Head lice can live on the head for up to three to four weeks and are spread very easily from person to person by direct contact. Regardless of anecdotal theory a lice infestation can occur in spite of pristine personal hygiene. Poor personal hygiene is not the reason for head lice.

The itching associated with head lice is a result of the body’s allergic reaction to the bite of the head lice. Itching may be felt throughout the head or along the neck. Redness or a rash may also be seen along the back of the neck or behind the ears. It is important to have someone to closely inspect the hair in order to confirm the presence of nits. It is easier to locate the nits along the hair shafts since the live adult head lice will move around quickly and are difficult to actually see. Be certain to check along the hairline, the back of the neck, and close to the scalp for the presence of nits.

The best treatment of head lice is prevention. It is important to avoid direct contact with another person who has head lice since direct contact is the mode of transmission. Treatment involves the use of a product that kills the lice. It is important to use a product that is toxic to lice but safe for humans. It is equally important to follow the manufacturer’s directions closely for the most effective treatment.

If you do contract a case of head lice, it is important to treat not only the hair but all the personal hair accessories, such as brushes, combs, etc, as well as the bed linens, clothing, jackets towels, pillows, etc. Treatment must also involve the surfaces where the head lice might have landed since head lice can live for up to two days on inanimate objects such as sofas, chairs, carpets and even stuffed animals. If a person comes in contact with the object where the lice are living then the lice can easily and quickly move from the inanimate object to the person’s hair setting up the perfect scenario for the breeding of more lice.

A bout of head lice is an itchy and bothersome condition to say the least…but the good news is that head lice are easily treatable. If you need more information on hair lice, stick around!

Home Remedy Treatments For Head Lice

The following two treatments were those that were found to have the best results after applying when using common, readily available items. The treatments are in no way a complete, or medically endorsed, list of head lice treatments but are those that seemed to work best for most head lice sufferers.

The treatments outlined here will address the problem of difficult louse and NIT removal making it easier for you to remove them. This is where they have their greatest strength in lice removal and prevention of re-infestation. These two treatments are not to be assumed as a head lice “killer”. They do not work in this fashion as with harmful pesticidical shampoos or similar treatments. NEVER assume that a louse is dead. They can hibernate and appear to be dead.

You will also notice that the steps in these treatments are similar. That is because these were hand-selected and deemed most effective from all the home remedies for head lice found based on safety and success responses from those using them. While there are only two provided in this guide, they are effective, and that is what has been focused on here.

“Sometimes The Simplest Answer Is The Right One.”
The “Mayo” Treatment

1-2 32 oz. Jars of Mayonnaise (the real stuff, no Miracle Whip) – depending on the amount of hair to be treated

1 Roll of Plastic Wrap or a Plastic Shower Cap(sometimes better)

1 Bottle of White Vinegar

1 Bottle of Denorex Dandruff Shampoo

1 Bottle of Dawn Dish-washing Soap

1-3 Rolls of Paper Towels

1 Metal NIT Removal Comb

Optional: 1 plastic spray bottle
Completely saturate the entire head of hair with Mayonnaise. Once done, wrap the head with plastic wrap, or shower cap(best for children) and leave mayonnaise on overnight, or for a minimum of 8 hours if performing treatment during the day.

Rinse out mayonnaise with warm water as best you can. Then apply a small amount of Dawn, or de-greasing type dish soap to the head and work into a lather to remove excessive “greasy” feeling. Rinse hair completely.

While hair is still wet, apply a normal size amount of Denorex Dandruff Shampoo to head and work into a lather. Rinse hair.

Towel dry hair and then apply white vinegar to the hair either by hand or with a small spray bottle.

Next, use the Metal NIT Comb and begin combing out the hair starting at the roots and continuing all the way down the hair shaft. Do this for the entire head and start at the top.

When using the NIT comb, remember to always comb in small, thin sections of hair, about ½ inch, to ensure complete NIT removal.
Repeat this entire process in 3 to 5 day intervals for the next 2 to 4 weeks to be sure that all lice are gone including and especially the NITs.

The Olive Oil Treatment

2-4 20 oz. Bottles of Olive Oil – Brand Name Not Important

1 Roll of Plastic Wrap or Plastic Shower Cap

1-2 Dry Wash Clothes

2-4 Dry Towels

1-3 Rolls of Paper Towels

1 Bottle of Dawn, or similar, Dish-washing Liquid

1 Metal NIT Removal Comb
Completely saturate the entire head with Olive Oil beginning at the top of the head and continuing on down to the ends of the hair.

Next, wrap the head completely with Plastic Wrap, or use the Plastic Shower Cap.

Leave oil and plastic on head overnight or for at least 8 hours.

If doing the treatment as an overnight treatment, be sure to lay down clean, dry bath towels anywhere the oil could leak out onto bedding. Use the wash clothes to wipe any extra oil that leaks from the head onto the face or body(as this is a natural occurrence when using such a treatment).

After 8 hours, or in the morning, remove the plastic wrap or shower cap and begin rinsing the hair with warm water(get it as hot as you can bare without being painful).

Next, add a small amount of Dawn dish washing liquid to your head and work into as much of a lather as you can(be careful to avoid contact with the eyes). And then rinse.

Last, begin to use the metal NIT removal comb and begin combing out small sections(about ½ inch in width). Be sure to wipe off the comb repeatedly during this process using the paper towels.

Clean out the NIT comb when you have finished combing the entire head with a bleach/hot water solution allowing the comb to sit in the solution for several hours.

Repeat this process in 2-4 day intervals over the next 7-14 days to ensure no re-infestation occurs.

