Lice: how to treat?
The school season is often synonymous with head lice infestation, especially in families with young children. Learn more about pediculosis and how to eradicate it!
What are head lice?
Head lice are parasitic insects that live in hairy areas, the scalp being the most frequent area, causing itching and small allergic reactions. They quickly reproduce and multiply, and after a few weeks a real infestation occurs that has to be controlled or it could go on for months and contaminate those around us.
How do head lice come about?
As head lice do not fly, they are spread through direct contact with infected people or through sharing contaminated personal items such as combs, hats, hair accessories, etc.
Children are usually more affected because they play together and share these types of objects.
Contrary to popular belief, having lice does not mean that there is a lack of hygiene, and anyone can be infected.
By the way, lice adhere better to clean hair, free of grease or residue.
Of course, lack of hair hygiene subsequently favors the appearance of more serious infections. And, on the other hand, a correct and frequent cleaning allows an early detection of these parasites as well as their removal.
What is the difference between head lice and nits?
The nits are the eggs of lice and can be seen with the naked eye, as they are whitish, mainly in the nape of the neck and behind the ears.
As for lice, these are more difficult to locate, as they camouflage themselves and move through the hair.
What are the main symptoms?
The main symptom is well known and recognized - the annoying and barely discreet itch. When biting the scalp to feed, lice inject a substance that causes itching and itching. Sores and scabs on the scalp are also common symptoms of pediculosis.
How to treat lice and nits?
It is possible, and there are already some products on the market (such as Paranix repellent spray , which creates a protective film on the hair preventing lice from attaching), preventing head lice infestation, however, and as there is no national prevention protocol, it is complicated to do it individually because if we are surrounded by infected people, the probability of also being infected, even using prevention products, is great.
In this way, it is always important to have products that eliminate lice and nits at hand, as soon as they are detected, in order to avoid a serious infestation.
For girls with long hair, treatment lotions are ideal, as they are easier to spread on the hair. O Stop lice lotion for long hair 100 ml + gift 1 comb it has a dosing spray that easily covers all the hair, from the root to the ends, and, as it does not contain chemical insecticides, the risks of developing resistance by lice or allergies by the child are lower. And thanks to the included comb, you can easily remove dead lice.
Shampoos are the most practical alternative as they kill lice while washing your hair. O Paranix nits and lice treatment shampoo 200 ml and E limax shampoo for lice and nits 100 ml , wash and kill lice and nits while protecting against reinfestation. Both of these products also contain no insecticides.
These products do not require a medical prescription but, in case of doubt, you can seek advice from the Online Pharmacist My Pharma Spot.
To ensure correct use and ensure the effectiveness of the treatment, you must follow all instructions for use and application.
These products are usually applied to the hair and scalp, not forgetting the area behind the ears and the back of the neck. The next step is to comb the hair with a fine-toothed comb to remove lice and nits, which are included in most products.
It is usually recommended to repeat the treatment 7 or 10 days later, as this is the time it takes for a nit to hatch.
To complete the treatment, and ensure that your home is free of lice, you should wash clothes that have been used in the last two days, bedding, towels and soft toys that your child has more contact with, at a higher temperature. at 60º (or dry clean). Do not forget to disinfect brushes, combs or hair accessories.
Finally, it is important that you notify the school, and family members who have had contact with the child, that your child has pediculosis. Remember, there is no reason to be ashamed, head lice do not choose the heads they will attack based on socioeconomic status!
Only by alerting the school and other parents can they be aware of the symptoms and avoid general contamination.
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Sources: National Health Service and CUF Institute