Here’s the thing about head lice, once your child is infected, there is really no short cut to getting rid of them. Head lice infestation is common among elementary school kids. Coincidentally, back to school is around the corner, which means the head lice season is lurking. You might want to inform yourself of these nine steps that effectively eliminate head lice, in preparation for the long battle.
STAY INFORMED ABOUT HEAD LICE
Head lice survive through the courtesy of a live host, in this case, a human head. They move fast, which makes it hard to see the lice with the naked eye. Mostly, they transfer from one head to another through direct contact or sharing of combs. Their nits take about seven days to hatch and require a conducive surrounding that’s warm and moist to thrive. In the absence of these conditions, lice cannot survive more than 24 hours.
DON’T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON LICE PRODUCTS
The market is flooded with counterfeit products that promise quick solutions to head lice but will disappoint you. Invest in a good stainless-steel hairbrush, enough olive oil, and a shower cap.
COMB YOUR CHILD’S HAIR IN SECTIONS WHILE APPLYING OLIVE OIL
You might want to cover your head to prevent the transfer of the lice. Coat every section you comb with a generous amount of olive oil. Apply from the scalp, through the hair to the ends. With every comb, clean the brush with a clean tissue and discard safely in a plastic bag. You could turn to a professional lice remover for quality work.
DISINFECT
Put all clothes, linen, and pillowcases that have been used in the past three days in the dryer. Lice cannot thrive in scorching conditions. Disinfect your combs, brushes and other hair accessories by soaking in hot water and let them dry in the sun. For stuff that can’t be used in the dryer or hot water, put them in a plastic bag and zip them tightly for about 48 hours. This should suffocate the lice.
COAT WITH MORE OLIVE OIL
Depending on the severity of the infestation, you might want to coat your child’s hair with olive oil again. Shampoo and wash the hair properly and coat with olive oil once again to ensure that the infestation is dealt with thoroughly.
CONTINUE INSPECTING
For the next fourteen days, continue checking for any live nits and lice. You could visually inspect using a comb under good lighting.
CREATE AWARENESS
The entire process would be useless if your child goes to school only to be re-infected with head lice. Make an effort to visit your child’s school and let the nurse know that there is lice infestation among the kids. Other parents should follow suit and eliminate head lice from their kids.
TAKE PREVENTIVE MEASURES
You might want to prevent re-infestation through investing in good preventative shampoos and conditioners. You could teach your kids about not sharing hair combs in school.
KEEP AN OPEN MIND
Head lice will seek refuge on clean and tidy scalps. No matter how clean you keep your kids’ heads, they aren’t safe from head lice infestation. Let head lice infestation be your main job when cleaning their hair.
Informing yourself about head lice gives you an advantage in dealing with the menace on time. If you are having problems eliminating them, contact us today at our head lice treatment center Chadds Ford for professional lice removal and guidance. We are arguably the best in the lice removal business.
