How Are You Treating Head Lice

When it comes to treating head lice, there are a few myths and misconceptions out there regarding their habits and how to go about treating them.

If you've come to the conclusion that head lice have infested your home, knowing what you have on your hands and correctly administering treatment is essential. There are many opinions and thoughts regarding the behavior of head lice and how the interact with their human hosts.

Head lice have nothing to do with transferring communicable diseases. You may come across opinion that says that lice can fly or jump from person to person. With no wings attached to their body, head lice cannot fly... but they can and do crawl. Direct contact amongst people or through contact with items such as combs, clothes, scarves, etc. is the only way head lice are passed around.

Another misconception is how long they survive once isolated from their host. Head lice are quite dependant on their host for nourishment and warmth. Their exclusive source of food is human blood which they draw from the scalp.

The typical lifespan of a louse is about 30 days... but removed from a host it is is more like 24 hours. Also, it is thought that people with short hair are almost resistant to lice which is not the case. It matters not the length of one's hair, their age, or anything else. Additionally, Remember too, head lice are a human parasite and are not transferred by animals.

After applying treatment to the hair with medicated shampoo and combing out all of the nits and lice, you need to think about anything else the infected person has come into contact with. Belongings that are able to be washed in the washing machine like clothes and bedding should be washed in hot water. Hot temperatures (above 120 degrees Fahrenheit)are hot enough to destroy the head lice. Things that you cannot put through a wash cycle can be placed in a hot dryer for about 20 minutes. Dry cleaning your clothes is another option or you could even place them in an air tight bag for approximately two weeks.

For brushes and combs, place them in a pan of about 150 degree hot water for about 10 minutes. If heating your brushes or combs in this way could damage them, you can put them in phenol solution like Lysol and soak them for an hour. You should also painstakingly vacuum or clean carpets, car seats and interiors of cars and furniture upholstery. As part of the treatments, you should also totally vacuum the mattress of the infested person. Bug bombing or fogging your home or the use of heavy pesticides is really not necessary to eliminate the lice problem.

If you do not properly and completely finish treating head lice you will run the risk of a re-infestation. You can get a handle on and stop the problem by taking quick and thorough steps around your home.