What to do if a child has lice?

Many people believe that lice appear exclusively in human hair and animal fur, but they can also settle in common items: clothing, bedding, pillows, children's toys, upholstered furniture, etc.
Lice are parasites that feed on the blood of their host. They are small in size (about a few millimeters), can migrate from one person to another, and are able to jump through the air. For this reason, close contact with a person infected with lice is contraindicated for healthy people.

There are three types of lice:

• head;
• pubic;
• wardrobe

As their names suggest, head lice live on the scalp. They are the most common type. Pubic infections affect the hair and skin in the intimate area, and they can also settle in eyelashes and eyebrows. Body lice live in clothes, furniture, toys, etc.

The danger of lice is that they reproduce quickly: every three weeks a new insect hatches from the eggs. The average lifespan of a parasite on a person is about 1-2 months; without a host they live less - 3-7 days.

If lice have settled in the hairline, then a person develops a disease - pediculosis. Insects are blood-sucking parasites; they bite people, which leads to itching, inflammation of the skin and can cause an allergic reaction.

Preparation for disinfection

Before processing your personal wardrobe and household items, you need to prepare. The floors in the apartment or house must be washed well, shelves and cabinets must be wiped with a damp cloth. Wash bedding and clothing at the highest possible temperatures.

Items that cannot be washed must be placed in a plastic bag for further processing. When working with chemicals, use rubber gloves and a mask. If the area of ​​lice and nits infestation is large, it is recommended to seek help from specialized institutions.

Disinfection is carried out only after complete recovery from head lice. Personal clothing and bedding are treated first. Secondly, upholstered furniture, baseboards and carpets. Most drugs are toxic and contraindicated for pregnant women and people with asthma, so be sure to read the instructions before use.

We fight the source of danger in the house and apartment

It is not enough to simply take measures to destroy parasites on the body and underwear. The dwelling in which the outbreak of pediculosis was discovered is also subject to mandatory treatment. And here it is important to pay attention not only to underwear and personal hygiene items, but also to bedding. It is extremely important to ensure the destruction of possible “breeding grounds” of danger in places where egg deposits occur quite often. The risk group here includes children's toys, woolen and synthetic carpets, blankets, and curtains. They can be processed mechanically - using a vacuum cleaner, washed at a temperature not lower than +95 degrees, and ironed thoroughly. For furniture upholstery, it is also suitable to treat the apartment against lice using steam generators - they will destroy both adult individuals and the eggs they lay.

It will also be useful to soak items of clothing in a solution of soda ash in a proportion of 1 tbsp. l. per liter of hot water. Bedding can be treated with Medifox emulsion - the prepared solution is suitable for spraying. After treatment, ventilation of the room is required. The A-PAR product is a real salvation for those who need quick and effective treatment of blankets, pillows, outerwear, and hats.

Forms of pediculosis

Pediculosis is classified depending on the location of the lice.

The following forms are distinguished:

• pubic, in which the parasite spreads in the growth area of ​​the beard, armpits, eyelashes;
• body pediculosis is a rare phenomenon that spreads to the entire body;
• head lice, when lice multiply on the head.

Let's take a closer look at lice on a child's head.

Where and how can a child pick up parasites?

Lice can appear in a child even if personal hygiene is observed. It is difficult to know exactly where parasites come from. Most children become infected at school, kindergarten, and at various entertainment events. The contact between children is very high, and the likelihood of infection increases.

What causes lice to appear in children:

• communication with people infected with lice;
• using other people's combs, towels, hats, hair accessories.

The following factors increase the likelihood of infection:

• failure to comply with personal hygiene rules;
• long hair.

Are lice caused by nerves?

The opinion that lice appear on nerves is erroneous. Numerous studies conducted by parasitologists have shown that stress has little effect on the spread of parasites. The only cause of the disease is contact with a person infected with lice.

Possible complications

Typically, head lice is not life-threatening and only manifests itself as discomfort at the bite sites.

But sometimes the human body responds to insect bites with the following reactions:

• suppuration of areas where a person scratched irritated skin;
• increased body temperature;
• poor sleep;
• stress and other emotional disorders.

