Got lice? You’re far from alone! These irritating little pests infect the scalps and skin of millions of people every year across the United States, causing many families to constantly seek out treatments for lice. While some attempt to treat this infestation at home, the fact of the matter is that head lice removal requires far more than a basic remedy — even a temporary lull in their numbers can double nearly overnight, laying waste to all your hard work and money! If you want to learn how to get rid of head lice naturally, you’ll want to look below at this comprehensive list. Everything from their breeding habits to spreading to safe methods of removal will be covered here, to better help you spend more time living your life and less time itching and scratching!
What Are Head Lice?
Head lice are tiny insects that like to take refuge in your hair, laying eggs and transforming your scalp into dry, itchy landscape. They’re notoriously hard to remove with simple methods and require medical treatment to properly eliminate their numbers and avoid a resurgence. Reliable data on just how many people get head lice every year in the United States isn’t available, but some studies have shown an estimated six million infestations occurring every year among young children.
How Are They Spread?
Treatments for lice require preventative measures and one of the most common ways to eliminate head lice is to make sure you don’t get infected in the first place. Preschool and elementary-age children, ranging from three to 10 years old, showed the highest rates of infestation for both their friends and family than any other age group. Since children are naive and are prone to sharing clothing articles and toys, this can easily lead to head lice hopping from person to person and contributing to a breakout. A study on head lice showed a stunning 80% of children passing their lice onto their siblings. Talk about bugging out!
When Do Symptoms Start Showing?
While this depends on the rate of infestation, the itching and irritation associated with lice bites tends to occur after four weeks of being infected. This is an acute allergic reaction to the insect’s unique bite and you won’t even notice anything until you’ve been bitten a whopping 10,000 times! A study among students showed over 60% of those infested with head lice unaware they had anything living in their scalp at all.
What Are Poor Lice Removal Methods?
It’s important to remember that treatment for lice needs to be done professionally, as these little critters are notoriously stubborn and can easily repopulate in a matter of days. Many attempt to remove them by hand, which is difficult when you can have literal hundreds living on your head at any given time. Children generally have 10 live lice. A study revealing conventional and natural lice removal methods found only 25% of children were lice-free after using conventional methods, while those that used natural methods were more successful overall.
What Are The Best Treatments For Lice?
If you want to get rid of those pests for good, you’ll want to use the tried and true methods of lice removal. Strains of lice that are resistant to over-the-counter treatments are found in 25 different states, so you’ll need to stay on top of the best methods if you want success! Swimming or washing your hair within one to two days of treatment will make your treatments less effective and it’s essential to never share combs, brushes or towels while you’re using a treatment for lice — to disinfect combs and brushes, soak them in hot water for at least five to 10 minutes at a time. With these little tips on treatments for lice, you can expect you and your children to be lice free all days of the year.