Lice are basically small insects that lay eggs on human hair follicles and acquire nourishment by sucking on the blood that’s under the surrounding skin. Scientifically referred to as pediculosis capitis, head lice don’t pose any major health hazards, although their presence could bring about secondary issues. Most lice-infected people would suffer from significant scalp itching and also develop other problems such as irritated skin or a skin rash. Contrary to common perception, head lice do not hurt animals. They, in fact, are the human variant of fleas. They crawl, and don’t fly or jump.
The most common are head lice, although pubic lice and body lice are fairly common too. Proper head lice control comprises treating and preventing infestations. This could include practices of hygiene, lifestyle modifications, or using medicated shampoos that help kill lice.
A medicated shampoo is frequently used by people as a lice control measure. But this doesn’t mean the method is the most effective. In fact, there is quite a bit of controversy surrounding the method. This is because these shampoos have chemicals called pesticides that help kill lice on the head. Many studies have stated that these pesticides have the potential to harm humans. Not to mention, some lice grow immune to such chemicals over a period, which makes many people believe that such shampoos are no longer worth to put up with their debilitating side effects.
There are many kinds of specially devised lice combs, which are usually quite effective at controlling lice. These combs pass via the bunch of hair on your head to entrap lice, along with their eggs, which are referred to as nits. These eggs could be hard to get rid of from human hair follicles. Therefore, applying a lubricant, like vinegar or hair conditioner, to the hair before putting the lice comb to work could render the removal process smooth and easy. The comb that helps retrieve lice must be submerged in some soapy water after it has done removing lice from your hair.
Also, lice spreads easily from one individual to another and could also be seen on the infected person’s clothing, bedding and/or towels. Once the infected individual is treated, all these lice-laden items, and also stuffed animals that the individual had possession of, must be washed and later dried using high-heat settings. Treating family members who have been infected with lice isn’t necessary a lice control method as there isn’t any effective prevention technique besides treating the infected individual so that lice could not shift from one individual to another.
Moreover, it isn’t mandatory to check or treat pets for lice presence as a method of controlling lice. Human lice cannot live or sustain themselves on animals. They, in fact, cannot survive without a human as host for more than a couple of days. Checking all members of a house once every two weeks is an effective measure to control lice. Making sure the house is clean at all times and vacuuming frequently are also effective lice control techniques.