Treating head lice can be done at home.  There are of course the standard medicated shampoos which can be acquired through a prescription.  For those who prefer more natural remedies, there are proven ways to rid yourself or loved ones of head lice.

Check hair and scalp thoroughly.  If there are no live lice, check for nits or eggs.  If you see nits but no lice, simply shampoo the hair.  Comb through using a nit comb to remove the eggs from the hair shaft.  Again it is important to be thorough.  Supposing there are live lice and eggs, you can use tweezers to remove the lice and the previously stated procedure to remove the nits.  If after several days there are no signs of live lice or nits, you are in the clear.  Once this is done and nits still appear, or   live lice are seen, treatment is necessary as there is an infestation.

Anti-lice shampoos will kill live lice, but they do not kill the eggs.  If you opt for this type of remedy, remember to thoroughly check hair and scalp for nits using a comb and tweezers.  One example of a non-pesticide prescription treatment is called Ulesfia (Benzyl alcohol lotion %5).  It is safe to use on children over 6 months old.  To use, apply to the head until the hair is saturated.  Wash out after ten minutes.  Reapply and repeat this procedure again in 7 days.

Organic shampoos that treat head lice are also available.  As in the case of other shampoos, these also only treat live lice and do not kill the nits.

Home remedies for the treatment of head lice vary.  One common way is to smother the lice using a variety of ingredients.  This can include one or more of the following; olive oil, mayonnaise, or Vaseline.  Typically the hair is coated with one of the mentioned items and covered with a shower cap overnight.  The next day shampoo the hair and again comb through and pull out any dead lice and nits.

Certain essential oils such as tea tree oil (should not be used on young children) and lavender oil are said to be effective when treating head lice. Another benefit is that they can also help prevent lice as of yet, there are no chemical products that can claim the same thing. However, these work best in conjunction with another substance such as olive oil.  Thorough combing of the hair is always recommended as well.

Another type of home remedy to treat head lice, is the use of an acid.  Acids dissolve the shells of lice eggs and the exoskeletons of the lice themselves.  Typically used acids are vinegar and lemon juice.  One of these substances can be combined with essential oils or olive oil.

There are plenty of home remedies to choose from in the treatment of head lice.  Finding one that works will help keep you and your family healthy and lice free.

Head lice and head lice nits are a very common problem among young school going children. Head lice are basically little insects or bugs that live on the scalp and lay eggs known as nits on the hair. The nits and the lice fix themselves very strongly on to the hair of the child or an adult and hence it becomes very difficult to get rid of them easily. Moreover, head lice are very contagious and transfer from one person to another by physical contact. Though they don’t really cause a major illness in the person they affect, head lice and head lice nits definitely cause a lot of irritation. They make the scalp itchy which if not treated at the right time, may develop into an infection.

There are various reasons that cause head lice. While it is important to maintain a level of personal hygiene for head lice prevention, have lice in the hair is no indication that the child or his or her parents are careless about hygiene. As they spread by just a physical contact, they are very common among school kids who tend to get close to whisper or just play. From kids, they get transferred to the adults when they cuddle their children or sleep close to them. Head lice and head lice nits can be found in children from possibly any socio-economic class. People get head lice only from another person who already have them. Lice are not capable of surviving away from the scalp so the lice on bed sheets or pillow covers are in all probability harmless as they will die themselves.

Though head lice multiply easily, there are several head lice home remedies that can be adopted to get cured from the problem of head lice. One very effective method is to use tea tree oil. You may either mix this oil in your shampoo or spray it on the hair after diluting it with some water. The strong smell of tea tree extract repels the lice and will keep them away. Alternatively, you may also try using a nits comb or a head lice comb to remove the head lice and the head lice nits from your hair. This comb is specially crafted to run through each strand of the hair in order to remove the lice and their nits. If the natural head lice treatment methods don’t seem effective, you may opt for some medical treatment. There are some medicinal shampoos, lotions and oils available in the markets that are regarded to be highly effective to treat head lice.

It is very difficult to find the head lice in your hair as they move very quickly. Although, you may locate the head lice nits and remove them, it is often a tedious job. It is hence always believed that head lice prevention keeping the head lice nits off your head in the first place is always a better option. For this, you may use a head lice comb every few days on your school going child and also make it a habit to spray tea tree extract on her hair before she goes to school or goes out to play.

Head lice infestation is a societal problem. Although it often involves mostly children, the problem can affect the whole society. An infected individual can infect two or more people during the infection, and the two can again infect another two or more individuals. The infection goes on and on unless you start lice treatment. Because children and adults alike are susceptible to it, the whole community must take part in taking appropriate action to kill lice. If one person becomes uncooperative, then the lice remedies will become futile. Better head lice prevention will happen if you see combined efforts among the people. Here are the indispensable people needed to make lice removal possible.

Individual

Head lice prevention should always start from the person himself. Because lice remedies start with a good personal hygiene, you have to start the procedure with yourself. Practice taking a bath everyday and use nit comb at least once a week when you see someone in your household infected with lice. Avoid sharing your personal hygienic materials, like hairbrush and towels. If you share these items with others, the likelihood of spreading the bugs is higher. Therefore, lice removal becomes more difficult. In any infection, nothing beats excellent personal hygiene.

