Just mentioning head lice is enough to make you feel itchy isn’t it? These pesky little creatures affect almost every child of school age at some time in their lives, and cause no end of grief for parents in the seemingly never ending battle to get rid of them.
The first sign you might notice something is wrong is when your child starts scratching their scalp or neck. There might even be a rash at the nape of their neck due to louse droppings! It sounds terrible, I know - but don’t worry. They can be got rid of, but it takes time and a lot of persistence.
Before we look at the various treatments available, let’s just dispel a few of the myths surrounding these pests.
Head Lice Myths
Head lice are wingless. They cannot fly, hop, skip or jump. They don’t care if your hair is clean or dirty, long or short, curly or straight. As long as you have hair you can have head lice. Head lice do not carry diseases. Having head lice does not mean your child is dirty. It simply means they have been unlucky. So lets look at a few ways in which you can tackle these annoying creatures.
Head Lice Insecticides
There are many types of head lice treatment available on the market for you to choose from. It’s trial and error really to see which one works the best. The most popular ones seem to be Derbac M, Full Marks, and Lyclear. These are available as lotions, liquids or shampoos. As some of these contain alcohol they may not be suitable for everyone, especially if your child has asthma or eczema, so always read the label and if in doubt check with the pharmacist first.
Insecticides should be left on the hair for at least twelve hours or preferably overnight. The only drawback to some of these treatments is that they really do stink which can be unpleasant for your child. One downside to using chemical treatments is that head lice seem to be becoming resistant to them so you may have to keep switching products until you find one that works. There is a fairly new product on the market that doesn’t contain any chemicals, called Hedrin. This is odourless and colourless and looks like a bottle of baby oil. It works by literally smothering the hair shaft and suffocating the head lice. Again it should be left on overnight and washed out in the normal way in the morning. This is a good alternative to chemical treatments as it is entirely natural.
Get Rid of Head Lice by Wet Combing
This one hundred per cent natural method simply involves combing through the hair when wet. After applying a shampoo, rinse as normal and then apply conditioner. Try to ensure that as much of the hair is coated as possible, and then work through small sections of the hair with a special head lice comb. These can be bought very cheaply from any chemist. They have very narrow teeth and are ideal for trapping head lice. You may also notice tiny black specks. These are unhatched eggs - commonly referred to as nits. Once you have gone through the hair thoroughly, simply rinse the hair as normal. Many people swear by using shampoo and conditioner containing tea tree oil, as this is supposed to act as a repellent. You can also buy a leave-in spray containing tea tree oil. Simply spray onto dry hair and let it dry naturally. Again it is the smell that is supposed to discourage head lice. Wet combing is very time consuming but it is well worth the effort in the end.
It is very important to treat the whole family once head lice have been discovered. Yes, even parents can catch head lice from their children - and I should know! Humiliating though it may be, you should also inform your child’s school and any friends they may have come into contact with.
Facts About Headlice
* Head lice have been evolving for over a million years!
* Remains of head lice have been found in mummified remains in ancient Egypt.
* Around 5% of the population of the United States suffers with an infestation of head lice every year. (That’s roughly 12 million people).
* Head lice can survive for up to 24 hours underwater.
* Head lice feed off of human blood by biting into the skin through the scalp. Eeeek!
The Future of Head Lice
As yet no one has managed to come up with a 100% foolproof way to get rid of these pesky creatures and until they do, head lice will be around for many years to come yet, much to the dismay of parents like myself. As parents we simply have to continue to be extra vigilant and deal with the problem as soon as it arises.
This article was written by Jane Jefford. Mum of three and full time carer, Jane used to be a nurse before back problems forced her to leave. Now she devotes her time to caring for her family. Her philosophy is to always look on the bright side of life.
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