How to detect and eliminate head lice

Lice have been around and have been hanging around people’s scalps for years. They are so common that even you probably have some kind of history of head lice. Head lice are still rampant today and are a reality that your children will have to deal with in the future. However, knowing how to detect and remove them can save you a lot of time and trouble.

If your child scratches excessively and complains that his scalp is itchy, be careful. These may be the first signs of a lice infestation. You can visually inspect your child’s scalp to be sure. What you are looking for is the insect itself or the eggs or nits as they are called. Lice are parasites and feed on blood from the scalp. They are about the size of a sesame seed and are tan in color. No other insect is as adapted to the scalp as lice, so if you see something crawling through your child’s hair, it’s probably lice. The eggs are also tan or brown in color and are usually found near the base of the hair shafts. However, they are deceptive and can be mistaken for dandruff, especially hatched eggs that are white or transparent. To check, you can try brushing them. The dander will fall off freely but the nits will remain.

Once you have confirmed the presence of lice, you can begin to eliminate them. This is usually done through medicated lice shampoos with the help of manual cleaning. The shampoos may leave behind some lice or nits that will continue the infestation. To make sure this doesn’t happen, use a lice comb or tweezers after wards. First the shampoo is applied and then, with the hair still wet, the scalp is manually inspected. You can separate your hair into sections to keep yourself organized and to make sure you inspect and clean every part of your scalp. Drag your comb or tongs from the base of the hair strands near the scalp to the tips. Clean any insects or nits you have removed from the hair. However, this can be an arduous task and you should be ready to spend quite a bit of time and effort on this, as it is necessary if you really want to be safe.

After removing them from the scalp, pick up the lice and nits with a piece of tape, then roll them up in a Ziploc or similar container. This can be safely thrown away. You need to make sure that the lice are sealed, as they can survive off the scalp for some time and can be passed on to other children if not disposed of properly.

You can also find lice infesting upholstered car seats or furniture or even carpets. Try using a vacuum cleaner to keep them clean. You can also try using washers or dryers on a hot setting. This will usually kill the lice.