Paras Hemrajani
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There are various over the counter and prescribed methods available for treating head lice. © Shutterstock
Head lice, also known as Joon in India, are tiny insects that are usually found feeding on blood from the human scalp. Presence of head lice is medically called Pediculosis capitis. It usually affects children. Head lice do not carry any bacterial or viral infection or diseases. But it can cause dandruff, hair nits, dirt and hair fall. It is usually caused by direct transfer from one person to another. Unhealthy habits like sharing of combs, brushes, caps and other clothing increase the risk of head lice. Once these lice enter your scalp they suck on the blood and lay their eggs. Once the eggs are laid down, the rate of reproduction is very fast. Lice cause tickling, stretching and irritation in the human scalp.
There are various over the counter and prescribed methods available for treating head lice. Some of these treatments include poisonous chemical, which can affect your hair. These chemicals are included to kill lice and all its eggs. These treatments are not always suitable for children. To remove lice from your child's head, you can try some home remedies. They have no side effect and help remove irritation from the head.
Having lice does not mean that your kid is unclean. Lice are easy to remove and you can combine various home remedies together for better treatment of head lice.
According to the British Medical Journal, using wet comb helps in making lice more visible. Once they are distinguished from dandruff, they can be better examined. The examination involves using a magnifying glass and checking each strand of hair for lice. If you miss to eradicate lice from even a single strand of hair, then lice will again grow and cause you problem. Wet combining is a time-consuming but an effective way of treating head lice.
Separate your hair in different section using a hair clip and coat your infected hair with olive oil. Once this is done, start combing your hair. As you run the comb through your hair, keep cleaning your comb with warm water. Once you are satisfied that all the louse insect has been removed, wash and dry your hair. This method is called smothering the lice. Olive oil or almond oil slows the insect down and makes them much easier to catch. Comb then helps remove the lice.
Essential oils are toxic and should never be ingested. You can, however apply them on your kid's head to kill the lice. There is no research that can support it. If your kid doesn't get any reaction from the oil, then you can use this method. Some of the common essential oils used for treating head lice are neem oil, clove oil, tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, lavender oil and aniseed oil. These essential oils are very powerful, and it is best to use them alongside a carrier oil like coconut oil.