Things That Kill Head Lice
2 mins read

Things That Kill Head Lice

Head lice is a persistent problem, especially among children, who are in close contact with others frequently. You can kill the lice on your head, but unless you get rid of all the lice and eggs in your home, you stand a chance to get reinfected. To get rid of lice successfully, you need to take a multifaceted approach.

Types

The most common lice killer is pediculicide, which is a special medicine for treating lice. You can buy it in any pharmacy. This will kill the lice on your child’s head, but it’s important to follow all instructions carefully and apply it only on unconditioned hair. Heat–above 125 degrees F–will also kill lice, so you can also wash clothes in hot water or boil items like a brush. Lice need human blood to survive; if they cannot get this within a few days, they will die.

Time Frame

The pediculicide shampoo will kill most of the lice in your child’s hair instantly, though you’ll also have to comb out hair to remove eggs and dead lice. You may also want to reapply the pediculicide after one week. When using heat to kill the lice, you should heat the item for at least 10 minutes.

Considerations

A thorough vacuuming job is necessary to remove the lice and eggs from your home. If you have items you cannot vacuum, and you cannot boil or wash to kill the lice, seal them in a plastic bag for two weeks. Any lice present will not be able to get human blood, so they will die. A two-week wait ensures that all the eggs have hatched and that those lice have died.

Misconceptions

A folk remedy suggests using mayonnaise, olive oil or butter to “smother” the lice to kill them. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that there is no scientific evidence to support these claims.

Warning

There is no need to fumigate your home to kill lice. This is excessive. You can remove lice from your home by vacuuming and giving everything a good cleaning.

Photo Credit

  • fight with comb image by anna karwowska from Fotolia.com
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