The Non-Discriminate Pest
Before going with a "knee-jerk" reaction, know the basic facts about head lice!
Many children, in fact the CDC (Center for Disease Control) estimates between 12 and 25 million children and teens, are infested each year by this pest in the U.S. alone. Yet this pest is simply that - a pest.
Head lice are not life threatening, they do not cause direct harm and they are not known to transmit infectious agents. Their presence can, however, cause itching and a resulting loss of sleep. Excessive scratching can heighten the possibility of secondary infection and, some few people may exhibit a sensitivity to the louse's saliva or fecal deposits. Yet the shame and embarrassment attached to their visits are universal.
This pest derives its nutrients by blood-feeding once or twice each day. Lice cannot survive more than 48 hours at room temperature without access to a human host. They travel from person-to-person by direct contact or, less frequently, by sharing personal items such as hats, helmets, car headrests, headphones or combs/brushes. This pest has also become the vehicle for a great controversy over its destruction. Lice cause panic, shame and ostracism in most schools even though they do NOT visit any one person based on socio-economic status nor for hygienic reasons. In fact, lice prefer cleanliness to lay her eggs (nits). The head louse - living only on the human scalp.
Recall past years, when people burned bedsheets and pillowcases and cut the affected hair very short.
The condition itself is called pediculosis and the most commonly recommended treatments are pediculicides. While most commonly recommended by drug companies and physicians, this method is fiercely disputed by parents and caretakers the world over for their toxicity and reported ineffectiveness.
"Over-the-counter products such as RID, A200, R&C, and Pronto contain pyrethrin. This is the natural insecticide contained in flowers such as chrysanthemums. The over-the-counter product Nix contains permethrin, which is at least as powerful an insecticide as pyrethrin, but about a third less toxic to mammals.
The most common prescription-only products in the United States are lindane-based products such as Kwell, or similar generic products. Lindane is much more toxic to mammals than the other pesticides: about 40 times as toxic as permethrin and about 13 times more toxic than pyrethrin. In addition, The 11th edition of the Merck Index states that lindane may reasonably be expected to be carcinogenic.
Another prescription-only product is Ovide, which contains malathion. Malathion may be more effective in killing lice and is generally considered to be safer to humans than lindane. Unfortunately, Ovide is a solution of malathion in flammable isopropyl alcohol, so if you use this product, you'd need to carefully consider this hazard (no hair dryers!). All prescription products are available only through a physician; your physician will always be the best source of information about these products' effectiveness and safety in your particular case."
( This excerpt from: http://fly.hiwaay.net/~sseale/ftest.html )
Other, homeopathic treatments have emerged over the last several years. Olive oil is the basis for a 21-day "treatment" that purportedly smothers the lice as it clogs the gill-like structures on each of its sides that it uses to breathe. Hair dryers are the main weapon in still another method citing heat as the way to conquer and then deter further infestation.
Finally, the age old elbow grease method: wash the child's hair, then saturate the hair with conditioner. The purpose of the conditioner is twofold... first, to help the nit comb slide more easily through the hair. Second, to slow the bugs down. Separate the hair into manageable sections, and using a nit comb, comb through the hair, removing live bugs and nits. Wipe the comb off with a tissue and flush it (the tissue) or rinse the comb over a sink drain with HOT water.
Make certain you comb through all the hair completely, concentrating on the darker, thicker parts of the hair, particularly near the scalp, behind the ears, and at the nape of the neck. Watch carefully for nits laid on hair shafts at or near the scalp level. They can be harder to spot than older nits that are several inches out on the hair shaft, but the ones at the scalp level are the ones that are still viable and will hatch if you don't remove them.
Repeat this procedure every 2 or 3 days for 3-4 weeks. You should be able to get rid of all the adult bugs after the first 1 or 2 procedures. You will probably catch newly hatched nymphs for up to a week or ten days, and you may be removing nits for somewhat longer than that. When you are convinced that your child's hair contains no more nits, you can stop.
Some people report that they have used olive oil, baby oil, or mineral oil. The main thing is to pick a liquid that won't hurt your child's hair or scalp, helps the nit comb slide easily through the hair, and also interferes with the mobility of the lice as they try to escape your combing. Be mindful of the ease with which you can remove the liquid you choose - vaseline, mayonnaise, lard, butter, sour cream and other home remedies are NOT recommended as they are very difficult to remove and can become rancid rather quickly. Shampooing with a coconut oil base has also been suggested in order to prevent further re-infestation of the pests as they have a healthy aversion to coconut oil. Who knows?? It may be worth a try. This method takes a lot of work and a lot of time most people DO NOT have! Using this method on yourself is also not easily done and NOT very effective.
I have found a homeopathic product, LICEX, to be the best and fastest method yet! They send you two products in each kit. The first product is a solution for applying onto the scalp and saturating the hair and its length. This solution is left on for forty minutes to an hour - try adding a shower cap over the hair during this time as heat can only help. After the alloted time, shampoo the product from the hair with your own shampoo and towel dry to a light dampness.
The second product is a Protectant Rinse and comes packaged in a spray bottle for easier application. This stuff is oily and smells a bit foul but it works! You will apply the spray to the scalp and massage it in lightly. Then spray over the hair and its lenghth - it is NOT necessary to saturate with this product as you did with the first solution. Let this protectant rinse stay on the hair for as long as you can stand it! You can put a new, clean shower cap over the hair in this step as well. The heat helps to activate the properties of the protectant rinse. This product can be left in - however, I suggest that you leave it in overnight and shampoo it out right before school or work. Use your hair dryer to dry your hair and kill off the last few pests!
One of the best things about the process of LiceX is the fact that once the nits are killed they will change from white to a light tan and will FALL OUT of the hair after 6 to 8 normal shampoos!!! You only nit comb if you feel it necessary!!! And, this product can be reapplied in three days if needed - that's usually only for those heads that have had lice infestation for a really long period of time.
LiceX is also an all-natural product made with an herbal base formulated to naturally send lice to their demise without the chemical harshness to your skin and hair. LiceX is backed with a money-back guarantee and a 24/7 call center to help with your order or answer your basic questions.
The common steps that MUST be taken in ALL methods used to eradicate lice is:
Take all bedsheets, pillowcases, chair covers and carseat covers out and wash them in HOT water and dry on HIGH HEAT in a clothes dryer for thirty to forty-five minutes. Put pillows into plastic bags (closed TIGHTLY) and leave them in the sun for at least three days. All the combs and brushes in the house should be cleaned in hot water and barber solution. Include ball caps, headphones, car headrests, child carseats and sports' helmet liners in this cleanup too!
The sad truth is that you and/or your children CAN be re-infested by lice at any exposure to a person or mammal who is currently infested. While all products may help to DETER a re-infestation, there is no "cure" for head lice infestation and it can re-occur at any time regardless of the strength of your treatment method.
Don't panic! Take a deep breath, print out this article and read all product boxes!!! Contact your physician and/or your child's pediatrician. Make an informed choice for your household and your child. Then attack the little critters with diligence and vigor. Soon your house will be back to a scratch-free zone!!!
Research was conducted at several online sites that I would like to recommend below:
Pollack RJ, Kiszewski A, Spielman A. Overdiagnosis and consequent mismanagement of head louse infestations in North America. Pediatric Infectious Disease Journal. 2000; 19:689-693. The abstract and article may be accessed through the Journals web site: http://www.pidj.com ----
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