The summer vacation season is drawing to a close. Children returning from camps are not alone, but with “guests” in their hair. Their name is the worst for parents - lice. In medical terms, children contracted pediculosis. Despite the progress in modern society, the danger of settling these uninvited "guests" on their heads is high. You can pick them up anywhere. But how to remove nits and lice is not an easy task. Moreover, these small parasites are prolific. However, panic should not give in, say goodbye to your hair, too. There are many civilized ways to combat these parasites. How to remove nits and lice yourself once and for all?
What are these parasites?
Lice are parasites that feed on the blood of another living individual. They belong to the class Insects. Their size varies from 0.4 mm to 7 mm.
Thanks to the perfectly developed three pairs of limbs, the insect is tenaciously fixed on the human hair.
Lice, piercing the scalp, secrete saliva, it causes a decrease in the level of blood coagulation. It is for this reason that a person feels mild pain, which is accompanied by itching and burning of the skin.
Lice do not parasitize animals. The only source of infection is a person suffering from head lice or his personal belongings. Lice do not fly, but skillfully jump. Due to what the infection of another person occurs.
Classification
Pediculosis is caused by insects that parasitize on humans. Three types of lice are subdivided, which may temporarily “live” on a person:
Head lice "live" on the scalp.
Pubic, therefore, parasitizes on the pubis, perineum, armpit hair, eyelashes, eyebrows.
Clothes (lingerie) lice "settle" on clothes, bedding and come into contact with the human body several times a day.
Causes
The main cause of lice infection is close contact with the infected person.
Pediculosis can be caught in such places:
- in public transport;
- in kindergarten and school;
- in children's camps and sanatoriums;
- in common areas.
Lice can “jump” over to another person’s head when wearing someone else’s headgear, using a comb, towel and other personal items.
Symptoms
If your child came from the camp and often scratches his head, then this is an alarming bell. Consider the main symptoms of head lice:
- Intense itching in the scalp: over time, a slight swelling may form on the surface of the scalp, which will turn into open sores.
- If you carefully examine the head, you can see traces of bites of lice. Externally, the bites resemble punctures with a needle, around which there is redness. Small spots of a grayish color or with a blue tint may also appear.
- Plaques form on the back of the head and temples, which peel off and begin to get wet.
The most reliable signs that allow you to diagnose pediculosis on your own at home:
- The presence of nits is the eggs of the head louse, they are attached to the hair shaft.
- The presence of lice themselves is small insects that quickly move throughout the scalp.
Lice live about a month. And from the time of hatching of the female to the first laying it usually takes 2-3 weeks.
The course of treatment can be considered effective and completed if it was carried out for a month, and after 30 days lice and nits did not appear again.
But before you remove nits and lice yourself, you need to know that they are significantly different from each other. Those drugs and drugs that act on lice may be ineffective against nits. And vice versa.
Ways to fight
A radical, reliable and quick way to deal with lice and nits is a haircut. However, few decide on such a procedure. Especially a girl who has gorgeous hair.
Consider less radical ways to deal with head lice:
- Mechanical method: combing with a comb.
- Chemical method: special products, table vinegar, kerosene, hellebore.
- Mixed method (using the first two methods).
Before choosing a medicine for nits, you need to know and follow certain rules:
- If lice and nits are located on the eyelashes and eyebrows, then do not use common common drugs.
- It is forbidden to use drugs with a chemical component for children under 2 years old.
- If after the first use of the drug the lice have not died, then replace the agent.
- Combing - a mandatory procedure after each use of the remedy for lice.
- After using an antiparasitic drug, do not blow dry your hair.
- It is forbidden to use hair masks, conditioners during the removal of lice.
- After the scalp has been treated with an antiparasitic agent, you do not need to wash your hair for two to five days.
The best remedy for nits is to use a mixed method of controlling parasites. In other words, it is better to combine mechanical and chemical methods.
Pharmacy products
Many pharmacy products are effective in controlling adult lice, but are useless against nits. Since many drugs are not ways to hit inside the dense shell of the cocoon.
