If nits or lice are wound up, treatment should be started urgently, without delaying. You can deal with the problem at home, although it is better to consult a doctor - it will be more reliable. If this is not possible, the fight against parasites begins immediately, they barely managed to notice them, otherwise soon the whole family will have to figure out how to get rid of lice. The treatment of a child and an adult is carried out, remembering that modern means effective against adult parasites do not harm the larvae.
Basic features
How to get rid of lice? Treatment begins after first learning about the key aspects of the life of these parasites. This will help to understand why doctors and folk healers recommend such courses and tools that are common at the moment. In particular, it was revealed that the parasite's life cycle lasts about a month. It takes only a couple of weeks after the birth of the female, and she is already doing a new laying. Duration of treatment for parasites - until all lice, both adults and larvae, can be removed. You can not talk about the success of the program if less than a month has passed since the start of therapy. But if, according to the results of monthly events, the head is clean, we can safely assume that we managed to get rid of lice. The treatment was successful.
In former times, the course began with shaving the patientās head cleanly. Currently, this approach is practically not practiced - it is a pity to lose hair, and I do not want to make it clear to others that someone in the family (most often a child) needs treatment. Lice are a problem that many are shy of, afraid of condemnation.
The best option available to a modern person is medicines, presented in a wide variety on pharmacy shelves. A huge amount of funds has been developed, but they are quite different in price and composition, so it is not always clear what to stop at. There are those who do not want to deal with the elimination of lice (pediculosis treatment) using industrial products, but prefer to use only natural ingredients. Let's try to figure out what can help and what are the nuances of different methods.
The right start is the key to success
There is a classification of methods to get rid of lice. Treatment of people infected with parasites is possible in one of two ways (or a combination of both):
Removal of the problem begins with mechanical methods. For this, the scalp is examined, washed with a special shampoo and combed. In pharmacies there are devices that are convenient to comb out parasites. A distinctive feature is the minimum distance between the teeth, not more than 0.2 mm. Due to the small gaps, both adult individuals and lice larvae are combed out of the hair. Such a method cannot be called the treatment of pediculosis at home , but nevertheless this is a necessary measure, one of the components of therapy.
Important! After each touch on the head, the scallop must be thoroughly cleaned. It is convenient to use clean white towels made of paper or fabric. The duration of the course is a month, the frequency is daily combing.
It is worth recognizing that not the easiest task is to get rid of lice. Home treatment is carried out, given that the shampoo does not destroy parasites, but only makes it easier to remove specimens with a comb.
As doctors note, combing without the use of chemicals for lice rarely shows a high level of effectiveness. The probability of missing just one insect is too high, and this will be enough for the colony to breed again. In addition, parasites breed in tiny eggs, which are simply impossible to comb out.
Chemical methods
Where to start treatment? From lice and nits, combing helps well, but this approach will have to be reinforced with the use of special preparations, in abundance presented on pharmacy shelves. There are really many remedies for pediculosis, so there is no need to resort to alternative methods: their effectiveness is much lower.
By the way, the most, perhaps, the most popular home method is the use of kerosene. Doctors say that it is worth resorting to it only as a last resort, if all the tried and tested methods are not suitable, because the substance negatively affects the scalp. Contact with kerosene can cause dermatitis, which quickly takes on a chronic form. It will be impossible to cure such a complication, a person will be left without beautiful hair for life.
Manufacturers of drugs for lice in the hair (treatment should be carried out according to the instructions!) Pay attention: there are no such compounds that can work the first time. A repeated procedure must be done a week or a half after the first. We will have to repeat this for the third time - for 16-20 days after the primary. If a person uses the drug for lice and nits correctly, treatment will have a pronounced effect. This is explained by the peculiarities of the life cycle: eggs of parasites are insensitive to chemical components, medicines can kill only nits or adults.
How not to get sick again?
It is necessary not only to be able to get rid of trouble, but also to prevent the need for re-treatment. From lice and nits, a program will help, which includes not only eliminating the infection at the moment, but also mastering methods to prevent a recurrence of the problem. To do this, thoroughly wash all the things a sick person in hot water (60 degrees and above). If some items cannot be washed, they are packed tightly in plastic bags and stored for three days or longer. In the absence of contact with the skin, the parasites die 55 hours after the last meal.
If at least one member of the family falls ill, you will have to carefully check the heads of all the inhabitants of the house. Pediculosis is extremely contagious. You need to understand that treatment (lice - that is still a mess!) Always loads the nerves. It drags on for a long time, requires considerable effort. Even if it was decided to get rid of lice in children at home, treatment can be considered successful when, according to the results of the program, the child was shown to the doctor to clarify the effectiveness. Only a doctor will be able to establish whether the colony is completely eliminated or parasites still remain on the head.
Folk remedies
What to do if lice are found in children? Home treatment is possible with cranberry juice: the product is rubbed daily into the skin. It is believed that thanks to the liquid, nits move away from the hair, it becomes easier to comb out.
