Articles

When one is dealing with a hair lice infection, it is also necessary to deal with nits which are the eggs of adult lice. The eggs are attached to individual strands of hair via a glue like substance secreted by the adult louse and can be very difficult to remove. The eggs are laid by an adult female and will hatch in approximately a week. While a medicated shampoo can be used for lice removal, the eggs will be unaffected. Unless the eggs are removed, the infestation will continue.

There are different ways to help remove nits, but all of them can be time consuming. The easiest way is to brush through every strand of hair with a fine toothed metal comb after wetting the hair. If even one of the nits remains, re-infestation is likely. Therefore, examining every last strand of hair is critical to ultimate nit removal success. To make the eggs easier to see, a magnifying glass may be helpful.

After you remove the louse eggs, every article of clothing has to be washed because they might be harboring more eggs or adults. Bleach should be used whenever possible just to be sure that all the eggs and adults have been destroyed. Combs or accessories should also be thoroughly bleached and sealed in a plastic bag for weeks if necessary as they might contain nits as well.

There are a few methods that can make the removal of louse eggs from one's hair easier, since it can be a very trying process. One such way involves soaking the infected hair in white vinegar before attempting to remove the eggs: this loosens the biological glue adhering the eggs to the hair, allowing for easier removal. Similarly, soaking the comb in vinegar prior to use can be a great help. A second method involves the application of heat to the hair immediately prior to attempts to remove the eggs.

Think before attempting an alternative form of treatment. While it may seem safer to use natural remedies, many of these have not been tested and may have unintended consequences. One popular alternate remedy mayonnaise is very difficult to remove from hair and will often end up turning rancid. Some alternative treatments could even be potentially lethal.

It is best advised to consult a doctor or a pharmacist when you deal with an attack because such different sources will be helpful in suggesting a good product for dealing with louse eggs. Even a school nurse would be of great help in providing information when your child is infected.

To successfully deal with a hair lice infection, one must also remember the nits. The eggs become attached to individual strands of hair, stuck to each strand with a glue substance. They can be extremely difficult to remove. Lice removal can be expedited by a medicated shampoo, but the shampoo won't remove the eggs. If the eggs aren't removed, they will hatch after about a week and the cycle of infestation will continue. The simplest removal method is to use a fine toothed metal comb to go through each strand of hair.