The word “lice” conjures up images of children scratching their heads vigorously because tiny, little things that can barely be seen have decided to make these small heads their happy home. It is a reality. A surprisingly large number of children suffer from head lice during school years as do a large number of adults. The reason is simple. Lice travel. They love doing it. In fact, they don’t even need head-to-head contact for this travel. If a child uses a towel or a mat that has been previously used by a child who has head lice, 99% of the time that towel or mat will be a host to these little critters.
So what does one do? Getting rid of head lice requires patience and some effort. However, it is possible to get rid of them. Here are some natural cures for getting your kid’s scalp free of head lice and their eggs, called nits.
Medicated Shampoos for Lice Control
Inform your doctor about this condition so that he or she can prescribe a lindane-based shampoo or another safer, over-the-counter option that would need to be shampooed into your child’s hair and left for at least two minutes before rinsing. The hair should then be combed with a fine-toothed comb section by section to remove the nits which attach to the roots of the hair; otherwise, the nits hatch and the lice are back.
Disinfect Combs and Clothes
Clothes, pillow cases and sheets, and combs are a great way for lice to travel. So, make sure that combs are immersed in antiseptic solutions or lice-killing shampoo and clothes are washed in hot water to prevent them from spreading and continuing to reproduce. Also, disenfect the comb used to comb out nits by dipping it in lice-killing shampoo after each use.
Vinegar Conditioner for Washing Away Lice
Older children and adults can use a conditioner made of equal parts of white vinegar and water to rinse hair after shampooing. This will wash off the dead lice and nits, plus it leaves the hair feeling soft and shiny.
Get Your Head Shaved
A simple hair cut will not curb or get rid of lice. What one might need to do is to shave off the hair completely. This would be a good option for a young child who wouldn’t be too bothered about looks and style. Otherwise, just use the other methods to get rid of lice and nits.
Using Fruits and Vegetables to Treat Lice
While the efficacy of using juice of raw onions or the paste of a custard apple to get rid of lice has not yet been proven, these kitchen cures can be tried to treat head lice. After all, there is no harm in doing it; the worst it could cause would be an unpleasant smell. Chances are you may wake up with a lice-free head.
While head lice may be an unpleasant reality for moms of school-going kids, it is possible to get rid of them. Use some or all of these home remedies and give your child a head free of lice, nits and incessant itching.
For more on home remedies and natural cures, do read Natural Remedies for Gout and Home Remedies:Heat Rash Treatments.