Another popular recipe is based on vinegar. A couple of tablespoons of the product is taken into a glass of clean water and the skin of the head is moistened with the finished mixture, then they are combed out. Vinegar is able to dissolve the sticky substance, due to which parasites are attached to the hair, at the same time reduces the activity of adults, so combing them becomes easier.
It is believed that hair coloring eliminates lice at home. Treatment is possible with ordinary hair dye. You just need to choose a familiar product and color your head. No less dangerous for parasites than the components of the paint, some pharmaceutical substances. For example, hydrogen peroxide, as the collections of folk recipes assure, allows you to remove insects efficiently and quickly. This is due to the chemical formula of the substance. You can wash your hair with tar soap: this tool has worked well since ancient times. Tar is a chemically active component that inhibits the vital activity of parasites and provides septic treatment of the skin and hair.
A good way to get rid of lice is with peppermint infusion. Take a glass of pomegranate juice for a couple of tablespoons of fresh herbs, the mixture is allowed to boil for at least 10 minutes, then rubbed into the skin where the parasites settled.
Risks and consequences
Many people are accustomed to thinking that pharmaceutical preparations for lice, which doctors recommend treating, can be sources of danger - for example, allergies, but you canāt expect such a catch from folk remedies. This is nothing more than a stereotype. In fact, folk recipes are also dangerous, and some are more than any pharmacy products.
Quite often, they try to treat lice with kerosene, but after such an effect the hair will return to normal for a very long time. There is a risk of burns, the consequences of which will remain for life. In addition, the substance is oily, it is extremely difficult to remove from the hair. This creates additional difficulties if therapy is needed for the owner of a long thick hair.
The use of vinegar is not less dangerous. Solutions with this substance dry the skin, and too high a concentration will lead to a chemical burn. There is a risk of harming oneself without getting rid of parasites. In addition, vinegar affects only adults, but the larvae and eggs calmly carry it.
The best tool!
Lice in a child? Treatment is required! The method recognized as the most reliable - appeal to the SES. In every city in our country there are such receivers, where trained people work, who have effective means. Visitors are treated according to all the rules and standards adopted by the Ministry of Health, and they also give recommendations on how to behave at home in order to prevent re-infection.
In practice, people are in no hurry to contact such places - the choice of funds in pharmacies is great, and there are many alternative methods, and many are ashamed to ask for help.
However, not everything is so obvious: although the receivers can organize the best treatment, and the child gets rid of lice, he may not face the most pleasant neighbors in turn, and this also leads to negative consequences. Such places are often visited by homeless people, as well as people living in unsanitary conditions. This increases the risk of contracting other parasites and diseases, and can also negatively affect the unstable psyche, especially if the child is small and very impressionable.
About medicines
How can I try to start getting rid of lice? Treatment (the photo below shows the packaging of the drug) "Nyudom" - a proven option. The main component of the product is dimethicone, silicone in liquid form. The substance clogs the respiratory tract of the parasites, which leads to the early extinction of adults. One of the main advantages is the minimal risk of an allergic reaction, therefore, you can use Nyuda even for allergy sufferers in the treatment of young children. Of course, you have to carefully follow the instructions, otherwise the negative response of the body can not be avoided.
Another reliable option is Medifox. True, it is more suitable for adults, since it has rather aggressive components in its composition. Of the relatively affordable, it is worth mentioning the āPediculen Ultraā. This tool is manufactured by a Russian pharmaceutical company, so the price tag is low. The manufacturer promises effective elimination of lice and larvae at the same time, but the composition is ineffective against eggs, so processing will have to be repeated over time. It is known that the drug can provoke adverse reactions.
Perhaps the most popular option is āPara Plusā, which should be used as soon as pediculosis manifests itself as the first symptoms. Treatment (lice is the cause of head lice) is started if the child complains that the head is itching, it is clear that the integument has turned red, and upon careful examination it is possible to see parasites. Choosing Para Plus, this way a person gains access to a combination substance, which contains three powerful compounds that are effective against lice. The manufacturer assures that in most cases the result is achievable in just one procedure.
A fairly effective permethrin-based product is called Nittifor. Five percent it consists of an active compound, other - auxiliary components. The solution is used against adults, larvae, eggs. "Nittifor" acts on lice on the head, and on the clothes, pubic.
The solution is rubbed into the skin with a cotton swab. It takes 10-60 ml per head. After applying the substance, the hair is covered with a scarf, and after 40 minutes everything is thoroughly washed off, then combed through the hair, removing parasites.
What to do?
Quite often it happens that when they see lice on a childās head, adults literally panic, not knowing what to do. However, this situation is not the most difficult, because you can go to the pharmacy and choose the appropriate composition, carefully comb the hair of a child and hold other events. A much more complicated case is when a suspicion of lice appears in relation to oneself, but a person lives alone, so there is no way to turn to someone for help. In this situation, you can call a special service.
Recently, the services of such firms are very popular. Specialists travel to the place, check the clientās head and treat it with special compounds, following the instructions. Since trained professionals know well how the drugs work, how to apply and wash off, the procedure will be effective. Typically, such services are provided subject to anonymity, so you can not be afraid of unreasonable attention to yourself from others.
