How to Deal With Head Lice

The small white insects known as lice can be an annoying parasite. Their eggs, known as nits, stick to hair close to the scalp or body and spread quickly. By following the steps listed here, you can easily rid yourself of this inconvenient pest.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Vacuums Cleaner
• Mild Soap Such As Dishwashing Liquid
• Tweezers
• Hot Water
• Olive (not Virgin) Oil
• Blow Dryers Or Heat Gun
• Tape
• Petroleum Jelly

1. Assess if you or your child actually has lice. Symptoms include itching, swollen glands in back of neck, scratch marks along the hairline and on neck, foul smelling hair, and small oval white or greyish white spots stuck to hair shaft.
2. Check also for live lice. Use a fine tooth comb to "catch" them, tweezers, your fingernails or use a piece of tape wrapped around your finger, sticky side up. Lice are reddish-brown insects and do not jump or fly.
3. Comb out the nits with a fine tooth comb. A pet flea comb works very well.
4. Work in good strong light, section hair and remove all attached nits. You can also use tweezers to remove nits and live lice.
5. Wash all bedding, recently used towels and recently worn clothing in hot water and dry in a hot dryer.
6. Soak all combs and brushes in hot water for at least ten minutes.
7. Screen hair daily to make sure all nits and lice are gone. If you see more nits, it may mean that there are still lice in the hair or that you/your child has been reinfested.
8. Check everyone in the household. Lice are very contagious.
9. Avoid sharing hats, bicycle helmets, combs, brushes and clothing with anyone who has lice. If you have lice, do not allow anyone to use your personal items.
10. Treat eyelashes and eyebrows with a thick layer of petroleum jelly. Apply twice a day for 8 days.
11. Use products containing lindane only when prescribed by a doctor. It is a very powerful pesticide.
12. Try using olive oil. There is some evidence that it works by smothering the lice and nits. Massage into hair and leave in as long as possible. Manually comb out nits after olive oil application.
13. Use a blow dryer. Heat can kill lice and nits, but use caution. Avoid placing dryer too close to scalp.
14. Vacuum carpets and upholstered furniture.
15. Report the presence of lice to your child's school so they can check for an outbreak.

Tips & Warnings

• Children should be kept home from school/daycare if they have an active infestation. Once nits/lice have been removed and/or they have been treated with a commercial product, they can return to school/daycare.
• Avoid spraying the house or car with insecticides. It is not necessary.
• Speak with your doctor before using any chemical lice treatments if you are pregnant, nursing, have allergies, asthma or other medical conditions.
• Never use a lice treatment on a baby unless directed by your doctor.
• Use caution if you decide to use an over the counter lice treatment. All products are pesticides, and must be used carefully and according to direction. Manual removal with a comb is the safest and often the most effective method.
• Never use any chemical treatment product on eyelashes or eyebrows.