Lice shock most parents who find them in their children. In addition to an unpleasant diagnosis, this phenomenon has also gained a reputation for shame. People mistakenly associate this ailment with the unscrupulousness of the individual and, in general, with an asocial way of life. The panic, along with embarrassment caused by similar stereotypes, and, in addition, the tactless behavior of teachers in children's institutions, forces parents to keep the fact of the disease secret.
Next, we will discuss how to get rid of lice at home.
Head lice problem
In fact, it is quite possible to recover from lice at home. True, many people, trying to get rid of parasites and stigmas of bad parents who did not keep track of the child’s health, forget about common sense, rushing headlong into the pool of unconventional recipes. Unfortunately, it often happens that the advice of grandmothers about miraculous folk remedies often turns into undesirable consequences, and, in the best case, simply does not bring positive changes. In our article, we will consider the most common methods for getting rid of lice at home, evaluate their effectiveness and dispel some myths about such a thing as pediculosis.
Folk remedies for lice: is there a danger?
Some folk remedies that are used against lice pose a danger to human health, and sometimes to the life of the patient. Receiving chemical burns and poisoning of varying severity can lead not only to short-term health disorders, but also to disability.
Consider how to quickly get rid of lice at home with alcohol.
The use of alcohol from lice
Alcohol treatment of absolutely any disease is considered a traditional remedy mainly among middle-class residents. Pediculosis in this case is no exception. According to popular recipes, the best cure for lice is undiluted alcohol. On its basis, an alcohol mask for hair and scalp is made. Anonymous authors of folk remedies recommend applying alcohol along the length of the hair. In this case, the main advice is a thorough treatment with a burning composition of the scalp. After this, you need to wrap the scalp with cellophane. Next, a person must sit with such a ball of fire for thirty minutes to one hour. The described method guarantees the radical elimination of not only adult lice, but also nits at a time, however, in the case of special survivability of parasites, this compress is recommended to be repeated. After the procedure, it is required to remove the dead pests with a comb or comb. This is one of the most common ways to get rid of lice at home.
Of course, this technique is based on a blind faith in alcohol disinfecting properties, as well as on the stereotype that lice appear from dirt. Alas, the antibacterial properties of alcohol apply exclusively to bacteria, and, in addition, microorganisms, to which lice do not belong. But alcohol compresses are an excellent way to get a skin burn. Alcohol is rich in tannins. Thus, a solution in which the alcohol concentration is up to ninety percent is capable of damaging the tissues, and, in addition, the structure of the hair. Inhalation of alcohol vapors may cause irritation and burns to the respiratory tract. The probable hit of alcohol on the mucous membrane of the eye will be added to this. For all these reasons, the use of alcohol to combat lice is not only ineffective, but also dangerous for hair and scalp.
Using Lice Vinegar
How to use vinegar to get rid of lice at home? You can wash your hair with such a solution.
People’s experts recommend diluting two tablespoons of the product in water, wetting the hair and scalp with liquid. It is worth emphasizing that lice and nits do not die from vinegar. But it is generally accepted that vinegar dissolves a sticky substance through which lice eggs are held on the hair, which facilitates combing. In addition to the dubious effect of detaching nits from the hair, a person risks once again getting a skin burn, which in addition will be accompanied by dandruff and itching.
The use of kerosene
A common method of controlling lice since Soviet times was the kerosene compress. People were ashamed to see doctors, and carefully rubbed the head of the child with kerosene. Further, for reliability, the head was tightly wrapped with a towel so that insects would surely die from exposure to toxic fumes. Unfortunately, no one cared about how this could affect the child. It will not be amiss to recall that kerosene is a product of oil distillation. This substance is included in rocket fuel and a number of other technical fluids. Kerosene is considered less toxic compared to other petroleum products, but nevertheless it is not intended for external and especially internal use for the treatment of certain human diseases. As you can see, getting rid of lice at home using folk methods is quite difficult.
Using Dichlorvos for Lice
One of the most radical folk methods is the fight against lice by treating the patient's head with dichlorvos. Dichlorvos acts as a broad-acting insecticide, that is, it is able to kill absolutely any household insects. Many are familiar with this tool by agricultural work or the Soviet practice of extermination of cockroaches. This tool helps fight insects, while it acts on nerve cells, leading to paralysis of adult parasites.
