Posts Tagged ‘nits’

American Academy of Pediatrics head Lice report
In an interesting study that was recently carried out and published, the American Academy of Pediatrics – or AAP – looked closely at the head lice problem, a problem that affects millions of children in America during their lifetimes.
As the report points out at the beginning, head lice infestation can lead to anxiety in the child concerned, although it also points out that this is the very worst that can happen – the head louse, while annoying, is essentially harmless and needs to be eradicated thanks to the hygiene problem they present; easy to spread among children, the AAP report sheds light on just how prevalent the problem is.
Some interesting figures are published in the report, including the fact that an estimated six to 12 million children, between the ages of three and 12 years, suffer from head lice during each year in America alone; these are staggering numbers when considered in the cold light of day, and explain why the problem is one that, although practically harmless, needs to be addressed.
The AAP also take the trouble to point out that lice are not a sign of poor hygiene and, unlike some insects, are not responsible for passing on any other diseases;  there is plenty advice too on the head lice life cycle, its various stages, and why it is important to understand this in order to treat an infestation properly. Indeed, of particular interest is that a louse will not survive for long away from a humans head, and therefore removing them is a very efficient method of elimination.
Also interesting is the explanation as to why it can take several weeks for us to realize we have head lice – the itching is an allergic reaction, and this takes time in some cases to come forth – and also that the life cycle of the creature, from birth to breeding, takes as little as three weeks. This is the reason why these creatures spread at such an alarming rate.
Remedies are covered in some detail, from the many insecticide lotions including Malathion head lice treatment, through to the various natural remedies, some of which have been found to be as effective as the medicinal ones, and also the suffocation methods, while instructions and guidelines for schools and parents are also investigated and outlined.
All in all, it is heartening to see the AAP take an interest and invest so much time and effort into what is an embarrassing, if needlessly so, condition that is suffered by so many.

Tea Tree Oil Head Lice Remedy
There is a school of thought that says head lice – being essentially harmless – need not be treated with anything that carries any substance of a risk, and that the best methods are those that are based on natural products. This belief carries some weight, as although head lice are perceived as an embarrassment and the itching is irritating, they are not dangerous in any way and do not carry other diseases. Treating them with insecticides – some of which do carry inbuilt risks – may seem akin to using a crane to crush a fly.
This is where natural remedies come into play, and in particular the very popular Tea Tree Oil head lice treatment method, one which has its basis in the age old beliefs of an ancient people.
The Tea Tree plant is native to Australia, and the essential oil is distilled from the leaves of the plant, where the native Aborigines are known to have used it for centuries for a variety of medicinal and health orientated uses. Indeed, investigation has shown that Tea Tree oil does have a definite anti-fungal quality, and it is used widely in many different ways as a treatment for certain conditions.
Head lice are believed to be deterred by the presence of the oil, and as such washing with a shampoo that contains Tea Tree oil is both a remedy and prevention, two birds killed with the same stone.
Those who are wary of using such products point to the lack of scientific basis for the success of such natural substances, yet in trials it was found that a shampoo using such natural oils was equally as effective in killing head lice as one of the more commonly prescribed insecticide lotions. Furthermore, reports are being heard of head lice becoming immune to the chemical versions as their systems adapt.
Logic dictates that if something is not dangerous, and simply needs to be removed, doing so with any sort of risk does not make sense, and this is why the natural remedies such as Tea Tree oil and ylang ylang essence, another popular substance, are becoming more widely used. Alternatively one could choose to smother the head in mayonnaise – another harmless yet much messier method of killing head lice – but the cleaner and less troublesome routine of washing in a good herbal shampoo, followed by the essential wet combing to bring out the nits which will not be killed by the oil, may be the preferred method.

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.