THere are several other home remedies for head lice, but we felt these were the best ones to display for you.

Lice Do Not Spread Disease, but They Are Contagious!

Lice aren’t dangerous and don’t pass blood born disease disease, but they are contagious and can just be downright annoying. Their bites may cause your child’s scalp to become irritated, and persistent scratching may lead to skin problems and even infection.

Recognizing Head Lice

Though very small, lice can be seen by the Human eye.

Lice eggs (called nits). These look like tiny yellow, tan, or brown sacks before they hatch. Lice lay nits on hair shafts near the scalp, where the temperature is perfect for keeping warm until they hatch. Nits appear a lot like dandruff, only they can’t be removed by brushing or shaking them off. Unless the infestation is heavy, it’s more common to see nits in a child’s hair than it is to see live lice crawling on the scalp. The eggs hatch in about 2 weeks after being ‘nitted.’

Adult and Hatched Lice

Adult lice and nymphs (baby lice). The adult louse is very tiny and is brown-tan in color. Nymphs become fully grown in about a week after hatching. Most lice feed on blood about every 4 to 6 hours, but they can survive up to 3 days off the scalp.

Hair Lice and Scratching

With lice bites come itching and scratching. However, the itching may not always start right away – that depends on how sensitive your child’s skin is to the lice. It can sometimes take weeks for kids with lice to notice the discomfort, meaning the infestation will become more severe. They may complain, though, of things moving around on or tickling their heads as they can feel the lice wriggling near the scalp.

Red Bumps and Scalp Sores from Head Lice

For most children, the irritation is mild; but for others, a more bothersome rash with crusting and oozing may develop. It’s also not unusual for kids to develop some swelling of their lymph glands as a reaction to the bites. Excessive scratching can also lead to a bacterial infection (the skin would become red and tender around the bite area). If your doctor thinks this is the case, he or she may treat the infection with a topical or an oral antibiotic.

Searching For HeadLice

You may be able to see the lice or nits by parting your child’s hair into small sections and checking for lice and nits on the scalp, behind the ears, and around the back of the neck near the hairline). A magnifying glass and bright light may help. But it can be tough to find a nymph or adult louse – often, there aren’t many of them and they’re able to scramble quickly running from the light. It is much easier to find the newly laid eggs attached to the hair shafts.

Are Hair Lice Contagious?

Yes, hair lice are highly contagious and can spread quickly from person to person, especially in group settings (this pretty much means anywhere kids are together such as school, daycare or sports team that share equipment)

Though they can’t fly or jump, these tiny parasites have specially adapted claws that allow them to crawl and cling firmly to hair. They spread mainly through head-to-head contact, but sharing clothing, bed linens, combs, brushes, and hats can also help pass them along.

Can Pets Pass Head Lice

Nope, pets like dogs and cats are NOT prone or susceptible to lice or passing it along. They gotta live with the fleas, but not the lice!

Your doctor can recommend a medicated shampoo, cream, or lotion to kill the lice. These may be over-the-counter or prescription medications, depending on what treatments have already been tried. It isn’t uncommon for treatments to be unsuccessful because of incorrect use or because the lice may be resistant to the chemical in the shampoo.

It’s important to follow the directions completely because these products are insecticides. Applying them too much or too frequently can increase the risk to you or your child. Following the directions on the product label is also important to ensure that the treatment works properly. Your doctor may also suggest a special rinse to use on your child’s hair that makes it easier to comb out the nits using a fine-tooth comb. There are specially designed fine toothed combs that will remove lice eggs from the hair.
A good hair cut is also a good idea after an infestation.

Medicated lice treatments can usually kill the lice and nits, but it may take a few days for the itching to stop. Your doctor may recommend repeating treatment in 7 to 10 days to make sure all the nits have been killed and avoid risk of reinfestation.

What About Lice In The House?

Headlice don’t live very long once they fall off the scalp of the host. So it’s unnecessary to spend a great deal of time and money trying to rid the house of lice.

Following are a few tips for eradicating lice in your house after an outbreak on you or your child’s head.

* Wash all bed linens and clothing that’s been recently worn by anyone in your home who’s infested in very hot water (130° Fahrenheit, 54.4° Celsius), then put them in the hot cycle of the dryer for at least 20 minutes.
* Dry clean any clothing that isn’t machine washable.
* Have bed linens, clothing, and stuffed animals and plush toys that can’t be washed dry-cleaned. Or, put them in airtight bags for 2 weeks.
* Vacuum carpets and any upholstered furniture (in your home or car).
* Soak hair-care items like combs, barrettes, hair ties or bands, headbands, and brushes in rubbing alcohol or medicated shampoo for 1 hour. You can also wash them in hot water or just throw them away.

Because lice are easily passed from person to person in the same house, other infested family members will also need treatment to prevent the lice from coming back.

Here are Some Things You Should NOT Do When An Outbreak of Headlice Occurs

• * Don’t use a hair dryer on your child’s hair after applying any of the currently available scalp treatments because some contain flammable ingredients.
  * Don’t use a cream rinse or shampoo/conditioner combination before applying lice medication.
  * Don’t wash your child’s hair for 1 to 2 days after using a medicated treatment.
  * Don’t use sprays or hire a pest control company to try to get rid of the lice, as they can be harmful.
  * Don’t use the same medication more than three times on one person. If it doesn’t seem to be working, your doctor may recommend another medication.
  * Don’t use more than one head lice medication at a time.

I hope this long article can help you in identifying and eradicating hairlice infestations on you or your children. Now that school is back in session, we will be seeing outbreaks on the rise.