subject: Stop The Itch With Lice Removal Westchester [print this page] Every year millions of people are infected with lice, insects which have found their ecological niche on the hair of human beings. When examined under a microscope, they are truly repugnant, resembling crustaceans with massive elongated front claws. When a person is infected, their bites cause an allergic reaction, and the itching does not stop until they are removed. The head louse is common among children, and require immediate treatment such as lice removal Westchester to prevent them from spreading.
Catching them is not difficult. Any casual contact with the hair or clothing of an infected person allows the louse to leap onto a new source of food. These unwitting carriers then touch others, and the cycle continues. Treatment is not a casual or part-time affair, but requires diligence and thoroughness, and should be undertaken as soon as they are discovered. Lice, unfortunately, almost never vanish on their own.
Treatment involves everyone living in the household. This means that all bedding and clothing should be washed and dried under high temperatures, and non-washables need to be dry cleaned. Plush toys or stuffed animals that can't be laundered ought to be placed in a sealed plastic bag for two weeks, which kills any remaining eggs. All personal hairbrushes and combs need to be soaked in a disinfectant solution, and the entire house must be vacuumed.
These actions will remove them from fabric, but they will still be living on the scalp. Skin and hair treatments use a solution called a pediculicide, which contains insecticides designed to kill all stages of the life cycle. Once the hair has been treated according to directions on the bottle, it should be completely gone over with a special fine-toothed comb. These combs catch any remaining eggs or dead insects.
Then, this procedure must be repeated in a week to ten days, and hair should be re-checked every two to three weeks to verify that they are truly gone. Some people worry about dogs or cats carrying this pest, but it important to realize that his is a human problem, and pets are not to blame for their spread. These insects have successfully adapted to a diet of human blood. They can, however, be killed with the same chemicals used on crop pests, and the FDA has approved lindane and malathion for this kind of treatment.
Unfortunately, they have developed a tolerance to these poisons. Pediculicides are gradually losing their potency, and treatment is often only partially effective. Non-pesticide based products are available, usually derived from plant seeds or oils. Enzyme-based products interfere with the insect's reproductive cycle, while some silicone-based lotions smother them. Gasoline or kerosene was popular before the age of pesticides, but should never be used. The fumes can easily ignite, and many children have been severely burned in the past.
If the problem does not disappear with home treatment, then it is time to see a specialist. Lice removal Westchester professionals realize that these infestations don't have anything to do with social standing, family income, or even personal hygiene. They realize the importance of destroying these pests before entire groups of people are made itchy and miserable. These services treat patients in a child-friendly non-stressful environment, and some specialize in natural treatments. They are especially helpful for those sensitive to insecticides, such as asthmatics or pregnant women. Lice are annoying and disgusting creatures, but no one has to live with them forever.
