01:33
Most school-age children catch nits at some point because young children often have their hair touching when they are playing enabling the insects to crawl from one child to another. Infestations can quickly spread through groups of friends, classmates and families. It's therefore essential to know how to carry out head lice removal.
Some people may think that removal is a difficult task because it can be easy for children's hair to become re-infested if their family or friends have not been treated. Head lice have also shown some resistance to traditional insecticides. However, there are ways around these problems.
Infestations should be taken care of quickly, as left untreated, even one louse will multiply. There are various lotions available to treat this problem. Scientists believe that lice will not become resistant to the newer lotions because instead of relying on insecticides, modern lotions contain silicones and oils, which physically affect the insects making them unable to breathe.
It is important to check with a health-care professional before treating a baby, pregnant woman, someone with asthma, eczema, or allergies, or cuts or scratches to the head, with a medicated lotion because some lotions may not be suitable in these cases.
Different lotions come with different instructions, which need close attention, as for example, the lotion may not work if left on for the wrong period of time. Some lotions should be left on the head for several minutes but others need to be left up to eight hours to work. Often, lotions need to be applied again after a week, but some of the newest lotions have a one-off application.
If one member of a household has nits, as they as sometimes known as, the whole family should be treated and towels, sheet, pillowcases and clothes need to be laundered in order to remove any stray pests. It is also important to tell a child's school, and ideally the school should send a letter out advising parents to check for parasites, to try to prevented treated children from catching them again. Long hair that is tied back and braided Afro hair are also less likely to become re-infested than loose hair.
Alternatively, the pests can be removed by wet combing. To do this, the person with the infested hair should have it washed, rinsed and liberally covered in conditioner. The hair then needs careful combing, section-by-section, with a fine-tooth comb, easily available in pharmacies. After each stroke, the comb needs to be checked for any insects. It can either be rinsed in warm water and the insects discarded into the water or wiped with a tissue. It is important to make sure all of the hair is combed in this way. This treatment needs to be repeated every few days until no more pests are found. Wet-combing can be time-consuming, especially on curly or long hair, but ideal for anyone wishing to avoid chemical lotions.
Most people will suffer from nits, as they are commonly called, at some point or have to deal with a child who has them, but it is possible to deal with head lice removal simply and prevent the itchiness, irritation and embarrassment, which would undoubtedly occur if left untreated.
Some people may think that removal is a difficult task because it can be easy for children's hair to become re-infested if their family or friends have not been treated. Head lice have also shown some resistance to traditional insecticides. However, there are ways around these problems.
Infestations should be taken care of quickly, as left untreated, even one louse will multiply. There are various lotions available to treat this problem. Scientists believe that lice will not become resistant to the newer lotions because instead of relying on insecticides, modern lotions contain silicones and oils, which physically affect the insects making them unable to breathe.
It is important to check with a health-care professional before treating a baby, pregnant woman, someone with asthma, eczema, or allergies, or cuts or scratches to the head, with a medicated lotion because some lotions may not be suitable in these cases.
Different lotions come with different instructions, which need close attention, as for example, the lotion may not work if left on for the wrong period of time. Some lotions should be left on the head for several minutes but others need to be left up to eight hours to work. Often, lotions need to be applied again after a week, but some of the newest lotions have a one-off application.
If one member of a household has nits, as they as sometimes known as, the whole family should be treated and towels, sheet, pillowcases and clothes need to be laundered in order to remove any stray pests. It is also important to tell a child's school, and ideally the school should send a letter out advising parents to check for parasites, to try to prevented treated children from catching them again. Long hair that is tied back and braided Afro hair are also less likely to become re-infested than loose hair.
Alternatively, the pests can be removed by wet combing. To do this, the person with the infested hair should have it washed, rinsed and liberally covered in conditioner. The hair then needs careful combing, section-by-section, with a fine-tooth comb, easily available in pharmacies. After each stroke, the comb needs to be checked for any insects. It can either be rinsed in warm water and the insects discarded into the water or wiped with a tissue. It is important to make sure all of the hair is combed in this way. This treatment needs to be repeated every few days until no more pests are found. Wet-combing can be time-consuming, especially on curly or long hair, but ideal for anyone wishing to avoid chemical lotions.
Most people will suffer from nits, as they are commonly called, at some point or have to deal with a child who has them, but it is possible to deal with head lice removal simply and prevent the itchiness, irritation and embarrassment, which would undoubtedly occur if left untreated.