If you do not immediately begin treatment for pediculosis, the scratches will fester more and more. This will lead to pyoderma - a purulent lesion of the skin resulting from the penetration of pyogenic cocci into the wound. This is the most difficult possible consequence of pediculosis, which will require complex antibacterial therapy.

Chemicals

Chemicals are divided into several main types:

• Aerosols and sprays.
• Solutions.
• Powders.
• Soap.
• Pencils, creams, gels.

All of these drugs are effective in fighting parasites, but each of them has its own positive and negative qualities. When purchasing, you need to pay attention to the active ingredients that are included in the drug. The following components work best against lice:

• Malathion.
• Permethrin.
• Piperonyl butoxide.

Aerosols and sprays

The most convenient way to combat lice on clothing and furniture, due to its general availability and ease of use. To disinfect clothes or bedding, they should be spread on a flat surface and treated well on both sides. When disinfecting upholstered furniture, pay special attention to seams and folds. The spray is applied evenly until lightly moistened.

Due to spraying, aerosols are the most dangerous, therefore, for 3-4 hours, people and pets are prohibited from being in the room where the treatment was carried out. After treatment, it is necessary to ventilate the room and treated items well until the odor disappears completely.

The best products in this category are A-Par , Pediculen and Para Plus . One cylinder is enough to treat one room or several sets of clothes.

You can also use Dichlorvos , but spraying it on linen is not recommended. It contains toxic substances that are not intended for close contact with humans.

Solutions

Concentrated insecticidal emulsions, which are diluted with water, are used as a base. After dilution, the solution is sprayed onto clothing and household items using a spray bottle, as when working with aerosols. Their operating principle is the same, the only difference is that the emulsions have to be diluted independently, but they also cost 2-3 times less than the finished product.

The following emulsions have proven themselves well: Medifox , Avicin , Medilis . Another difference from sprays and aerosols is the ability to find an emulsion without chemical components. These include “Medilis”. The active ingredient is clove oil, so this drug can be used by pregnant women and children.

Powders

Not the best choice for lice control. Almost all powders are based on DDT, popularly known as dust. This is a powerful insecticidal drug that can accumulate in the human body by being absorbed through the skin and mucous membranes.

Soap

Soap is made from DDT, which is less dangerous to humans and is widely used in the fight against lice and nits. To treat clothes, they should be wetted and rubbed with soap. After this, rinse well under running water. To treat a room, soap must be dissolved in water and treated with this solution.

The main advantage over competitors is the local application of the product . During use, it is harmful to pets, and after use there is no need to ventilate the room.

Pencils, creams, gels

The most useless means for combating lice and nits within a room. They leave stains on clothes and linen, are not convenient to use, and there is no possibility of disinfecting a large area.

Unusual Home Remedies for Lice

Found lice on your head, what should you do? On Internet forums you can find completely non-standard answers to this question. For example:

• • Vaseline. The hair is thickly lubricated with Vaseline and left overnight. The essence of the method is that viscous Vaseline clogs the respiratory channels of insects, as a result of which they die. The method may be effective (although there is no reliable evidence for this). But after using it, the second question arises: how to wash off Vaseline from hair. Believe me, this is a very difficult task.
• • Mayonnaise. The hair is treated with mayonnaise and covered with plastic wrap. The sauce is left for 20 minutes, after which it should be washed off with regular shampoo. The principle of action is the same as in the case of Vaseline. Mayonnaise is absolutely safe for your hair. But the downside is that it also does not cause any harm to parasites. Therefore, it is better to use this sauce for making salads.
• • Dog shampoo. Some Internet users suggest using dog shampoos as a cheap alternative to expensive pharmaceutical products. Many ingredients found in pet care products are also found in anti-lice products. However, the dosage of these ingredients is not intended for human use. Therefore, if after treatment you develop a serious allergy, there will be no one to file a claim with.
• • Garlic. The strong aroma of garlic is believed to have a suffocating effect on lice. The following recipe is proposed as an effective anti-pediculosis remedy: 10 peeled cloves of garlic must be crushed to a paste and mixed with a small amount of lime juice or olive oil. Apply to hair and rinse after 30 minutes. The downside is that the aroma of garlic has a suffocating effect on the people around you, and it is almost impossible to quickly get rid of it.
• • Hair fixation spray. This option is more of a preventative measure than a treatment. Some people think that lice have a harder time attaching nits to hair that has been treated with hairspray or gel. Therefore, during the first two weeks of the new school year, or after a reported outbreak of head lice, you can apply hairspray or hair gel to your hair. It is not known for sure whether this method works, but your child will definitely look the most stylish.