Family

Family effort is important in killing lice. The whole family, including all children and adults, must practice head lice prevention. Although children are the common victims, adults can suffer the same problem. Even just one child in the family can cause a widespread infection. Once you notice the first signs of the problem, inspect the heads of all members of the family. Most likely, more than one member is suffering from it. Wash the bedding’s in hot soapy water. Clean the most common resting areas, like the bed and couch. Vacuum the carpets, rugs and the couches. If you see the bugs, use a vinegar solution or hot soapy water to kill the lice.

Society

For lice removal, you will also need the cooperation of the whole community to be successful. Head lice prevention is only effective if it becomes a collective effort of the society. The most common sites considered as bug farms are the schools. Because of the contact of children with their playmates, they can easily transfer the lice to them. The key to reduce the risk of spreading the infection is by reporting a child with the problem. You can notify the school nurse about it for them take necessary actions. All parents must be cooperative in the case that their child has lice. In some

Head lice prevention involves a community effort. It starts from the individual, extends to the family and entails the cooperation of the whole community. If one of these becomes uncooperative, the steps you take can become useless since the lice will attack again. However, if every sector participates well and understands the need to stop the spread, you can win the battle against these pestering bugs.

Head Lice are grey-brown parasitic insects

found on the heads of people. They are also known as Prediculus / humanus Capitis. Head lice are tiny wingless insects that can not fly. They hold on tightly to hair shafts with hook like claws and live by sucking blood from the scalp. Head lice can survive on person’s head for up to thirty days. They are commonly found on the scalp behind the ear, near the neckline and at the back of the neck. Having head lice is very common. According to a survey, approximately 6 to 12 million people worldwide get head lice every year.

Symptoms of Head Lice

Following are the symptoms of head lice infestations:

Ø    Tickling feeling of something moving in the hair.

Ø    Itching on the scalp caused by allergic reaction to the bites of head lice.

Ø    Red sores of the head caused by scratching. It may cause bacterial skin infection.

Transmission of Head Lice

In most cases, transmission of head lice occurs by direct contact with the head of another infested person. Head lice are common in Pre-school and elementary age children. Girls get head lice more than boys. Indirect spread of head lice occurs by sharing personal things of an infested individual. For example, head lice can spread by using the objects like combs, brushes, towels and wearing hair ribbons, hats, scarves etc of an infested person.

Treatments

Following are some important treatments of head lice:

Use fine toothed comb to remove the nits: Combing the hair with effective lice comb is essential activity in treating the head lice. Part the hair into four section and start combing at the scalp. Then pull the lice comb all through to the ends of the hair. The LiceOut and the LiceMeister are the two combs that work very well in removing of nits.

Use Medications: Medication is used to get rid of head lice in the infested person. These medicines are available in different forms in market such as head lice shampoo, lotion and cream. (Our Head Lice Home Remedies offered on this site are our preferred methodes to get rid of head lice. Medications are a last resort in our opinion. But, we are not Doctors and can only give our opinions based on personal experience)

Use Vinegar: Apply vinegar t wet hair. It loosens the nits from hairs making them easier to remove.

Wash out personal items: Wash out or dry clean the personal items such as towels, scarves, hats to get rid of head lice. Soak the lice combs and brushes in alcohol or hot water for one hour.

The head lice are a tiny and wingless insect, which infects children’s scalp, ages 3 to 12 years. The head lice lives on scalp of victims and feeds itself on blood, drawn from the scalp, several times a day, in minor quantity. The head lice are tiny but can be seen by the naked eye or seen by the use of a magnifying glass. The lice lay their eggs (nits) on hairs of scalp. The eggs of lice resemble dandruff and hatch in 1 to 2 weeks. The head lice are a contagious and an annoying disease. The children complain of tickling sensation and itching on their heads. The bites of head lice cause irritation on child’s scalp, which becomes itchy and repeated scratching by child causes inflammation of scalp and then development of skin infection. In worst cases, the regional lymph glands are swollen and painful. If you observe that your child is constantly scratching his or her head or complains of an itching scalp then you can consult your doctor. The doctor will diagnose the problem and will recommend necessary treatment.

Preventive Measures:

The head lice spread mainly by head-to-head contact, sharing of clothing, bed linens, combs, brushes, and hats. If a child gets head lice infestation, then take under mentioned steps to get rid of lice and its re-infestation. Washing of all bed covers and clothing, that has been used by anyone having head lice infestation, in boiling water for at least half an hour. Clean the combs, hair ties, bands, headbands and brushes with alcohol or medicated  shampoo. Since head lice are passed from person to person in the same house, bedmates and infested family members will also need treatment to prevent the lice from coming back. The head lice can be prevented by telling kids to avoid head to head contact with other children at school and during play, not to share combs, brushes, hats, scarves, bands, ribbons, hair ties or bands, towels, helmets, or other personal care items with anyone else, not to lie on bedding, pillows, and carpets that have recently been used by someone having head lice.

Treatment:

Your doctor will give necessary medications to treat the kid. Follow his advice carefully. Reassure the kid that having head lice doesn’t mean that he is dirty. This reassurance by parents can help their children to be a victim of guilt. The parents should be aware of the fact that most of medicines required to treat the head lice are insecticides and they should not start medication, if their child in under two years of age.