How to Get Rid of Head Lice

One of the most common communicable medical problems that affect school going children is that of head lice. Contrary to what most people may believe, lice infestation isn't a sign of unhealthy personal hygiene, but it is one of those conditions which spreads through close personal contact and sharing personal belongings. As you know, lice are parasites that live on the scalp as their breeding ground, and feed from the same. These pesky, wingless parasites are not transmitted by pets, but as said, they spread with the help of head-to-head contact.

Symptoms and Causes

Head lice symptoms may not surface until at least two months after the infestation has taken place. The primary symptom is intense itching. When the parasites bite onto the scalp to feed on the blood, they inject a kind of saliva into the skin. This substance triggers a reaction in the form of red bumps on the scalp, that causes severe itching. These bumps can also occur on the neck and shoulders. The other symptom is the presence of the lice and their nits themselves. The adults mainly live behind the ears and the back of the neck, and the nits, on the hair shafts.

As already mentioned, the most common mode of transmission of these parasites is a head-to-head contact, which is most common among children. Sharing personal belongings like comb, towel, caps, clothes, headphones, pillows, etc., also makes it easy for lice to spread rapidly.

Tips to Eliminate Head Lice

Medically, over-the-counter shampoos are good enough for getting rid of lice infestation, if the products are used as they are meant to be. However, prescription medicines are better in all cases. Apart from these medicines, there are a few home remedies that can help you deal with a head lice infestation.

• Comb your wet hair with a fine-toothed comb. This has to be done for at least 2 weeks, repeating every 3-4 days. This method works better in case of kids under 2
• One popular home treatment is the use of tea tree oil and olive oil. Simply massage the mix everyday and have a head wash after sometime
• Another effective method is making use of onion juice. Get the juice and apply it to the roots using your fingertips. Wait for about 3 - 4 hours, and let the pungent smell do its work in getting rid of the little blood suckers. Wash your hair thoroughly to ensure that you do not have the pungent smell anymore. For best results, apply this method for 3-4 days continuously, to wipe out the lice nits
• Head lice and vinegar are popularly related to each other. Make a mix of vinegar (2 tsp.) and water (6 tsp.), and apply it to the hair roots, before going to bed. Now cover the head with a cotton cloth, and wash your hair the next morning
• Get some garlic cloves and make them into a paste. Mix it with lemon juice. Massage it into the hair roots, and leave it overnight. Have a head bath with lukewarm water and mild shampoo the next morning

No matter what you do for killing lice on your head, if you haven't done anything about disinfecting your home, then you can expect another lice attack very soon. So get your bedding materials and all your clothing in one place, and toss them into the washing machine in hot water, both in the wash cycle and the rinse cycle. Do not forget the stuffed animals. Also, soak things like brushes and combs in hot water for at least about 10 - 15 minutes. And one final and important step in getting rid of head lice is vacuuming the beds, couches, chairs, and carpets. This would kill those lice that may have escaped from the washing machine.

The above cited home remedies work well for lice infestations that are mild. Also, their results are highly individual. So in case the above tips do not work out so well, better seek for medical help or pest control to treat the present infestation and prevent any recurrence.