Head Lice Treatment and Removal

Head lice treatment or head lice removal, whatever one may call it, the process usually involves three basic methods. They are

Mechanical removal of lice and nits
The use of pesticide-based head lice solutions
Natural treatments.

The most sure fire head lice treatment involves shaving off the hair or at least cutting off the hair to say, around an inch and a half. However this head live treatment method is needless to say not very practical and is not always possible.

Since the problem mostly affects younger girls who may take an instant aversion to shaving the head, cutting it off to smaller length may offer a mid-way solution. While the reason behind shaving off the head is quite obvious as no lice can ever harbor a shaven head, shorter hair also helps remove the lice since it results in creating an insufficient ambient temperature where the lice can not live or multiply.

Mechanical removal of head lice entail the use of a fine-tooth metal comb that can easily pick out the lice when used firmly on the head. The operation should start from the hair root and then gradually reach the hair end. Plastic combs can also serve the purpose to some extent but the spacing between the plastic teeth usually spreads out after a couple of uses. A used toothbrush kept aside may come to use during the cleaning of the comb. Wet combing of the hair gives a better result if the following technique is followed.

Hair should first be combed with any ordinary comb to get rid of knots and tangles.
In order to facilitate easier running of the fine-toothed comb within the hair, it may be soaked with some conditioner or a slight amount of olive oil.
Now the fine-toothed comb may be pulled from the hair root to the hair ends, applying the process all over the head.
The combing operation may be repeated every two or three days till no lice or nit are found appearing on the comb, though some pharmaceutical societies recommend treating with comb and conditioner for ten consecutive days.

Use of Pesticide based head lice solutions is fairly common among the younger generation for the ease in their use. However they come with their own side effects. So with an increase in awareness on the subject these days more and more people are stopping this line of head lice treatment and are looking for alternatives.

Natural Treatments consist of ingredients that are grown or produced naturally by plant or floral components or are from herbal origins such as Tree Oil, Anise or Ylang ylang oils. There are other natural essential oils as well that work wonderfully well in head lice treatment. However, toxic side effects or allergic problems are not always ruled out in the case of using natural treatment procedures. And so while natural remedies are great, the right head lice treatment product needs to be picked carefully.

Jen Carter is team member and writes regularily about head lice treatment, head lice information and other common conditions for Amoils.com.

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