Lice affect both children and adults.Although it is more common for adults to be affected by head lice. Along with going back to school comes the anxiety about the possible outbreak of head lice. Once there is a child with head lice in the class it is likely to spread to the rest of the classmates.
It’s not a pleasant thing to deal with, and head lice can take a toll on parents. Fortunately there are products that can help get rid of them and keep this at bay. Treatments for head lice are simple, and there are good tips on how to get rid of them effectively.
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Lice treatment: everything you need to know to get rid of head lice.
When there is suspicion of having head lice, it is necessary to act as soon as possible.. The treatment for head lice is key, and to eliminate them effectively it is better to know and apply the best advice. If not, lice can increase and so can itching.
It is possible to eliminate them, but it is necessary to carry out a series of steps and buy the necessary products. Another important point is to be consistent enough, and it is not advisable to leave the treatment halfway.
1. Check thoroughly
Before applying any product, it is necessary to confirm whether or not there are head lice.. The best way to do this is to check the hair thoroughly, since lice are visible to the naked eye. You can use a normal comb, but there are specific combs for lice or nit combs.
A quality lice comb that allows the head to be checked in sections, eliminating many of them. In any case, if a single louse is found, it is necessary to apply a product to kill them afterwards.
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2. Washing your hair with tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is effective against head lice.. This oil is very powerful, and when applied directly could irritate the skin. In fact it is sold in small bottles, and what is usually done is to dilute it.
It is best to put this oil inside the shampoo bottle and mix it. Washing your hair regularly with this oil is highly recommended, although some people do not like its smell. This is a supportive treatment, but it should be accompanied with one of the following.
3. Permethrin
Permethrin is very efficient in eliminating lice.. It is a very safe pesticide that can also be used by children over two years of age, pregnant women and nursing mothers. It is also economically priced.
However, in some cases lice have developed resistance to permethrin. Therefore, it may not work for everyone, but it is still one of the most recommended lice treatments.
4. Dimethicone and cyclomethicone
Dimethicone and cyclomethicone can be used on children with asthma or sensitive skin.. They are made from high-density silicones that cause physical damage to the lice, so no resistance is created.
Although their cost is significantly higher, their efficacy is very high. It can be used during pregnancy, in children over one year of age and in lactating women. Currently, dimethicone and cyclomethicone products are the most commonly used.
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5. Benzyl alcohol
Benzyl alcohol is the newest substance to treat head lice.. It is highly efficient and can be applied on children as young as 6 months of age. It works by killing the lice, and should be applied a second time to eliminate the lice eggs that remain.
In some cases it may cause slight redness and burning, but this is not usually serious. So far no resistance to benzyl alcohol has been reported, so its use is still efficient and highly recommended.
6. Personal hygiene
Head lice are not due to lack of cleanliness.. It is important to understand this, because sometimes people are stigmatized for having lice, interpreting that they do not wash enough. Washing the hair daily is not even advisable for its health, because it loses all its natural protective sebum.
It is recommended to the general population to wash their hair once a week, and to people who have lice to do it every day with the appropriate products. People who have head lice should be consistent in combating these parasites.
7. Apply the product correctly
It is very important to apply the product properly. For this it is important to read the product instructions. Inconsistency can have a negative impact on the favorable evolution of the lice treatment.
Before starting, comb the whole head in sections. Doing this with wet hair can make it easier. Once the hair is dry, apply the product and comb through the head lice comb again.
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8. Repeat the process
Regardless of the type of product chosen, it is important to repeat the process.. Applying a product only once is not enough to eliminate all parasites and eggs. Just because there is no longer any trace of lice does not mean that they have been eliminated.
After the first application, it is likely that new lice will hatch and need to be removed. It is recommended to repeat according to the product instructions, although this is often done after 7 to 10 days.
9. Medical consultation
It is important to know when it is best to see a doctor.. If over-the-counter substances have been applied properly and the problem persists, resistance may have developed and it is best to see a doctor.
In these cases, a prescription oral medication is usually prescribed or a different substance can be applied to the skin. Pills are usually the definitive solution, but they are a bit more aggressive and usually do not need to be used.
10. Be patient
If the above steps are carried out, you are doing well, and all that remains is to be patient.. Lice can cause a lot of discomfort, and after the first application the skin may be sensitive and feel like scratching the scalp.
But this should not be taken to mean that the product is not working, as it should always be left to act for the time indicated on the package insert. It may take two weeks before the problem is completely solved, but the treatments mentioned above are effective and you must be patient.
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