But the treatment of lice with dichlorvos is extremely dangerous for health and life, especially if treated with such a brutal method of pediculosis in a child. Given the many side effects, less toxic substances have now begun to be used in agriculture to control insects. Therefore, before you grab such a spray, it is worth considering the consequences. Symptoms of dichlorvos poisoning are vomiting, along with impaired motor skills, convulsions, rash, loss of consciousness, etc.
How to get rid of lice at home (photo below) by more gentle methods?
Other folk remedies
Other folk remedies, less dangerous and toxic, include the following methods:
- Conducting weekly rubbing cranberry juice in the head in order to facilitate combing. It is harmless, but ineffective.
- Wash your head with a decoction of peppermint or ledum for a week. Peppermint decoction can soothe the skin, relieving itching during combing. But as for ledum, it belongs to poisonous plants and should be used with great care.
- Processing tincture hellebore. This tool is considered antiparasitic, but it does not affect nits. This tincture is also toxic and may cause dizziness.
- Applying a mask of onion and garlic. The gruel of these natural antiseptics is recommended to be applied to the scalp, wrapping it with a towel for an hour. Side effects in this case will be similar to burns from alcohol or the use of vinegar. There will be no chemical poisoning, but the result will be zero.
- Decoction of tansy, sorrel and geranium oil. This tool is designed to help comb out, but will not bring any tangible results in the treatment.
- Washing your hair with soap. Dust is an extremely toxic substance for humans. Due to the activity of progressive specialists and the development of science, dust soap is no longer used for the treatment of head lice, since the sixties of the last century. Unfortunately, experts advise this method to meet at present.
It is important to emphasize that all of the listed methods for the treatment of pediculosis are part of folklore. They are dangerous and can cause serious harm.
How to get rid of bed lice at home, consider below.
Harmless means
Folk remedies for eliminating pediculosis involve procedures of varying degrees of effectiveness. In the best case, harmless tonic agents are recommended that will not harm either the child’s health or the well-being of the parasites. But it is important to understand that no means can eliminate the need to comb out pests with a high-quality comb, best of all steel or electronic.
Pediculosis is a parasitic disease, the only way to rid yourself or a child of dangerous insects is to interrupt the life cycle of the colony through the regular destruction of adults. In this case, a comb equipped with metal teeth will help to comb out lice easily. Thus, no matter what tool a person uses, the procedure of mechanical removal of parasites from the hair with the help of a suitable comb is extremely important.
Among folk remedies that are harmless, it is worth trying pomegranate juice. It must be mixed with mint leaves, and then boil the mixture for several minutes. The resulting broth is rubbed into the affected area. In this case, the result will be as follows: the essential oil contained in mint will affect adults, and pomegranate acid, in turn, will affect sexually mature lice and helps to remove nits from hair.
Geranium oil
In addition, lice are scared away by the rich aroma that geranium oil has. In order to process his head, it takes only a few drops. They are added to the shampoo and the hair is washed with the product. Daily procedures with such shampoo will significantly reduce the number of parasites. They will not completely die, but partially leave the affected area.
Of course, the most effective and reasonable measure in this case will be to see a doctor.
How to get rid of body lice at home?
A thorough inspection of the folds of clothes to detect insects is required. They are most often located near the seams. All contaminated clothing should be washed in hot water (temperature above 85 degrees) or given to dry cleaning, where it will be processed in a special chamber. So you can destroy not only adults, but also their larvae. Also, packing things and leaving them in the sun will help, in the absence of food, linen lice die.
To avoid the preservation of insects on the body, you need to take a shower with a special tool. Bite sites are treated with antiallergenic and analgesic ointments so that there is no inflammation. Healing takes place over several weeks. If parasites live in furniture, it is necessary to invite pest control workers.
How to get rid of lice lice at home is now clear.
In pharmacies, there are many effective medications for treatment that have earned positive reviews. They are produced in the form of body shampoos, ointments, sprays, creams, lotions, emulsions. At the heart of the drugs are components that poison permethrin type lice; dimethicone; benzyl benzoate; piperonyl butoxide; malathion; butadione.
We looked at how to get rid of lice at home.