What Does Head Lice Look Like?
Head lice are known to infest scalps, feeding on human blood. They can easily spread from one person to another, but with effective measures, including ointments, lotions, and various sprays, they can be eliminated.
Head lice are obligate ectoparasites that feed exclusively on human blood and reside mainly on human scalps.
They are known to cause a frequent itching sensation and sores. They are spread from one person to another through contact with the infected hair, thereby spreading the infestation among friends, family, and social gatherings.
These can be eliminated easily with an application of certain lotions and sprays.
Infestation
The louse is known to reside on the head scalp and feeds on human blood. So, if you have experienced an itching sensation on your head and shoulders, along with a tickling sensation, chances are high your head is infested with lice, as well as the rest of your home.
While there are many health conditions that can cause your scalp to itch, from fungal infection to dandruff, it is easy to determine if your head is infested with lice or not. You can confirm it by asking your loved ones to take a closer look at your scalp and determine if you have lice or not.
You may want to consult your doctor for an effective treatment, but most of the current over-the-counter medications can help you combat your lice infection effectively.
Early Indications and Symptoms of Head Lice
While itching can be considered one of the symptoms of a lice infestation, there are any number of health conditions that can cause your scalp to itch, from dry scalp to dandruff. However, if you find yourself experiencing itching along with a tickling sensation, rashes and bumps on your neck, behind your ears, and on your back and lower back, chances are high you have a lice infestation.
It is very easy to mistake other insect bites as the cause of head lice. This is why it is a good idea to consult a physician or have one of your loved ones check your scalp to see if they can spot any.
It is important that you confirm the lice infestation at the earliest and take effective measures to eliminate it altogether. Remember, a head louse can lay about ten eggs per day, and when you take into account all the lice on your head and in your home, you should get a better idea of the scale of the infestation.
Make sure to get an accurate diagnosis at the earliest and tackle the infestation.
Treatment for Head Lice
Before opting for any over-the-counter medication to treat your scalp for lice, you may want to check with your doctor and determine if you are allergic to the medication or have a heightened sensitivity to it. And, before treating your kids for lice, you may want to consult a child specialist and find out if the lotion or spray can be used safely on your kids.
There are several lotions and sprays you can use to treat head lice, some of the most common including:
- Dimeticone 4% lotion or spray: This needs to be applied directly onto the head and needs to stay on for at least eight hours. Apply it overnight before going to bed and you can wash it off In the morning.
- Dimeticone 4% spray gel: This can be washed off fifteen minutes after applying it to the scalp. It should help eliminate most of the lice, which is why it is highly recommended you reapply again after a week, if not earlier, to eliminate any lice left over from the first round of treatment.
- Mineral oil and dimeticone spray: This can be washed off in just fifteen minutes post-application.
- Cyclomethicone isopropyl myristate solution: This particular solution can be washed off just five minutes after applying it. Make sure you repeat the treatment once every seven days for the next two weeks to eliminate any newly-hatched lice as well.
Once you have washed your hair, you can now try wet-combing through it to remove the lice from your scalp. Use regular strokes and a lice comb, and comb through the washed hair; you should be able to pick up a few lice with repeated strokes. Once you have picked up some with your comb, use a tissue paper to grab them and throw them in the garbage.
Cleaning up the Infestation of Head Lice
While lice can only spread from contact with human hair, here are a few preventive measures you can take to limit the spread of the infection in your home:
- If one of your kids has been infected with head lice, you need to ensure the child is kept segregated from others, until the lotion or spray is applied.
- Remove all clothes and material that may carry live lice and wash them in hot water. This should eliminate any lice that may have found its way into your child’s bedding.
- Vacuum the house thoroughly to remove any and all lice that’s in the home. Vacuum repeatedly until you are sure your home is free of lice.
- Prevent your kids from using the same hat or scarf, since lice can be spread that way, as well.
- Soak all combs in disinfectant to eliminate any left-over lice.
With these tips, you should be able to eliminate all the lice that have been residing on your scalp. There are various lotions, sprays, and gels you can use to help eliminate the lice. Most are quite effective, and using these once a week for a few weeks should help eliminate any freshly-hatched lice.
Moreover, there are various alternatives to treat an infestation, from herbal ointments to various home-based remedies. Remember to read the directions and side effects before using any of the applications and sprays for treating lice.
Home Remedies for treating hair lice
- Salt: Salt is also one of the best home remedy to treat head lice through desiccation. The way one can use this is to first mix a quarter of salt in a cup along with one quarter cup of vinegar. Thoroughly mix this mixture. Use this mixture as a spray onto the hair such that it becomes slight wet. You can wear a shower cap and leave this as it as for two hours. Later wash and condition your hair. To get positive results, use this spray for three days in a week.
- Garlic: Due to the strong fragrance of the garlic it suffocates the lice and ultimately kills them. Make a paste of garlic by grinding around tend cloves of garlic. Mix this paste into two to three tablespoons of lime juice. Mix it well and apply it on the scalp thoroughly. Leave it as it is on the scalp for half an hour and rinse your hair thoroughly with warm water.
- Olive Oil: Olive oil is known to contain such properties which smoothers and kills the lice completely. You can use any type of olive oil on your hair generously before going to bed. Wear a shower cap or wrap a towel around the head so as to keep the oil on the hair overnight. In the morning, using a fine comb remove all the parasites from the hair and later wash your hair using a good herbal shampoo which contains tea tree oil.