Dealing with a Head Lice Infestation
The problems with head lice are many and one of the main ones is the speed at which they spread. It is a common misconception that head lice fly – they are, in fact, wingless – but they can only move between hosts by walking from hair to hair; this is why they spread very fast among young children – think of the playground and the physical contact.
It is also a myth that a head lice infestation can only occur where the child suffers from less than satisfactory hygiene; a head louse is not choosy about who it lives on, and all it seeks is head from which it can feed upon its staple diet – our blood.
Head lice multiply at an alarming rate: the female adult louse lays up to eight eggs – the famous nits – every day of her thirty day life, and a quick calculation gives you easily over 200 eggs. Each nit stays attached to a hair follicle for approximately one week then hatches as a nymph or young louse. In just a week to two weeks time it becomes a breeding adult, and begins the cycle once more. From that description it is simple to see just how quickly an infestation can spread, and how important it is that it is treated correctly.
Treating head lice is a subject that raises many arguments: there are many insecticide lotions – using Malathion, Permethrin or Lindane in the main – that are available by prescription, and these are widely proven to be successful in many cases, and there are natural shampoos such as those including Tea Tree oil, and essential oil that is used in many herbal medicines, and the choice is a very personal one that is left to the individual.
There also exist some more unusual ways of tackling head lice and nits – including the odd practice of smothering the hair, and the lice, in mayonnaise – that are known to be successful if somewhat messy, and the tried and tested head lice comb is an essential tool in all of this, whether in traditional close toothed form or in the shape of the new style of electric combs that shock the lice to death.
What is important to understand is that the first treatment will almost certainly not rid the head completely of nits, and the patient will need to be closely observed over the next two weeks in order that any emerging head lice nymphs are caught before they can begin to breed.

Head Lice Hatching Routine
One of the difficulties involved in treating a head lice infestation comes from not understanding the life cycle of these annoying but oddly fascinating little creatures; diminutive they may be, miniscule even, yet they can cause a lot of trouble in a very short time!
Fortunately the age of the internet has led to us being able to understand the way these creatures live their lives – and feats on our blood – much more readily thanks to the prevalence of highly detailed and illustrated websites that show us exactly what happens, where and when. Summarizing the head lice hatching point is essential to understand where we need to be, and what we need to do, to catch these pesky creatures in order that they do not spread out of control.
The head lice is distinct from the nit – a point many people are unaware of; the former is the living creature, the tiny wingless insect that crawls around in your hair and pierces the skin to suck up blood – while the latter is the egg of the adult, and is by far the most difficult part of the equation to deal with. Indeed, the nits are so small that they may easily be missed with the best of head lice combs, and as such demand attention above and beyond that given to the living creatures.
In any treatment regime – whether using the likes of Malathion or Permethrin head lice treatment, or even the controversial Lindane, or resorting to herbal remedies or the bizarre suffocation by mayonnaise ritual – understanding that there may have been nits missed in the first treatment is essential and understanding the life cycle – and where the hatching point is – is essential.
An adult louse lives for approximately one month, and in that time she lays around 200 nits – around six every day – and the nits remain as eggs, attached to our hair by a very clever natural glue, for about one week. Once hatched they become head lice nymphs, young lice that are rapidly – in one to two weeks – advanced to breeding adults, and the whole episode begins again.
Knowing that we have one week from laying to hatching means we need to keep an eye out for new born nymphs for that period of time after clearing the head of lice, and we then have a further week to get rid of them before they begin laying. This is why regular, thorough examination is the best way to prevent head lice, and why understanding the hatching routine is vital.

