Lice infection in schoolchildren is common. Children suffer from head lice more often than adults. Pediculosis is accompanied by severe irritating itching. However, the problem is not hopeless. You can get rid of lice if you do your best. Dog lice and human lice are similar, so you can use the same approach to solve this problem. Follow the guidelines outlined in this article to get rid of lice.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Getting Rid of Head Lice
Step 1. Buy a quality lice treatment (also known as pediculicide, a substance or formulation designed to kill lice)
Thanks to this drug, you can quickly get rid of lice. Lice preparations are very effective in killing lice. Some products kill both the lice and their eggs, while others only work on the lice. You can buy the drug without a prescription at any pharmacy. Read the instructions carefully before using the product. Follow these steps:
- Put on your old clothes. Perform the procedure in the bathroom. This will make it easier for you to get rid of the lice.
- Apply to hair and scalp according to package directions.
- Leave the product on your hair for the recommended time. Typically, the medicine is left on for an hour or so. Do not leave for longer than the recommended time.
- Then rinse your hair in the shower, but do not wash it with shampoo. The shampoo cannot be used for two days after using this product.
Step 2. Comb out dead lice and nits from the hair
This step will help speed up the treatment process if you are using pediculicide, but you can also get rid of lice using only a lice and nits comb. This comb is a very handy tool that is specially designed for removing nits and dead lice.
- Part your hair into sections.
- Starting at the scalp, pull the comb along the strand from the root to the end.
- Dip the comb in a bowl of warm, soapy water, this will kill the lice and their eggs; they die quickly without a power source.
- Continue brushing each section of your hair until you have combed all of your hair.
- After brushing, place the comb in hot water for a few minutes. Lice die when exposed to temperatures above 53 degrees Celsius for five minutes or more.
Step 3. Wash all clothing, bedding and other items
After combing your hair for the first time, wash your clothes in hot water. Wash bedding, pillows, stuffed animals, and other items, and then dry them. Although lice do not live very long without a food source, it is very important to wash everything to prevent infection in other family members.
Place items that cannot be washed in an airtight plastic bag for two weeks. Lice die without air and food. Soak all plastic items such as combs, brushes, and hair accessories in hot water for a few minutes
Step 4. Check your hair for new lice
After treatment or brushing, you will need to look at your hair every eight hours. You need to do this as new insects will hatch from the eggs. You must comb them out quickly before they lay new eggs. Unfortunately, it is almost impossible to get rid of lice in one go. Comb your hair thoroughly every eight hours for the first three days. After that, continue to check your scalp every 16 hours and brush your hair as needed for the next two weeks.
It usually takes about 10 days to get rid of the lice completely
Step 5. Use oils to speed up the healing process
Whether you have used pediculicide or not, there are natural remedies that repel and kill lice. If you are sensitive to the effects of chemicals, then oil treatments are definitely worth a try.
- Melt ½ cup coconut oil or ½ cup neem oil and massage into hair and scalp. Both oils have antibiotic properties.
- Use a nit and lice comb to comb out insects. Dip the comb in the oil.
Step 6. Use apple cider vinegar
This is a cheap and effective way to get rid of nits and lice. Mix 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar and apply the mixture to your hair and scalp. Use a hairbrush to comb out nits and lice; you will be able to remove insects more easily.
Step 7. Use an essential oil spray
Some essential oils repel lice and nits, which is essential if you want to get rid of these nasty insects. Mix 5 drops of essential oil with 30 grams of water and spray your hair several times a day with this mixture. You can use the following oils:
- Tea tree oil
- Lavender oil
- Oregano oil
- Peppermint oil
- Thyme oil
- Eucalyptus oil
Step 8. Get ready for a long struggle
It is an order of magnitude easier to get rid of adult and newborn lice than from their eggs (called nits), and it is with them that most problems arise. Some people think they have gotten rid of the lice, and a relapse can happen even if a couple of eggs are not killed. It will take constant control to win this battle.
Method 2 of 2: Getting Rid of Other Types of Lice
Step 1. Treat clothes head lice
Body lice live and lay eggs in the seams and folds of clothing. They feed on human blood. They are larger than common lice and are very easy to spot. Typically, body lice infections can be found in areas where people live in very close quarters or do not have access to running water. To get rid of body lice, you need to take care of proper sanitation. Follow these steps:
- Throw away contaminated clothing. Lice can live up to a month in clothes. Therefore, throw away contaminated clothing.
- Shower or bathe regularly and use soap.
- Wash your clothes, bedding, linen and other items regularly.
- Your doctor may prescribe an ointment containing permethrin, malathion, or benzyl alcohol to relieve itching.
Step 2. Treat pubic lice
Pubic lice, which are similar in shape to crabs, are most commonly sexually transmitted. Pubic lice live on parts of the body that are covered with coarse hair, such as the eyebrows, ears, and armpits. They are very easy to spot. Here are some ways you can get rid of these lice:
- Purchase an over-the-counter lotion containing 1% permethrin or a mousse containing pyrethrin and piperonyl butoxide. These chemicals help get rid of the lice. Use according to package directions.
