Thursday, January 24, 2008

Common Louse Treatments: What You Need to Know

Common Louse Treatments: What You Need to Know
There are several common louse treatments that are highly
effective at removing both lice and their nits. However,
both diligence and perseverance are essential for removing
the troublesome pests. Although harmless, lice (singularly
referred to as a louse) have the capability of infesting
entire households and schools in a matter of days.

Lice can infest people of any age, any socioeconomic
background, in any country. Contrary to popular belief,
lice actually prefer clean hair rather than dirty or oily
because their nits, or eggs, stick better to cleaner hair.
Lice may be spread by direct physical contact, and also
through the use of an infected person's personal items,
such as a brush, comb, hat, towels, or bed linens.

The most common louse treatments may include:

Pesticides and insecticides

Many commercial products use chemicals such as malathion
and phenothrin, and may possibly cause irritation or
serious allergic reactions in some people. These products
are usually in shampoo form and aren't recommended for
those with breathing problems such as asthma. You should
consult your your doctor before using these products on
very young children or if you are pregnant. Many
entomologists agree that lice are quickly becoming
resistant or immune to commercially made chemicals, making
them ineffective.

Natural methods

Common louse treatments that utilize natural herbal
solutions typically take a bit longer to work than
commercially sold products. However, a natural, organic
approach to dealing with head lice is gentler and safer,
particularly for small children or those who may have
sensitive skin. Some natural remedies may include the use
of herbal oils such as tea-tree, lavender, and geranium,
massaging the mixture into the scalp, loosening the nits
from the hair shafts and enabling them to be combed out.

A variety of home remedies that have been circulating for
hundreds of years are rather effective at eradicating an
infestation of head lice. Besides the many herbal oils
commonly used, other methods people swear by include
covering the scalp with shaving cream to kill both lice and
their eggs, shampooing the hair with antiseptic mouthwash,
and using a solution of baby oil and vinegar.

Saturating the hair and scalp with petroleum jelly may also
work by suffocating the lice. However, this method may be
quite messy and require several washings to completely
remove it. Corn flour or regular baking flour may help to
absorb some of the petroleum jelly before washing the hair.

Combing

Another one of the more common louse treatments that does
not involve the use of harsh chemicals is simply combing
the hair thoroughly with a special fine-toothed comb.
Ideally, the comb should be made of metal teeth that are no
more than three-tenths of a millimeter apart. This ensures
that each strand of hair is covered and each louse is
collected by the comb. One nit left behind can result in a
complete re-infestation in a mere week.

Some people choose to use a flea comb in place of one
intended for removing lice, although you should never,
under any circumstances, use flea product solution on a
human in an attempt to kill lice. Other "don'ts" when it
comes to lice removal are using kerosene, gasoline, or
isopropyl alcohol, all of which can be extremely hazardous
and cause serious injury.


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treating head lice and head louse. This informative website
provides readers with quality information about home
remedies, over-the-counter and prescription medications and
more. In addition, you'll also find louse and lice removal
products. Please visit http://www.LouseTreatment.net today
and rid yourself of pesky lice now!

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