How to Clean Lice With a Comb
Harvard University defines head lice as, "small parasitic insects exquisitely adapted to living mainly on the scalp and neck hairs of their human host." The lice often lay eggs on the scalp called nits. Removing the lice and nits is important to completely clean the head of lice. Although there are a variety of chemical treatments available to remove head lice, The National Pediculosis Association suggests that combing is the most effective treatment. It is a safe and inexpensive alternative to using potentially harmful, expensive chemical treatments.
Things You'll Need
- Metal comb
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Comb or brush
- Hair clips
- Cup
- Soapy water
- Paper towels or rags
Instructions
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1
Choose the proper comb for cleaning the head of lice. The comb should be metal and have long teeth that are spaced very close together. The gap between the teeth and the handle should be sealed to prevent lice from hiding inside. The National Pediculosis Association recommends using the LiceMeister comb for optimal removal. You can purchase the comb on the NPA website.
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2
Wash hair as usual with a regular shampoo. Get all of the tangles out of the hair using a regular comb or brush. Apply a generous amount of conditioner to the wet hair without rinsing the conditioner out. The conditioner will help the comb pass through the hair easily.
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Divide the hair into small sections, securing each section with a clip. Let down one section of hair at a time to be worked on.
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4
Fill a cup with warm, soapy water. Have some paper towels or old rags handy as well.
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Position the person with head lice in a well-lit area, such as under a lamp or in the sunlight. This will help in the detection of the head lice.
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Work the comb through one small section of hair. Start at the scalp and run the comb through that section of hair slowly to the end. Dip the comb in the soapy water after each pass down one section to remove the lice and nits from the comb. Wipe the comb with a paper towel or rag.
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Pass the comb through the same section of hair several times until you see no more lice or nits on the comb from that section. Be sure to dip the comb in the water and wipe it off after each pass through.
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Fasten that section of hair back onto the scalp with the clip. Clean the clip in the soapy water before fastening the hair back up onto the scalp.
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Repeat the process of combing though each section several times to remove all lice and nits from the head, cleaning the comb in between each pass. Comb the hair in this manner every three days for two weeks. This will ensure that any newly-hatched nits are removed from the scalp.
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