Features of the procedures
If it was decided to comb out lice with a comb, do it as follows:
- all hair is collected in a tight tail on one side of the head;
- pull one strand from the bundle and carefully comb it, removing all parasites, eggs;
- gradually comb through the whole head, warning the mixing of strands;
- repeat the procedure daily.
If it was decided to use a chemical composition, but the product is not able to cope with nits, the treatment must be repeated every week until a stable result is achieved.
Most of the drugs available to a modern person cannot stop the vital activity of larvae, from which adult individuals will soon be able to make a new clutch. The incubation period of the egg reaches eight days, so a week after the initial treatment, most of the individuals will already be in the active phase.
If it was decided to first treat the hair with a special tool to eliminate the sticky secret, and why comb your head, it is reasonable to do this on a large towel or sheet. Parasites that are unable to adhere to the surface will crumble, but it is important to ensure that all of them are soon removed to the sewer, and the sheet itself is thoroughly washed in hot water.
Maximum security
To minimize the risk of infection, contact with homeless children, as well as people from dysfunctional families, where hygiene procedures are neglected, should be limited. It is unacceptable to use other people's combs, hair care products, hygiene items.
It is necessary to avoid such places where the risk of infection is increased - transport, rallies and gatherings, holidays.
Adults need to avoid one-time sexual contacts, casual connections to prevent infection.
It is worth remembering that lice are not dangerous to animals, do not parasitize on them.
Lice: general information
A head louse can provoke a problem. This insect lives only on the human head: on the back of the head or in the mustache, in the eyebrows and on the temples. The parasite is formed by the head, proboscis for the absorption of blood, legs, allowing you to firmly attach to the epidermis. Despite its tiny size, the louse can withstand kilogram pressure. Saturated with blood, it changes color from gray to red.
The duration of the parasite's survival outside of humans is determined by the heating of the environment and reaches several days. If the area is warmed up to 35 degrees, the parasite will live only a day, but in cool conditions (10-15 degrees) it can live for five days.
Every day, the female lays a dozen eggs, fixed to the base of the hair due to the sticky secretion secreted by insects. The larva hatches after 10 days, after another week adults appear. Males live only 10 days, but the female half of the population - up to 35.
Symptomatology
The main sign indicating a parasite in the hair is itching of the scalp. The larger the colony, the more itchy the areas they populate itch. Itching is due to the irritating effect of the secretion secreted by the glands of the lice at the time of the bite.
Usually itching, especially in children, provokes nervousness, the condition is always excited, it is extremely difficult to calm a sick baby. He fails to concentrate, school performance suffers greatly.
To understand that the cause is lice, it is enough to carefully examine the surface of the head. If in doubt, you need to see a doctor.
If the case is neglected, deep scratching is possible in some areas, and the hair sticks to clumps. Against the background of such processes, the probability of infection with pathological microorganisms is high, most often - cocci of various types. At the same time, the lymph nodes become inflamed, and festering areas, rashes appear on the skin.
Limitations and Indications
In order for the treatment to be successful, you must strictly follow the instructions of the selected drug. Before the first use, you need to make sure that it is lice that concern. Chemistry prophylaxis is contraindicated and carries a risk of allergy or dermatitis. You can not use medicines to treat children under one year of age. If lice are wound up, treatment with pediculosis drugs is not practiced if the scalp is inflamed, festering, infected.
Most of the funds presented on the pharmacy shelves are contraindicated for pregnant and lactating mothers. When choosing the best option, you need to consult a doctor so as not to harm yourself and the child.
Use the compositions very carefully, avoiding contact with the eyes. If this happens, immediately rinse the organs of vision and seek help from a doctor, having a package with the composition of the drug.
Mostly the substances smell rather strongly and sharply, and the smell persists after washing the hair and disappears only after a few days. This can create some inconvenience, annoy and interfere with communication with others. You need to think about this in advance - for example, it is better to do head treatment on Friday evening.
Treatment features
Before you start using the drug, you need to carefully study the instructions for it, and even better - seek the advice of a dermatologist. It is important to follow the manufacturer's recommendations, including regarding dosage. As a rule, an increase in the amount of the drug used will not show the best effect, but it can provoke an allergy or burn. This also applies to the duration of treatment of the skin.
It is unacceptable to use insect repellents for treating the head - this will cause burns and dermatitis, possibly incurable, but it will not help at all from lice.
Manufacturers of drugs advise not to blow dry their hair after washing, as the event reduces the effectiveness of medicines. If the course has no effect and after several repeated treatments there are still lice on the head, you should go through another program using another substance.
Medicines and their specifics
There are many drugs for lice: aerosols, shampoos, solutions. Mostly the substances are intended for single application, after which the head is washed, and after a week the cycle is repeated. Between the procedures, you can visit public places without fear of spreading the infection. To destroy parasites at home, all personal belongings are processed.
The most popular medicines are based on permethrin. This is a poisonous compound, neurotoxic, destructively affecting the cell membrane of the nervous system of the parasite.