All About Head Lice Nits
In understanding the problem of head lice it is necessary to dispel a few myths and misconceptions; one is that head lice cannot fly – they are wingless creatures as evidenced by the many head lice pictures available on the internet – and perhaps more important is to understand that head lice and head lice nits are two different things.
This is vital in treatment terms as getting rid of either requires a different approach; the lice themselves, the adult walking creatures, are relatively easy to get rid of by using either one of the many insecticide lotions or shampoos, Malathion or Permethrin for instance, available in well known brand such as Ovide, or by using a natural method or lotion, many of which are rather bizarre and somewhat questionable. Nits, however, are absolutely microscopic and may avoid being eliminated by even the strongest of insecticide treatments, meaning that while the lice have all been killed there are living, soon to hatch eggs remaining, and ready to start off a new colony in a matter of days.
One problem with head lice nits is that they are attached to our hair by what amounts to a very strong glue, and they are laid very close to the scalp making them difficult to find; wet combing the hair with a nit comb over a white sheet of paper may help to identify those that you do manage to dislodge – they will appear as tiny white specks – but this does not mean they have all been successfully removed.
A seemingly odd process may help to dislodge the nits from their strong holding, as bathing the head in vinegar has been shown to loosen the attachment to the hair, thanks to the acids present. Once done, and rinsed thoroughly, a further combing with a nit comb may result in a full clear out of all attendant nits.
As some may remain we need to keep a close eye on the patient over the next few days; nits hatch approximately one week after they are laid, and in as little as a further week the young head lice nymphs become breeding adults. This means you have a space of two weeks from the initial treatment over which close attention, and regular inspection, must be kept up in order to clear the head of any future or possible infestation. Nits are the biggest part of the problem, and the most difficult to spot, so such examinations are an integral part of any treatment regime.

Head Lice Shampoo – a personal choice
Head louse treatment comes in many shapes and forms – from shampooing to removal, from smothering to combing – that it can be difficult for a patient to make a choice. So much information is available that it can be confusing trying to understand the merits of one method above another, so let us concentrate here on head lice shampoo, as it is very likely that one will be used in conjunction with any method of treatment you choose to use.
One popular form of lotion that is used for washing the scalp is known as Ovide; this shampoo type lotion contains the insecticide Malathion, and is said to be very effective against the head lice. As Malathion is an insecticide it does have certain properties that some people may be put off by – it is, after all, a poison – and although possible side effects are minor, added dandruff and irritation of the scalp for instance, the appeal of natural alternatives means many people steer away from the insecticide option.
Other brands such as Rid and Nix – both very popular for head lice treatment – include different insecticides, and although they can also make claims for success they do contain poisons and can induce similar side effects. Furthermore, it has been reported of late that lice in some cases are developing immunity to these insecticides to the point where it would not be safe to increase the dosage in order to be successful, so it may be worth investigating alternative methods.
One popular alternative head lice and nits treatment is to use Tea Tree oil in a shampoo. Tea Tree oil is what is known as an essential oil, and is distilled from the leaves of the Tea Tree plant, native to Australia; it has, in fact, been used for medicinal purposes by the Aborigine people for many centuries, and is known to have anti-fungal properties.
There are two schools of thought with regard to Tea Tree oil and other natural remedies: the first is that they are perfectly safe and do not carry the possible side effects of the insecticide alternative, and the second is that they are essentially untested and unproven methods that do not work.
The latter may be so in some cases, yet there are many reports that washing with Tea Tree oil is successful in getting rid of head lice. It is a matter of personal choice whether the individual wishes to pursue a harmless method at first, before opting for the insecticide version should it not be successful.

