatment shampoos. However, if the measure of success is the elimination of the nits or eggs, then natural head lice treatments might be more effective.

Since medication and shampoos work by paralyzing the lice, they don’t have that much effect on the nits which are already immobile in the first place. The natural head lice treatments however, rely on more mechanical approaches like sifting/sieving and smothering. These methods directly affect both the adults and the eggs, thereby making them more effective.headlice7

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