Head Lice Infestation

Permethrin Head Lice Treatment
A head lice infestation presents a very real problem – how to treat it. This problem raises debate across the world as those who favor natural products go head to head with those who choose to use prescribed or over the counter insecticide lotions and shampoos, and there is much to consider when making what is an important decision.
One of the problems pointed to where natural products are concerned, in particular the popular Tea Tree oil shampoos, is that unlike the insecticide versions they are not scientifically tried and tested; this is not to say that they do not work, but that the jury remains undecided as to their natural worth.
As for the insecticide lotions there are three main substances used: Malathion is a popular insecticide, Lindane a very controversial one and Permethrin a substance that is accepted as being among the safest of its family.
The controversy with Lindane has led to its use being banned in some countries, although it is still prescribed in the USA. However, shocking cases of it causing convulsions, and even fatalities, in the young abound, and it has to be said that Permethrin remains the preferred insecticide for head lice treatment.
Permethrin is found in the very popular head lice infestation treatment known as Nix, and this is known to be an effective killer of lice. However, it is important to remember that neither Permethrin nor the other insecticides will kill the nits – the tiny eggs – hence these need to be treated in a different manner, perhaps with the use of a nit comb, persistently and repeatedly, until they are all removed.

Using Insecticide Products For Head Lice

One problem that is reported when using insecticide products is resistance to the substance; colonies can develop resistance to the likes of Permethrin, and if lice are not killed within 30 minutes of the application of an insecticide shampoo or lotion then the treatment has failed. The option now is to try a different insecticide lotion, or resort to one of the natural versions or, more wildly, to smother the creatures in mayonnaise or olive oil, a messy but reportedly effective method of treating these tiny mites.
The controversy surrounding insecticide lotions and the use of Permethrin and its related products is one that will rage for ever more; there is no truly, entirely safe insecticide as all are poisons, yet if you follow the terms of use you may find that they present a successful solution; on the other hand your preference may be for natural products – the choice is, after all, yours.

Choose The Best Head Lice Treatment

Liceadex Lice & Nit Removal Gel

Liceadex One Step Lice & Nit Removal Gel is a special, one of a kind, natural formula that provides a safe effective way to kill lice and their eggs, without traditional and potentially harmful pesticide ingredients like permethrin or pyrethrum found in many over the counter solutions or expensive, multiple-step, essential oil-based solutions. Our formulation, using specialized surfactants and minerals such as bromides, is the fastest-acting and most effective head lice products you will find today without using pesticides.

• Kills all lice and eggs naturally in minutes
• Contains no pesticides
• Allows for easy pain-free, tangle-free nit and debris removal
• Rinses completely clean without oily residue
• Can be used multiple times safely
• Can be used safely after “other” treatments have been done

All about head lice.

Choosing a Head Lice Lotion

Choosing a head lice lotion? With such a variety to choose from choosing the right head lice lotion for your or your child’s treatment for head lice can be time consuming and confusing, and perhaps the best way to get the right information is to look at some of the websites that deal with head lice and have testimonials from people who have successfully used different brands or methods.
However, you are likely to find that there will be two distinct groups of people: those who prefer the insecticide lotions and shampoos prescribed by doctors, and those who opt to use natural or alternative substances for their head lice remedy.
There are arguments for both, and good reasons why you should consider such things carefully before going ahead.
The first thing to remember is that while head lice are potentially embarrassing they are not in any way dangerous; they do not pass on any diseases and head lice simply go about their daily lives with the worst you can expect being an itchy head. Yes, the thought of them feeding on our blood is gross, but there are many far nastier parasites out there. An infestation of head lice is not something that signifies poor hygiene, either, as up to 12 million children, in America alone, suffer from an infestation every year.
As the danger is nonexistent it is questionable whether using powerful insecticides to combat what is a minor problem makes sense. The three main insecticides used are Malathion, Permethrin and Lindane, and while the first two come with little controversy other than possible minor side effects such as exaggerated irritation of the scalp, the latter is a very controversial substance indeed that has been linked to serious convulsions in patients, and even to possible deaths. Some alternative for head lice lotion?

Alternative Of Head Lice Lotion

The alternative lotions for head lice are those that are made from, or utilize, natural ingredients; Tea Tree oil is very much in vogue, and ylang ylang too, and products using these in their make up – shampoos and lotions both – have been found to be as effective as a Permethrin based lotion in independent trials.
Whether you choose to opt for the medically proven insecticides and have your doctor prescribe one of the safe versions, or whether you are prone to go down the natural route and look at herbal options, the choice is, after all, your own, but many would say that trying something completely safe and without any risk is a more sensible first step, particularly as the condition itself is far from a serious one. Head lice should be treated.