The Head Lice Comb – essential tool
Treating head lice can seem like a complex and confusing routine as there are so many different prescribed methods, but one thing always figures in whatever regime you choose, be it washing or smothering, natural or insecticide, and that is the head lice comb, a very clever and extremely cheap item that is absolutely essential when eradication an infestation of head lice.
The head lice comb came about thanks to the very nature of the louse itself – tiny, indeed microscopic, the head louse and its eggs, otherwise known as nits, are immune to being removed by a standard comb as they simply pass through the gaps between the teeth. The special comb is designed with very closely coupled teeth and with a longer reach than normal, as it needs to get in to the scalp where the lice lay the nits, right at the base of the hair follicles.
The aim is to snag any living, or dead, lice and to try and do the same with the nits, although the diminutive size of these, and the way they are attached to the hairs with very strong natural glue, means this may be more difficult than at first believed.
As the nits are firmly attached to the hairs it is believed by some that loosening them is essential, and one method of doing this is to smother the hair in vinegar for the acidic content of the liquid will dissolve the adhesive and leave the eggs free of the hair. Naturally, this makes them easier to dislodge from the scalp by way of the head lice comb.
Many people choose to wash the hair with a naturally medicated or insecticide comprised shampoo, and this can have a great effect in killing the lice, yet combing through with the comb is still essential.
There is a second type of nit comb that has become available of late, and this is the electric louse comb; it works by administering an electric shock that is too small to be felt by us yet fatal for the louse, and is powered by a standard battery. These affordable and effective devices may signal the way forward in treating head lice, as the creatures are reported to be developing immunity to certain insecticides used to treat them as a rule.
Combs of this type, and traditional nit combs, are widely available these days, and are recommended for use with all treatments for head lice infestation.

How to get rid of Head Lice
The head lice problem is one that affects many millions of people across the world, as these irritating creatures are prevalent across the globe and have been for millions of years. The head louse is a very hardy creature that can be difficult to deal with, although once a routine has been found that appears to be successful the patient can look forward to a louse free existence.
The methods of treatment available differ greatly, but one thing that is always needed is the classic head lice comb: this is a small comb, deeper and shorter than a standard one, that has very closely packed teeth and is designed specifically to drag the lice, and the nits – tiny eggs that are attached to our hairs – from the hair, and whatever alternative method you use there is always the need for a nit comb to play a part.
Further methods involve the use of special medicinal shampoos, and among these one very popular prescription only insecticide shampoo is that known as Ovide; containing the insecticide Malathion in very small quantities, this is a preferred method by many, yet there are those who opt not to coat their children’s hair in chemicals that can have side effects.
The alternative is to use a shampoo that contains a natural substance, and among these Tea Tree oil – an essential oil taken from the tea tree plant native to Australia – is very popular indeed, and many claim it has excellent effect and brings about results.
There are more unusual methods of getting rid of head lice, for a popular head louse treatment method involves smothering them with household products. The head louse breathes through a series of holes on either side of the body, and these can be closed for periods of time to prevent drowning when we wash our hair. However, the louse has to open them at some time, and if we can smother them and prevent them from breathing then they will die.
To do this people use products that may at first seem rather odd – mayonnaise and olive oil are preferred – as these congeal on the lice and prevent it from breathing when it opens the breathing holes. Messy but reportedly successful, a thorough comb through with a nit comb, after a wash of course, is also needed to finalize this effective if unusual treatment regime. Following any treatment, regular inspection is also recommended in order to keep the population from reappearing.

Head Lice Scalp Treatment
Irritation of the scalp is a common indication of the presence of head lice, but it is not the only one. The irritation comes from an allergic reaction to the creatures biting into our scalp and injecting a fluid that prevents the blood from clotting; as not everyone has this same allergic reaction it is not a definitive signifier of the presence of lice, although it is one of the most common.
As the head louse lays its eggs close to the scalp it makes it the place to look for the creatures, and all instructions of how to get rid of head lice will instruct you to carry out regular inspections of the scalp for crawling lice and for nits, tiny white eggs, at the base of the hairs very close to the scalp.
Head lice scalp treatment ranges from the logical to the seemingly absurd, but the main routines involve thoroughly washing the hair and scalp using one of the many special head lice shampoos that populate the market these days. There are two main types of these – the medicinal and the natural – and it is worth considering the benefits of both, and the downsides, too.
In favor of the medicinal, prescription insecticide shampoos and lotions is the fact that they are scientifically tested and proven; they do, however, contain chemicals which are known to have possible side effects that cause irritation to the scalp, and in some cases an increase in dandruff, and many people are put off using them by this. Some lotions with smaller dosed of the insecticide are available over the counter, yet the effectiveness of these is disputed in many quarters.
Kinder to the scalp are the shampoos and lotions that come with natural addictives, particularly the widely used Tea Tree oil versions; this essential oil comes from an Australian plant that has been used for many hundreds of years by the Aborigines for a variety of medicinal routines, and many people swear by its effectiveness. Although harmless, it is not a certified method of deterrent or cure, and as such must be taken at face value by those who use it.
Examining the scalp for head lice is very important in preventing and treating the problem, and a head lice comb is very useful in this respect, too; keep up with regular inspections, particularly if a case is known in the vicinity, and make sure you catch any outbreaks very quickly.