An ideal method of killing nits is the use of preparations based on organophosphorus compounds. What it is? These are powerful insecticides that act on parasites. The most famous is Dichlorvos. It destroys insects at the stage of their development. The main disadvantage is high toxicity, which affects not only the insects themselves, but also on the human body. Spraying the skin can cause irritation, allergies, and even poisoning. "Dichlorvos" can be used as a processing room and things. Its price is quite acceptable - 60-160 rubles.
Another budgetary and effective method is an ointment based on mercury, sulfur, and boron. Its composition is designed to corrode the chitinous shell of the parasite and the protective shell of its egg. The death of lice is pretty fast. But it will be difficult to eliminate nits. The ointment is smeared through the hair after washing and drying. After twenty minutes, the hair should be washed with shampoo. You can buy a tube (10-20 g) at a pharmacy for thirty rubles. Pay attention to the volume of hair. For one procedure, you may need several tubes.
Pedilin shampoo, the price of which is more than acceptable for the effective treatment of pediculosis, is a drug based on the organophosphorus compound karbafos. This component copes with the insect cocoon, acting directly on the larva. The drug is quite convenient to use. It is necessary to wash the hair with “Pedilin” and hold for several minutes on the head. Most often, washing your hair with this product once is enough to get rid of insects. However, it is required as a prophylaxis to repeat head treatment after a week. The price of Pedilina is affordable. For 100 ml of funds will have to pay about 100 rubles.
Another effective shampoo is “Hygia” for getting rid of nits. In addition to the basic substance permethrin, the drug is supplemented with acetic acid. This element helps to dissolve the eggs. Cocoons remain motionless, so it will be easier to remove and comb them. Shampoo "Hygia" must be applied to the hair, hold for 20 minutes, and then rinse. After use, it is necessary to comb the curls with a comb for machining the hair of the head, since without a comb the efficiency of getting rid of the larvae is rather weak. 120 ml of shampoo will cost approximately 300-350 rubles.
How to remove nits yet? Consider the list of inexpensive and effective remedies for nits:
- The drug "Nittifor" is usually available in the form of a lotion or cream.
- Nyuda is the most effective modern drug in the fight against lice and nits, which is based on dimethicone. The tool penetrates the respiratory tract of the parasite, causing instant death from suffocation.
- "Plus" - a spray from nits - the most acceptable way to deal with nits. In its composition - insecticides, permethrin, karbofos. The first component copes with adult lice. Other constituents effectively infect cocoons. Thanks to the spray, the drug is conveniently applied to the hair. It is enough to spray the spray along the entire length of the hair. And after ten minutes, rinse the hair with warm water and shampoo. However, such an effective remedy for nits will cost a lot. For 116 g will have to pay about 500 rubles.
- Hairspray "Charm". They need to treat their heads after washing. It is advisable to do this in the fresh air. Then wrap your head in a towel or put on a plastic hat. Leave overnight. Hairspray acts similarly to Nyuda. The only difference is the price. “Nowhere” is much more expensive than hair spray.
Many anti-pedicular drugs have a number of contraindications. They must be familiarized with before using the drug. The remedy for lice and nits for children and pregnant women should consist only of natural products. For example, cranberry juice or hellebore water. This category of sufferers is only a mechanical removal of nits.
Folk remedies for nits
In addition to traditional anti-pedicular agents, lice and nits can be eliminated at home. Folk remedies are harmless and practically not inferior in degree of effectiveness to pharmaceutical preparations.
Consider safe, inexpensive remedies for nits and lice:
- Most often they use sunflower, corn oil. And you can use oil from pumpkin seeds and grape seeds. The mixture must be carefully distributed throughout the scalp. Wind up with parchment paper or polyethylene. Be sure to insulate with a scarf on top and leave overnight. In the morning, rinse your head with tar soap. Then start combing the dead lice and nits with a comb. It must first be moistened in table vinegar, so that the eggs from the stems are well removed.