Best Product For Head Lice Treatment

Liceadex Lice & Nit Removal Gel For head lice!
Great for an Individual Case of Lice! 2 Products in 1 – Kills the Lice & Helps to Remove The Nits!!

4 oz. / 118 ml Bottle
Liceadex One Step Lice & Nit Removal Gel is a special, one of a kind, natural formula that provides a safe effective way to kill head lice and their eggs, without traditional and potentially harmful pesticide ingredients like permethrin or pyrethrum found in many over the counter solutions or expensive, multiple-step, essential oil-based solutions. Our formulation is one of the fastest-acting and most effective products you will find today. Eliminate head lice now!
-Choosing Head Lice Lotion.

Using Mayonnaise as Head Lice Remedy

Mayonnaise Head Lice remedy – does it work?
Among the more bizarre suggested remedies for the head lice problem is one that uses mayonnaise – common, kitchen mayonnaise – the details of which we shall come to a little later on, but it is interesting to understand why such unusual alternative head lice treatment methods have such following.
The medically prescribed lotions – insecticide washes that contain powerful poisons for killing the creatures – are avoided by many thanks to controversy in recent years; indeed one such substance – an insecticide known as Lindane – has been the subject of a number of scare stories regarding extreme reactions and even deaths, and as such has been removed from use in many countries although it is still available by prescription in the USA. This is not to say that all insecticide methods of head lice treatment are dangerous, but they do come with the risk of minor side effects of head lice, something that the alternative methods of head lice treatment do not.

Mayonnaise as Head Lice Remedy is Less Harmful

This is where mayonnaise comes in, and you might ask yourself what could be less harmful – or, indeed, less ridiculous – than coating the head in a salad dressing! The truth is that while it does seem very odd it has its reasoning in a sound basis, for the mayonnaise head lice remedy plays into a very unusual biological feature of the tiny creatures.
Head lice have an unusual breathing apparatus that is accessed by tiny holes in the side of the body, and while these holes are able to close for periods of time they have to open again at some point; the trick is to smother the head, very liberally, with mayonnaise and leave it there for several hours. If the thought of sitting around with a head covered in mayonnaise seems utterly bizarre then it bears thinking about what happens – the head lice, when its breathing holes open, finds it cannot breathe and simply suffocates.

Mayonnaise – Cheap and Simple head lice Treatment

This cheap and simple method of head lice treatment is not without its problems, however: considerable mess is obviously one and the need to sit around for hours another, while the fact that it will not kill all the head lice, or the nits – eggs – in one go is another. This means another day sitting around with a head covered in mayonnaise, but if it gets rid of the pesky creatures, that can only be worthwhile.
Given that head lice are not dangerous – unpleasant and embarrassing, yes, but no danger to anyone – it makes sense to use the least harmful method of head lice treatment and mayonnaise may just be the answer!

-Mayonnaise Head Lice remedy.

How to get rid of mites
There are many types of skin mites that affect both us and our pets during our lifetimes, and these resilient and annoying parasites often prove very difficult to get rid of. Indeed, how to get rid of mites is a discussion that often enters into controversial territory, given that the various methods may involve the use of dangerous chemicals.
First, a brief description of what mites are: skin mites are tiny – often practically invisible – creatures of the arachnid family that choose to live on our skin and feed off our blood. In the case of the common scabies mite – otherwise known as the itch mite and found on cats, dogs and humans – it burrows under the upper layer of the skin and lays its eggs, while the ear mite – commonly found as mites and dogs and one of the mites cats have to endure regularly – likes to live in the ear canal, but is also found elsewhere.
There are other types of mites – house dust mites and harvest mites – that are equally annoying, yet the house dust mite does not live on our skin but in bedding and soft furnishing; how to get rid of mites of this type is to rid the house of carpets and as much in the way of soft furnishings as you can, although eliminating them completely is considered impossible.
Scabies mites, and other types, are often treated with insecticide lotions and creams, and this is where the controversy arises; permethrin, the insecticide used in common itch mite treatments, is a powerful insecticide that is synthetically made and may have minor side effects – skin irritation and so on – while Lindane, the second of the common insecticides, is banned in many countries and should be used with great caution and, if unsure, not at all. For cats and dogs there are similar treatments, yet you must check with a qualified professional before use as some may not be suitable for certain animals.
Washing with tea tree oil shampoo – an essential oil drawn from the leaves of the Australian tea tree plant and known to have medicinal properties of some sort – is a popular natural remedy, and shampooing regularly, plus keeping the house and furnishings clean and well vacuumed, is also a step towards ridding yourself of the mites.
Whatever you do, it is essential that sufficient treatment is commenced quickly as leaving the mites to spread can cause greater problems in quite a short time.

