Head Lice Scalp

Head Lice Scalp Examinations

Understanding where the head lice lives and how it goes about its life cycle is essential to deciding how best to treat the infestation, and when one considers that head louse is a very hardy creature then it becomes clearer why these annoying creatures are difficult to eradicate.
If you suspect head lice are present, either on your or your children’s hair, then you need to undertake a head lice scalp examination, and very carefully indeed; the head louse lives among the hair, but primarily on the scalp, and lays its eggs – nits – close to the base of the hair follicle. This is one reason why the lice and the eggs in particular, are difficult to remove, and why there is great and continuing debate as to the best treatment for head lice.
While there are medicinal shampoos on the market they tend to contain powerful insecticides, and this – coupled with the fact that lice may have become immune to some of the chemicals involved – is one reason why many people opt for homemade remedies for head lice. These range from shampoos with natural additives to the suffocation technique, but before we look at them we need to touch on an essential tool that is necessary when getting in touch with the scalp problem.
The head lice comb is an invention for a very specific purpose: to help eradicate head lice. Whereas a conventional comb will have gaps between the teeth that are wide enough to let the lice through, and will also find it hard to reach the scalp, the head lice comb is shorter but deeper, with very fine tines that enable the dragging and snaring of both the head louse and her nits. This technique – wet combing – is always carried out in conjunction with regular washing, and that’s where shampoos come in.
One very popular substance that can be added to, or found in, shampoos and is useful for treating head lice is tea tree oil; this is a natural oil extracted from the Tea Tree plant native to Australia, and the Aborigines are known to regard its medicinal qualities very highly. Vinegar is another substance that is advised to be massages into the scalp and then rinsed away, as its acidic qualities enable it to loosen the very strong adhesive that holds nits to the hairs.
More than anything, prevention may be the best cure, and regular and thorough examination of the scalp may unveil the presence of the dreaded head louse.