Head Louse Treatment – A World of Choice
Head lice present an annoying problem to many of us over our lifetime, and those that have children will undoubtedly be affected by the creatures at some point. They are very small insects and, therefore, very difficult to detect, yet when diagnosed there are many different, and wildly varied, methods of dealing with them – some which border on the downright odd!
The first method of treatment we have to talk about is the most important – the head lice comb. This is a specially designed comb that is intended to help to remove the lice, and their nits, from the hair: it does so by way of very closely coupled teeth, much closer than a standard comb and tight enough to snag lice, and by having extra depth that can reach right to the root of the hair, where the eggs, the nits, are habitually laid.
The comb must be used with whatever other treatments are chosen, as it is essential in removing any stragglers that may have been left behind; when one considers that an adult female lives for thirty days and lays up to eight nits each day you can see how many eggs there may be and how easy it would be to miss some.
Further to the comb is the use of head lice shampoo, and this comes in two forms – insecticide and natural; the former involves the use of chemicals, such as the Ovide head lice treatment that included the insecticide Malathion, and while these are scientifically proven concoctions it remains so that many people shy away from using them for fear of side effects.
The alternative is shampoos that include natural ingredients, sometimes herbal remedies that are believed to provide relief from the louse problem. Among the most popular is the use of the essential oil from the Tea Tree plant, whose leaves have been distilled for many centuries by the Aborigines to provide the oil, which is regarded as having very strong medicinal properties.
When any of these are used it is essential that the shampoo is followed up by a rinse and a comb through with the nit comb in order to check for any remaining lice.
The final method involves smothering the creatures, and is perhaps the most bizarre: the use of mayonnaise, smeared on the head, or olive oil may sound slightly ridiculous, but these substances at to fill the holes through which the lice breathe, leaving them suffocated and dead. Again, a comb through with the nit comb follows, and whichever method proves successful for you will become apparent.

Head Lice Nits Treatment – What You Should Know
One of the most difficult parts of treating a head lice infestation is getting rid of the nits – the tiny eggs of the adult louse – as the cleverest part of the head louse life is how, and where, these absolutely microscopic eggs are laid.
To get rid of head lice nits’ treatment needs to be taken as very much its own thing, removed from the treatment of the lice themselves as they require a different approach.
The problems come from many sides, with the miniature size of the nits – small enough to be missed by a nit comb in some cases – being one and the fact that they are laid very close to the scalp and attached to the hair by a strong adhesive are others; combined these make removing nits very difficult indeed, yet there are interesting routines that can be carried out to help in the process.
Vinegar is a substance that has many surprising uses, and one of them is in the treatment of head lice nits; the reason is that vinegar is an acid, and the acidic qualities dissolve the glue that attaches the nit to the hair, so washing the hair in vinegar loosens the eggs up and makes them easier to remove.
Once washed, and rinsed, a wet combing with the nit comb should find more than usual, as they will not be attached as firmly to the hair follicles as they once were.
Understanding the head louse life cycle is useful in nit removal, too, and while there are many websites giving detailed information that are worth a visit, we can summarize it here: the adult louse lives for around one month, and in this time lays around six nits every day. The nits remain as such for around one week before they hatch into young nymphs, and in between one and two weeks are fully functioning breeding adults, beginning the cycle once more.
This is why the first routine for treating head lice nits needs to be repeated over the next fortnight, as any nits left behind will still get the chance to hatch. Once hatched, they then have a week before they may begin laying again – and that is the time you have to make sure you have cleared the head entirely of lice and nits.
In this process attention to detail is essential, for regular inspection of the hair and scalp is the best way to make sure that there is no louse activity.