Malathion Head Lice treatment – is it safe?
There has been much written of late about the controversy surrounding some of the prescription and over the counter insecticide head lice treatments, hence it is worth us taking a look at how safe they actually are.
There are many such lotions and shampoos on the market, most of them with three main insecticides as the active ingredient: Malathion head lice treatment comes in the shape of a brand known as Ovide, and this is a very popular medicinal treatment used by many people all the time. Others include those made using Permethrin, and most controversial are the lotions that utilize the powerful insecticide Lindane.
The latter has become particularly controversial as it has been linked to a number of very serious cases of side effects – convulsions of a serious nature, and even a death – and as a result products using the substance have been banned from sale in many European countries, but are still available on prescription in the USA. Unlike Lindane, its sister aforementioned insecticide lotions are said to be entirely safe and come with only the chance of minor side effects.
So what are Malathion and the others? Insecticides are essentially poisons that are designed to kill insects. The ones used in these products are synthetic – that is manmade – versions of natural products, and are very powerful indeed.
It is the act of covering a child’s head in potentially dangerous chemicals that puts a lot of parents off using the lotions, and this is why there have become available a series of alternative treatments that are safe, yet not scientifically proven. Malathion is a successful product, and has many adherents who swear by its efficiency, however.
Using it is simple – it is rubbed into the head and left for a short time, therefore killing as many lice as possible. Despite manufacturer’s claims, it is unlikely to kill nits, hence they will need to be treated in a different manner. Furthermore, the possible side effects include irritation of the skin and possible increase in dandruff, and it is not recommended that those already suffering from known skin conditions use the substance or others like it. Nor should they use it if they have open wounds, and it is imperative it is kept away from the eyes.
Given the number of restrictions, and the press horror stories, it is no surprise that people opt to use alternative methods, washing with a shampoo mixed with Tea Tree oil being very popular, but it must be said that Malathion products are certified as safe to use, and known to work in many cases.

Head Lice Remedies
Head lice are an enduring problem among children of America, of whom between six and 12 million suffer from infestations of the creatures in any given year. Although head lice are not dangerous they do carry a stigma of embarrassment, even though head lice are not indicative of poor hygiene. Treating head lice and removing them can be a painstaking routine, and there are many different methods of treatment that are recommended on websites and in books on the subject. In general, however, head lice remedies can be bracketed into one of three types: insecticide lotions, herbal and natural shampoos, and smothering techniques, and each of these must be used in conjunction with the traditional or electronic nit comb.
Insecticide lotions are just that, lotions that include powerful chemicals that kill head lice. There are three popular insecticides that can be found in various branded products, namely Malathion, Permethrin and Lindane.
All of these are poisons and, while present only in very small quantities, many people are reluctant to use them as they do profess to possible side effects. In the case of the first two these side effects are minor – irritation of the skin, added dandruff – but in the case of Lindane a number of concerns have been raised as the chemical has been linked to cases in which patients experienced serious reactions and even death. Lindane products are still prescribed in the USA, but it is notable they are banned in some other countries.
The natural alternatives are shampoos that contain herbal products known to have medicinal qualities. Many people swear by shampoos that include the essential Tea Tree oil, taken from the leaves of a plant native to Australia and used by the Aborigines for medicinal purposes for many centuries, and also the ylang ylang essence, which is widely used in herbal remedies. A lotion containing the latter was tested independently and found to be at least as effective as one using Permethrin as its active ingredient, and the natural substances have the advantage of being completely harmless.
The final selection are the suffocation or smothering techniques, and that is precisely what they are: a substance such as olive oil, Vaseline or – rather oddly – mayonnaise is smeared all over the scalp, and this fills the holes that the louse breathes through. The creatures then suffocate, and the substance is washed away.
All have their downsides – the side effects in the first, the untested qualities of the second and the messy nature of the third – and it remains up to the individual to choose the preferred option. Perhaps trying the least risky first makes the most sense.