- Cranberry, lemon or pomegranate juice - these types of juices contain enough acid, which adversely affects parasites. Juice must be applied over the entire length of the hair and keep about 15 minutes. Then rinse and comb out the nits and dead lice.
- An excellent remedy for lice and nits for children is cranberries. To prepare fresh cranberry juice, you need three handfuls. The juice must be rubbed into the roots of the hair, and the remainder of the squeeze put the entire length. Cover the hair with a plastic cap and wrap a towel on top. Leave a “compress” on your head for 3 hours. Then rinse and start combing.
- Table vinegar for rinsing and wiping. As a rinse, you need to take a 70% solution of vinegar, mix with water in a proportion of 1:10. Thoroughly wash the head with a solution once a day for three days. Table vinegar is suitable for wiping. First you need to dilute it with water in a ratio of 1: 1. The mixture is applied to the head with a cotton pad. After fifteen minutes, wash your hair thoroughly with cold water.
- Tar soap. Tar is safe for human health in the fight against parasites.
Kerosene from nits is an effective but dangerous remedy. If it is inept to use, then you can cause a severe burn to the scalp and face. It must be diluted with vegetable oil in a ratio of 1:10.
Folk remedies for getting rid of lice and nits are quite effective. However, they must be used carefully and be aware that:
- Vinegar dries hair very much.
- A concentrated vinegar solution can burn your scalp.
- After applying kerosene, hair will not be able to get in order for a long time. Since kerosene is quite oily, it is therefore washed off for a long time and spoils hair.
After applying any folk remedy, it is necessary to put a plastic cap on the curls and wrap the head with a mohair towel.
Hellebore water
Quite often used hellebore water from lice and nits. According to reviews, it is this tool that quite effectively copes with parasites.
Before use, thoroughly wash your hair with regular shampoo. After that, apply chemeric water to the hair along the entire length. It is convenient to use a cotton pad for applying.
It is important that the solution is carefully distributed throughout the hair. After applying hellebore water you need to put on a plastic hat or bag on your head. Be sure to tie a scarf on top. Leave the product on your hair for half an hour.
After this time, wash your hair well under running water, and then wash your hair with regular shampoo again.
Combing is an obligatory final stage.
Remember that hellebore is considered a hazardous substance. Because getting into the digestive tract even 1 ml of this water can lead to serious poisoning, and if in large quantities, it is deadly for humans.
However, hellebore water is actively used against lice and nits. The main thing is that there are no wounds and scratches on the scalp.
If severe itching appears after applying hellebore water, then the product must be washed immediately. It is impossible to tolerate in this case.
Combing out
This is one of the most loyal mechanical methods in the fight against parasites.
First you need to wash your hair with a special shampoo, and then comb out the parasites using a comb of lice and nits. It can be purchased at the pharmacy.
Special stainless steel combs are sold. Pay attention to such brands: AntiV, LiceGuard, RobiComb. In use, these combs are quite simple and convenient.
After washing the hair with a special tool, it is necessary to drive a “tool” along a separate strand of hair. Begin from the roots. Nits and lice are stuck in the crest. They need to be removed by wiping on a towel. To separate lice from hair it was easier, before combing, grease the hair with olive or aniseed vegetable oil.
Shampoo, ointment or other anti-pediculant does not completely relieve lice and nits. These drugs only facilitate the combing process.
How to prevent re-infection?
All your baby’s things and their own should be washed in hot water. Boil better. Iron the sheets well and steam over the seams. It is in the seams that the nits most often remain.
If things cannot be washed in boiling water, then put them in a bag and close tightly for 4 days. Without food from humans, the parasites themselves will die during this time.
To minimize the likelihood of a new infection outside the home, you can follow these recommendations:
- limit close contact with strangers, especially if they are of a low-income type of population;
- Be careful in a public place
- do not use other people's things (combs, clothes);
- Examine your head carefully at the first sign of suspicion of head lice.
Be sure to inspect the heads of all family members, since lice is quickly transmitted.
Remember that lice and nits are dangerous, but there are many ways to destroy them. The main thing is not to panic and not to waste time, but to quickly use an effective method of treatment.