- Comb out lice and nits with a comb.
- Wash clothing and underwear in very hot water.
- Soak combs and other items in hot water for 5 minutes.
- Shave your pubic area. This is an effective way to get rid of lice, especially when combined with the use of chemicals.
- Examine the area for signs of new lice. You may need to undergo a second course of treatment.
- Use lindane only as a last resort. It's effective, but research has shown that it has negative effects on the brain.
Step 3. Treat dog lice
Dog lice are not spread to humans (human lice are not spread to dogs), but they can be uncomfortable for your pet. There are two types of dog lice. The various species that infect dogs are the dog louse (Trichodectes canis) and the dog louse (Linognathus setosus).
- Take your dog to the vet. It's important to make sure your dog has lice.
- Use a powder, spray, or whatever your veterinarian prescribes for you.
- Wash your pet's bedding and other belongings in hot water.
- Soak grooming tools in very hot water for 5 minutes.
Advice
- Try not to use other people's combs, you should have everything of your own.
- Use a flat iron / straightener to remove eggs. The heat of the iron will kill the small insects.
- Try to avoid close contact with others.
- Lice are not a sign of impurity or contamination. Even the cleanest person can get lice, as lice love clean hair. Don't worry if you have lice. Unfortunately, many people face this problem.
- Another natural remedy to effectively reduce the spread of lice is to use fresh rosemary. Many shampoos and sprays are effective because the smell of rosemary repels lice. Place a little (2-3 sticks) of fresh rosemary in the pillowcases. You can also put it under the pillow, they will not interfere with the sleeping person and he will not feel them. If the sticks stay there for one week, the lice will go away and will not lay eggs in the hair in the future.
- People living with infected people should be very careful.
- Remember, if you have children, pack all soft toys for 3 weeks to kill lice.
- If your child has nits, be sure to keep them away from play with other children.
- Try not to scratch your head. Although it will itch, brushing it too hard will only make it worse!
- Use tea tree oil shampoo all year round to prevent lice.
- Treat beds, pillows and sofas.
- If you don't want lice spray on your furniture, use large sheets and blankets to cover it for a couple of weeks. Do it where your children usually play.
- Do not share hats with people you know.
- Getting rid of lice is a not a day's process. Repeat the process at least one week after the first treatment.
- Brush your hair over the sink to see if there are any insects left.
- Lice have a reproductive cycle of 7-10 days, so it is a good idea to repeat the brushing procedure every six days or so until you are sure they are gone.
- Items that do not fit in the dryer can be placed in a black plastic bag and left in the sun for a day or more. Even if it's not hot outside, the temperature inside the bag will be high and the lice will die.
- If you are a man (or progressive woman), consider shaving your bald head using a razor or disposable scissors. Keep your head clean shaven for at least two weeks.
- To prevent infection, decide to quarantine anything suspicious, such as a hat from a second-hand store. Seal it in a plastic bag for at least 2 weeks before you bring it home. Do not try on hats at sales or thrift stores, and do not hang a coat or hat on a hook in places where it could be infected.
- Make a decoction of neem leaves or make a paste with them. Apply to hair and scalp for half an hour. Rinse hair thoroughly and comb using a lice and nits comb.
- Remember to treat combs and other supplies. Soak them in hot water.
- Dry your hair as often as possible.
- Wash your hair in hot water.
- Use the comb by applying a few drops of olive oil to it. This is a very effective way.
- Try not to tell everyone left and right that you have lice. You can tell about your problem only to close people you trust.
- Use any essential oil to kill lice. Sleep with it by applying it to your hair. Wash your hair until the olive oil or some other oil has washed off. Wrap your hair in plastic wrap or a bag. Do not leave a small child alone with a plastic bag, as he may suffocate in it.
- Check your hair every two weeks.
- If you wear hats, then don't let other people try them on.
- If you can afford it, wear short haircuts (especially if you are a girl), which will make it easier for you to care for your hair.
- Don't scratch your head. This can lead to infection of other people.
- Do not use someone else's comb. You should always have your own.
- Wash your clothes every day.
- Carefully read the instructions for the selected product. Remember, these are pesticides and they penetrate the scalp.
- Mix 5 tablespoons of Reed Lice Killing Shampoo with a full can of Hellman's Mayonnaise. Then apply the mixture to your hair, put on a shower cap and leave it on for 24 hours. Then wash it off.
- Since lice can move around your clothing, try not to place the items of clothing you have been wearing with clean ones.
- Follow clearly and slowly all the instructions, then there will be a result
- Prepare a paste by chopping 10-12 neem leaves. Apply it all over your hair and leave it on for 15 minutes. Then rinse off with plain water.
Warnings
- Do not use a comb if someone in your family already uses it.
- Do not leave anything on your hair for longer than stated in the instructions. This can damage the scalp.
- Treat your hair when you take a bath.