Head lice are tiny parasitic insects found living amongst human hair. These tiny parasites are wingless and feed on blood which they draw through the scalp. Though these lice only feed on small amounts of blood at a time, they may cause itching and irritation on the scalp. They are a common problem, especially amongst young children. Though not dangerous, head lice can spread from the head of one person to another very easily. They can cause infections and wounding of the scalp due to persistent itching and scratching. People living in unclean and crowded places are more prone to head lice. These tiny wingless creatures are of a grayish brown shade and are extremely tiny, at the size of a pinhead upon hatching, and full grown specimens reaching a size of around 3mm. Head lice are incapable of flight and unlike fleas they cannot jump, nor can they swim. So the only mode through which they can spread is through direct contact. An infestation can progress quite rapidly as the female louse lays eggs towards the base of hair, near the root. These are extremely tiny and near impossible to notice, which is why very often people suffer recurring infestations as they tend to discontinue treatments for head lice as soon as the symptoms of a lice infestation disappear. While home remedies for head lice can help control the problem they may not serve as natural head lice cures or best head lice removal treatments as simply eliminating the full grown lice or reducing their numbers will not suffice.
Treatments for head lice infestations need to be intensive in part because of the short life cycles of lice, which also implies that they have rapid breeding cycles. Once hatched a louse will reach maturity within six to ten days and the female will start to lay eggs on the seventh day itself. So whether you are using medicated shampoos or home remedies for head lice, the treatments for head lice need to be rigorous and regular. The treatment needs to be kept up for at least a week, so as to ensure that no hatchlings survive the six or seven day period to reproduce further. Head lice feed on blood in the scalp.
Although head lice can be picked up by anyone with hair, the problem is most prevalent among children because of their lifestyle. Children spend a large amount of their time in the company of other kids and in close proximity with them at schools and nurseries. For the same reasons a head lice infestation can spread rather rapidly in households where conditions are cramped and unhygienic.
Home remedies for head lice are extremely popular, but most results are not scientifically verified. There can be no guarantee that any natural remedies for head lice removal will actually cure the problem, which is why it is advisable that in addition to natural treatments for head lice you also use medicated over the counter, or prescription shampoos. Home remedies for head lice are a viable option for those with sensitive skin, as some medicated products could cause irritation to the scalp. But it is important that you are observant when using any home remedies for head lice and if you find that there are no observable results immediately seek medical treatment.
Symptoms of Head Lice
itching, crusting, and redness on scalp. Sometimes head lice do not show any symptoms. Repeated scratching of lice bites may cause skin infections. These infections may lead to swollen nodes resulting into lumps on the neck and behind the ears.
It should be noted that the itching, which is a typical symptom of head lice is not actually caused by the bite or movement of the head lice, but by an allergic reaction. This symptom would therefore be absent in individuals who do not have an allergy and in other cases allergic reactions may simply take longer to set in, possibly as long as three months.
Another symptom that may be observed is a rash on the back of the neck that develops due to louse droppings, which again cause an allergic reaction.
It is hard to detect an infestation simply by inspection as it would be impossible to differentiate between unhatched eggs or the remnants of eggs, which are termed as nits. The other problem with this method of detection is that nits may even be present for sometime after successful treatment. The use of a fine toothed comb, meant specifically for lice removal, can help with detection of an active lice infestation.
Causes of Head Lice
Head lice are extremely contagious and are passed on from one person to another. This is especially true in group settings and areas where there are a lot of people living or working in a confined space. Schools and child care centers are some of the examples of group settings where head lice can be spread. Though these lice don’t have wings, these parasites can pass on from the hair of one person to another through a head to head contact. Sometimes, sharing of bedding, linen, and clothes can also cause these head lice to pass from one person to another. Close physical contact is the leading cause of the spread of head lice. The notion that head lice infestations are caused or spread due to a lack of hygiene is actually quite untrue. Head lice are primarily spread through direct contact with an infected person, by which we mean head to head contact. This is why children are most vulnerable to head lice infestations, because of the amount of time they spend in close contact at nurseries or playschools. Similarly, the myth of poor hygiene being responsible for infestations may be attributed to the fact that head lice infestations are a lot more common among poorer populations or in developing and under developed countries. This however has more to do with overcrowding and a lack of personal space.
Head lice infestations to a much lower extent may be caused by sharing bedding or clothing, particularly head gear. This is not horribly common however as lice cannot jump and are incapable of flight, which means they cannot travel very far from their host. Moreover, they cannot survive away from a host for an extended period.
Causes of Body Lice
Unhygienic conditions like not taking bath daily, not wearing washed cloth and so on are the primary reasons for body lice. A direct contact with the person having body lice will transmit body lice. Body lice are mainly seen in people from underdeveloped countries.
Causes of Pubic Lice
Pubic lice are transmitted by direct sexual contact. Using condoms does not provide any protection from pubic lice.
A point worth noting would be that lice cannot be spread to humans from pets or vice versa. It should also be pointed out that the lice responsible for bodily infestations are quite different from head lice. While body lice can serve as carriers of diseases like typhus, trench fever, and louse-borne relapsing fever, head lice cause no such diseases.
Home Remedies for Head Lice
For head lice problem wash your hair with vinegar. It will kill all the nits in two days. Apply coconut oil to your head after shampoo and condition. Add ten to fifteen drops of tea tree oil into shampoo bottle and use it daily. Rub Listerine mouth wash on your head. This will kill all the lice. Massage your head with mayonnaise and comb it after 2 hours. This will kill all the lice and their eggs. Apply a mixture of lemon and butter on your head, wait for 15 seconds and then rinse your head.
All of these claims are simply based on word of mouth and are not verified with clinical trials. While some of these home remedies for head lice may work for some individuals they may not work for others. In addition, the extent of success with these homemade, natural or herbal treatments for head lice can vary greatly. According to some individuals a few of these home remedies for head lice may actually work when it comes to lice removal, but fail to remove the infestation as the eggs survive only to re-infest the hair within a week.
Although the risk of infestation spreading through contact with clothing, linen, or any head gear is highly unlikely it may still be wise to play cautious and cleanse all of these objects thoroughly with detergents. If there are others in your household who you are in constant or frequent contact with, it would be advisable for them to also go through the entire lice removal treatment as their symptoms may not show up for days or weeks. The risk of a recurrence would be high if you have passed on the head lice to any other members of the household.
Diet for Head Lice
There is no specific diet for head lice. However, since head lice suck blood from the scalp, you should increase the iron content in your diet to prevent iron deficiencies.
Other Suggestions for Head Lice
Head lice may recur anytime in a crowded setting. If you can, avoid crowded places. Sharing of personal items like clothes, bed linen, and bedding should be avoided as far as possible so that head lice are not transferred through an infected person.
