Lice: The Hair Menace
Head lice are very tiny 6-legged insects that hold onto the scalp and neck and live by feeding on human blood, they are mostly spread by close human to human contact. However, having head lice infestation is not a sign of a dirty living environment and fortunately, they don’t carry bacteria or viral infections.
Lice move quickly like small rats avoiding being killed, they are difficult to see because they avoid light, and itching on the scalp, neck, and ears is a very common symptom. Nits are head lice eggs that they attach to hair shafts and these nits look like the hair color which makes them difficult to see but one can see them around the ears and hairline of the neck.
To treat head lice, you have to be very sure that you have an infestation of head lice. One could mistake it for dandruff, products buildup, dirt, dead hair tissue, or other small insects in the hair. There are many natural and safe ways to kill lice but I’ll recommend over-the-counter (OTC) medications because they’re very efficient and effective but please ask your pharmacist to recommend the right one for you. Lice treatments are known as PEDICULICIDES. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, I’ll suggest you ask your doctor to get a product suitable for you.
So here are my favorite OTC medications and follow instructions on the products:
SKLICE (IVERMECTIN LOTION)
I like this better because you don’t need to comb your hair to remove the lice and it needs just one treatment application. Apply Sklice (invermectin lotion) to dry hair and scalp thoroughly and leave for 10 minutes, then wash off with water. Mind you, don’t use any shampoo on your hair and leave your scalp for 24 hours afterward.
ULESFIA LOTION
You need to use this treatment just two times one week apart and it’s just for the hair and scalp. Make sure to mark the date you use used it first and when you’ll use it again. Ask someone to apply this for you. Make sure your eyes are covered during the application. It must be applied to dry hair and completely lathered on the entire scalp and hair including behind the ears and the back of your neck. Leave the medication on for 10 minutes, rinse with water and shampoo your hair right after the treatment (optional).
Use lice comb to run over your hair to remove the treated lice or nits.
NATROBA LOTION (SPINOSAD)
Thoroughly apply on dry scalp and leave for 10 minutes, rinse thoroughly using warm water. This treatment should be used once but repeat treatment if live lice are seen after 7days.
These treatments should not come in contact with your eyes, mouth, nose, vaginal, penis. If they do rinse thoroughly with water. And make sure you wash your hands thoroughly after use. You may experience skin irritation but don’t worry it’ll be over in not less than two weeks. Tell your doctor if your condition persists or worsens. Meanwhile, if lice are moving slowly after 9 to 10 days, they’re slowly dying.
There are natural ways to treat head lice infestation however, one may not see fast results.
Using a fine-toothed nit comb to comb your hair repeatedly every 3 to 4 days for many weeks may remove lice and some bits.
Essential oils like tea tree oil, ylang-ylang oil, anise oil, neridol oil may have harmful effects on lice and nits. When using these oils mix them with carrier oils like coconut oil or jojoba. Creams like mayonnaise, butter, petroleum jelly including olive oil smothers lice, and nits. You just have to apply the product to your hair thoroughly, leave it overnight after covering it with a shower cap.
HAIR LICE PREVENTION
To prevent head lice, wash beddings and clothing’s in hot water because lice can only survive for a short time on clothing and other personal items before coming in contact with your scalp (they can’t survive a day without feeding on the scalp), and please do not share scarves, combs, brushes, and anything used for the hair.
Written by Afrophoenix
