subject: Treatment And Home Remedies For Head Lice [print this page] Head Lice are ectoparasites that exist on human hair. These are considered to be an object of ridicule to the person who has them. Some people suffer from infestations of lice on their heads during some seasons of the year, while they may die out in other seasons. Lice can make the roots of the hair weaker and eventually lead to hair loss. In extreme cases, lice can also cause fevers in the person who has them. For this reason, it is necessary to get rid of head lice quickly and effectively.
Head Lice Treatments
The main treatments for head lice usually involve using a head lice shampoo, like Rid or Nix, and then remove nits with a lice comb. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's instructions for whatever products you choose to use, which typically includes a second treatment 7 to 10 days after the first head lice treatment.
You should also check other family members to make sure that they don't have head lice too, although the AAP recommends that 'those with live lice or nits within 1 cm of the scalp should be treated.'
For light infestations or if you are uncomfortable using an anti-lice shampoo, you can try to simply remove the live lice and nits manually.
As there are often a lot of nits on a child and they can be hard to find and remove, you may continue to find nits for days after treatment. This doesn't mean that the treatment didn't work. If you continue to find live lice or new nits close to your child's scalp after treating with a anti-lice shampoo, then that likely does mean that it didn't work or your child was reinfected.
Also be sure to wash your child's clothing and bedding in hot water and vacuum to remove lice and nits from furniture, carpets, stuffed animals, car seats, etc. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, you really only have to clean "items that have been in contact with the head of the person with infestation in the 24 to 48 hours before treatment," and not everything in your house though. And you can put anything that you can't wash in a large plastic bag for a few weeks if you are really concerned that it is infested, although this is rarely necessary.
Head Lice Home Remedies
If you don't want to use a chemical on your child's head, the most effective treatment that doesn't involve using any products at all simply involves removing the nits and live lice with a lice comb and/or tweezers. This is the method that is advocated by The National Pediculosis Association. It can be time consuming to do this and you may have to repeat the procedure for several days to make sure you get them all, but this is likely the best thing to do. You still have to take the time to comb out all of the nits anyway even if you use an anti-lice shampoo, as these shampoos don't kill the eggs. If you don't, they will just hatch and you will have live lice again.
Most other natural home remedies involve putting something on your child's scalp and hair to 'smother' the head lice. Popular choices include real mayonnaise, olive oil, and vaseline. These are usually left on overnight, often under a shower cap, and then washed out the next day. They can be very messy though and have not really been proven to work. Some experts believe that this method 'works' because you actually remove the nits and lice as you try to get this stuff out of the child's hair.
There are also herbal remedies to treat head lice, including products with tea tree oil and other essential oils. Because they are 'natural,' these are not regulated by the FDA, have not been proven to work, and should be used with caution and avoided in younger children.
Parents and pediatricians can also now to turn to Ulesfia (Benzyl Alcohol Lotion 5%) as a non-pesticide prescription treatment for head lice. Ulesfia can be applied to the hair of children over 6 months of age with head lice until it is saturated, washed off after 10 minutes, and then reapplied 7 days later. Unlike Nix, Rid and other head lice shampoos, Ulesfia is thought to work by blocking the louses respiratory spiracles, thereby suffocating them.