Malathion Head Lice Treatment
One of the great controversies of treating a head lice infestation surrounds the use of insecticide lotions and shampoos, with reports of side effects – sometimes quite severe – being off-putting to many. The three main insecticides used – Malathion, Permethrin and Lindane – all have reported problems, and in the case of the latter reports of severe seizures and even fatalities have led to it being removed from use in many countries, although it is still available on prescription in the USA.
Among the three one of the most popular is Malathion, as used in the very widely prescribed Ovide, a lotion that is known to have an effect on head lice and their nymphs when used in many cases. It is a fact, however, that no insecticide will kill all of the well protected nits – the head lice eggs – and these need to be treated with a different method.
Among the known side effects of Malathion are those of a dry scalp, a stinging sensation and a possible increase in dandruff, and the substance should not be used – like all insecticide products – on those who have open wounds or a prior skin condition. It needs to be kept away from the eyes, too, and pregnant women are strongly advised to steer clear of insecticide products.
These minor side effects are acknowledged by the FDA, and the lotions – Ovide among them – are considered safe for use when the instructions are followed.
One thing that should be borne in mind is that Ovide is not recommended for children under the age of six (in fact no insecticide products are) and if the infestation is present on the head of such an infant, and it is very likely, then medical advice should be sought as to what steps to take.
The alternatives are the natural shampoos that abound on the market – many with the very popular Tea Tree oil, a medicinal herbal remedy favored by the Aborigines of Australia, present – and the trusty nit comb, an essential item in any treatment regime. Head lice combs are available in two types, the traditional version with the very close teeth and a newer version that works by administering an electric shock. The shock may be fatal to the lice but is not felt by the patient, being provided by a standard battery.
Using insecticides such as Malathion has been shown to work, yet it is not everybody’s choice to coat the head with poisons; consider your options carefully.

Lindane Head Lice Treatment
There are many products on the market that are prescribed to combat the persistent problem of head lice, and among these the most controversial are those that use insecticides. In general there are three main insecticides that are found in head lice lotions, these being Malathion, Permethrin and most controversially of all, Lindane.
Lately there have been concerns raised about the use of Lindane in the field of treating head lice, and scabies, but are there real reasons to be concerned where Lindane head lice treatments are concerned?
The truth is that there have been reports of side effects – quite severe in some cases – in patients using Lindane, yet there are some people who use it successfully. The personal choice as to whether you wish to use a product that is poison based, when there are natural alternatives that many people believe to be just as effective, is one that many people find perplexing, and the FDA has recently issued a set of guidelines and warnings about using Lindane, particularly with regard to certain sets of people.
The rather shocking news is that it has been confirmed that over use of Lindane based products has resulted in serious side effects such as seizures, and in some cases deaths have been reported. There are strict guidelines in place for using Lindane, and these must be followed if the product is to be used safely.
As Lindane is not to be used on babies or children – as they, and those under 110lbs in weight carry a higher risk of seizure than others – its use as treatment for head lice is rapidly declining. Those people who have disorders that induce seizures are advised not to use the substance, and anyone with skin conditions of any kind should avoid it completely.
Furthermore, if you suffer from any condition or take any form of medication you must inform your medical practitioner at the time of diagnosis in order that Lindane products are not prescribed; if you do use Lindane and you begin to feel excessively tired or suffer from dizzy spells, or feel as if the skin is burning or develop a rash, then it is advised that you cease use at once and contact your doctor.
All of this sounds very alarming and sensationalist yet the fact remains that the FDA has issued warnings regarding the use of Lindane shampoos and lotions, and they are worth heeding when considering the apt treatment for your case.