Lice

The mere mention of lice can make your head begin to itch!

And while the subject of adult lice is both unpleasant and inconvenient, it’s
somewhat reassuring to know that it can happen to even the cleanest head of hair.

In fact, getting hair lice isn’t even a matter of hygiene or cleanliness, since it’s spread by direct contact with an infected person’s hair. It can also be spread by the indirect contact of personal items which have been used recently by the infected person.

The Symptoms

There are a few ways to know if you have head lice:

• Your scalp is itchy
• Red bumps on the head
• Small white matter on the hair shaft (these are lice eggs, aka nits)
• Struggles sleeping
• Get Out of Here

Ideas for getting rid of lice:

• Check everyone in the household for lice literally with a fine-toothed comb.
• Brush and pick the nits out with a metallic comb utilizing home treatments such as olive oil or tea tree oil every morning for about three weeks.
• Medical head lice treatments from your doctor.
• Coat a metallic comb with a treatment of olive oil or almond oil. Separate the hair into sections and brush the comb through, rinsing it each time with hot water.
• In extreme cases, shaving the head ensures quick removal of lice.

In the end, the only guaranteed way to make sure your case of head lice is completely obliterated is to concede to daily nit picking.

Future Precautions

• Lice in general is quite contagious. Ways to avoid any lice infestations in the future:
• Don’t share any personal hair care items such as brushes, combs, barrettes, hats, etc.
• Soak these
  personal hair care items in boiling water or in 10 percent bleach solution.
• Everyone should change their clothing and wash their linen, towels and clothes thoroughly in hot water, and dried for
  at least 20 minutes on the highest heat setting.
• Lice doesn’t spread to your household items, (remember, those little leeches need your head to survive!) but if not for your own peace of mind, vacuum your home and wash your clothes and sheets on a regular basis.

If you’re not sure if you’ve contracted lice, go to your doctor who can recommend the treatment that’s right for you.

It’s good to note that cases of lice among adults is rather uncommon, and the people who are most susceptible to getting the itchy little critters are parents and those who work with children.