To get rid of lice, it is essential to follow local treatment. You can ask your pharmacist for advice. Additional hygiene measures are necessary. If you are unsure if it is head lice or treatment has failed, consult your doctor.
What To Do In Case Of Head Lice?
Some hygiene measures are necessary in addition to the treatment of lice. It is possible to overcome head lice by applying topical products to the scalp and following specific hygiene measures. Only really infested people should be treated. The treatment is never preventive.
Which Anti-Lice Product To Choose?
Asphyxiating drugstore products are liquid silicones prepared in a volatile solvent. They are flammable. They act mechanically by suffocating lice and nits: they asphyxiate them by closing the orifices through which they breathe. They are effective in a single application of 15 minutes. The advantage is that they do not cause resistance (unlike insecticide products) and are not toxic, which explains why they have gradually supplanted pyrethrin-based insecticides.
Asphyxiating products are based on dimethicone (silicone oil).
Other substances are proposed to eliminate lice and nits by sticking them or obstructing their respiratory orifices: oxyphthirine, isopropyl myristate, paraffin oil, coconut oil, etc. Their effectiveness is less well assessed than that of dimethicone. Hair products (shampoo, lotions) can be used in addition, but never as a treatment. They help loosen nits and may contain repellents.
Essential oils have not been proven to be effective and may be responsible for allergies. Their use is contraindicated in children and pregnant women. Anti-lice products exist in different forms: lotion, solution, or foam (without rinsing) in the spray. If the person affected is asthmatic, prefer lotions and avoid sprays.
Additional Measures In the Case Of Head Lice
The Lice Comb
In addition to the use of an anti-lice product, treatment from Lice Treatment Service in Fort Myers and Naples for example, the use of an anti-lice comb is recommended. Prefer a metal comb with fine, tight teeth rather than flimsy plastic combs. Comb carefully and for a long time for 30 minutes wet and detangled hair, 3 times 2 times a day, going from the scalp to the end of the hair. This treatment can be extended for 3 weeks. Between each passage of the comb, clean it on a disposable paper. Used alone, the lice comb is only effective in 50 % of cases.
How Do You Know If You Have Lice?
To find out if someone has head lice, examine their scalp, as explained above. Lice doctors for example start by looking at the hair near the root (lice and nits are generally one or two centimeters from the scalp, very rarely on the lengths). We insist, especially at the level of the neck and behind the ears, by spreading the hair to detect possible lice and nits.
