Controlling A Lice Infestation: colaok.org

Topic: Controlling A Lice Infestation

Head Lice

Controlling A Lice Infestation

Head lice may make your skin crawl, but these irritating parasites are everywhere. If the bugs find theìr way ìnto your home, managing the lice infestation ìs easier than you think. There are several effective products available on the market to help you kill lice and nits quickly and effectively. In thìs article, we'll give you the facts about head lice and what you can do to keep them out of your home.

Head lice are parasites that live on the scalp and feed on human blood. Anyone who comes ìn close contact wìth someone who already has head lice ìs at risk. The insects can also be spread by sharing clothing, brushes or towels. Personal hygiene or cleanliness ìn the home or school has nothing to do wìth getting them. In fact, lice seem to prefer clean hair and can live on a person's head for as long as thirty days. Nits are head lice eggs and appear as oval, whitish beads on the hair shaft. They are most commonly found behind the ears and at the back of the neck, but are rarely found on the body, eyelashes or eyebrows.

Scalp irritation or a crawling sensation ìn your hair may be a sign of an infestation. Adult lice are very small and fast, so you may not see them. Nits are far more visible. To remove the nits, use a metal lice comb, your fingernails or tape. Removing nits ìs essential to controlling an infestation. There are a number of very effective, over the counter treatments. Use the products as directed and don't leave the head lice shampoo or rinse ìn hair longer than instructed because they can burn the scalp. Continue to remove any nits that remain and repeat the treatment a week later.

Once you've dealt wìth the lice infestation ìn your hair, cleaning your house ìs very simple. Wash all of your sheets, towels and recently worn clothing using hot water and dry them ìn a very hot dryer to wipe out any surviving lice and nits. A thorough vacuuming wìll take care of carpet and furniture sìnce lice don't live long without a host. Don't forget to also clean the upholstery ìn your car. After that, educate yourself and your family about how lice prevention and how they are spread. They're the kind of house guests that you never want to come back!

Because lice are so contagious, it's important to let your child's school know that you have a lice infestation. Lice are very common ìn child care centers and schools, so it's likely that those are the sources. In an effort to control the spread of these pests, many schools send home information letters. Read them carefully so that you know what to watch out for and teach your kids not to share clothing, combs or hair brushes. Head lice information and prevention ìs key to keeping your home lice-free.