Is it only dandruff that is behind your itchy scalp? Well, it can be due to head lice. If that’s true you should know how to get rid of head lice.
Firstly the itch can be pretty annoying. Imagine you are amidst family or neighbours and it starts itching. Or imagine you are in a conference hall and that itch starts irritating you. These events are definitely a show down and you would like to get deeper in knowing this.
Other than dandruff, the main reason behind that itchy scalp could be the presence of head lice. Lice are tiny parasites that feed on the scalp blood and reside mostly on the human head. The hair covered scalp is a convenient breeding ground for head lice. The parasites usually have a very short life span of just 24 hours. However, the same will ensure enough eggs are left for the next generation. The infestation is mainly in children from ages 3-14 and is regardless of gender. The parasites have no wings to fly and don’t exhibit vigorous movement. Head lice can only crawl short distances and thereby contaminate other hosts.
Symptoms of Head Lice Infestation and Its Spread
There is no need to be panicky at all at this condition. Infestation by head lice will not harm you majorly but, obviously you don’t want your blood to get sucked out. The common symptoms of head lice infestation are.
- Itchy scalp
- A creepy feeling on the head, usually due to the lice movement
- Redness due to repeated lice bite
Since the lice movement is restricted, the common modes of infestation spread are contact with contaminated individual/ hair, brushes, combs and clothing.
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How To Get Rid of Head Lice?
Head lice treatment is thus a requirement and is not something to be procrastinated on. There are a number of ways which will help you on how to get rid of head lice. There are some chemical methods and also some easy home remedies. Home remedies for lice removal is indeed more preferred due to its fast action and effectiveness. Below are some super cool easy ways which will help kill lice on head.
Head Lice Treatment
1. Traditional Picking For Lice Removal
Yes, ways of lice removal were a bit manual in the past but the effectiveness is well established. The lice will lay a lot of eggs to ensure survival, thus making it difficult to completely remove the same. The method of handpicking the same with forceps and other clippers will definitely help a lot. Complete removal cannot be ensured until you have picked up the last egg from the scalp. While doing the same you will gain some knowledge about the physical characteristics of head lice which in turn may help you identify the same later.
2. Oil Your Hair
Mix your hair oil with equal proportions of vinegar. Apply the same on your head and leave for some time before rinsing. Vinegar is nothing but a weak acid called acetic acid. Though weak chemically, acetic acid kills lice completely. The acid ruptures the lice membranes and also destroys all the laid eggs. Getting rid of head lice has never been so easy.
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3. Suffocation to Get Rid of Head Lice
Another effective way to get rid of head lice is by suffocating the same for a period of 8 hours. Apply olive oil on your head completely and cover your head with a shower cap. Hit your bed! By next morning you can be rest assured that all head lice is dead. Shampoo your hair to get rid of the oil. The shower cap used actually leaves negligible breathing space for the lice, for a long time and finally killing it.
4. Killer Hair Dryer
You could never imagine that your hair dryer could actually eliminate all the head lice from your scalp. Hair dryer uses dry hot air to dry the hair. In this process it also will help you on how to get rid of head lice. The hot air will burn the lice and associated eggs in the area to ensure complete removal of head lice.
5. Onion Juice : An Effective Home Remedy
It is indeed one of the best home remedies for lice treatment. Grind a few onions and make a paste. Mix the paste with a little water and press it against a sieve to extract the juice. Apply the extracted material on the scalp and leave for some time then rinse it. Surprisingly, all the annoying characters will be gone from your head.
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6. How To Get Rid of Head Lice With Neem Extract
Neem is an Indian herb and has a great medicinal value. The natural chemical compounds found in Neem are lethal to head lice. Make a paste of Neem leaves and apply the same on the scalp. After a sufficient incubation period rinse the scalp. Neem will kill the head lice and also its eggs. An additional benefit of the same is that Neem is a natural moisturizer that will prevent drying of your scalp. This is indeed a great home remedy to remove lice.
7. Medical Help From Hair Expert
If the situation is real bad you can easily resort to anti-lice shampoos and other medications available. Ask your hair expert for the best remedy. The hair expert will be able to analyse the problem in more detail and arrive at a faster solution.
8. Almond Paste To Maintain Hair Hygiene
Almonds are placed high on the nutrition chart according to Ayurveda. Another side of the same is that it eliminates head lice and maintains good hair hygiene. A thick paste of overnight soaked almonds will eliminate all lice and its associated eggs. Repetition of the same will yield faster results.
9. Prevention
Prevention is better than cure, and it will hold good in this case too! Avoid contact with infected persons and maintain a good personal hygiene. Regular hair care will keep head lice at a bay. Though not a major problem but keeping away from head lice is always better.
One or the other above methods will surely help you to get the solution on how to get rid of head lice faster. A better approach would be to continue a combination of methods spread across 3-4 months. This way the lice will not get resistant towards a particular type of treatment and will continue to get killed. Head lice are no big problem if the above methods are followed in the right way.
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