Introduction

People pick up lice from touching other infested people, from contact with clothing or combs. The problem is that lice can live from 1 to 10 days without feeding, and they are unusually resilient and prolific . Lice will not go away without professional treatment ; this problem does not go away on its own. To get out of the situation, you will need to be patient and apply numerous types of treatment and disinfection methods.

Can I prevent my child from getting infected?

No. The only way to prevent lice is to keep your child locked in his room 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. There are many myths about lice that have given the disease a bad reputation. But here are the truths to dispel the myths:

• They are not a sign of uncleanliness —it doesn't matter how often you wash or comb your hair because regular shampoo won't kill or prevent lice.
• Long hair does not increase your chance of catching them - How to get rid of nits on long hair? Same as with regular length hair, but the only difficulty that long hair presents is that it is more difficult to find lice and nits in long hair.

Below is a photo of what lice and nits look like:

What to do after getting rid of lice and nits?

When combing out nits and lice, you need to throw a towel over your shoulders, or perform this procedure over a bathtub in order to wash them off later. To select everything, the hair must be wet. We start from roots to ends, carefully, in small strands.

Attention! When carrying out this procedure, those who carry out it must protect themselves: wear gloves, a gown and hide their hair under a scarf or under a rubber cap, as there is a high probability of infection.

We carry out this procedure for three days and every day. After a week, repeat again. The towel used to cover the shoulders must be boiled and ironed on both sides.

On long hair, you will have to select nits manually , since it is unlikely that you will be able to remove them all with a comb. We look especially carefully at the occipital and temporal parts of the head.

After each combing, the comb must be treated, otherwise the parasites will settle on your head again, and we flush them down the toilet, or soak them in a vinegar solution, then wash them off, or burn them. If this problem occurs in young children, you can cut their hair bald.

It is also necessary to treat things, hats, bedding, everything that your head came into contact with, since these parasites remain on things for 3 days and there is a high probability that you can become infected with them again.

Those who have children in kindergarten should examine the child’s hair in the evening. If lice are detected, it is necessary to inform the teacher for further prevention in the institution.

Do I need to disinfect items for combing out for head lice?

Reference! Disinfecting things is of great importance. Things are boiled, and things to be processed are doused with boiling water or washed in a special solution and rinsed in running water. If a louse is found in the house, everything that the person has come into contact with should be disinfected.

Whatever can be washed, we wash it and fry it in the sun. Either take mattresses, blankets, fur coats out into the cold (if it’s winter), for two hours, or fry them in the sun. Soft toys can be sealed in cellophane for two weeks.

Wash the floor and everything else with a vinegar solution. Throw away garbage bags immediately.

Features of lice removal in children

It is necessary to begin removing lice immediately after they are discovered.

And not only to prevent the constant desire to scratch his head, which is annoying for the baby, and complications of the disease.

It is extremely important to stop the spread of the disease to surrounding children and adults. Particular attention should be paid to the choice of means for removing lice, since many of them have contraindications.

Procedure for removing lice from children:

1. If lice are detected on a child, you need to decide whether to go to the doctor. A visit is required if pustules have already formed at the site of scratching. If they are not there, and the child’s general condition does not suffer, then it is quite possible to effectively cope with this problem on your own at home.
2. First, parents need to carefully choose a remedy for the treatment of head lice, taking into account its instructions, compliance with the baby’s age, and his allergy history, if they decide to remove these uninvited guests without consulting a doctor. Today, products intended for the treatment of head lice in children of different ages are presented in a fairly wide range in any pharmacy. Each has its own characteristics. Thus, many are not recommended for use before the age of 3. The less aggressive and toxic the product, the more likely it is that you will not get rid of these insects after the first wash. It will have to be repeated. Often such drugs do not destroy nits. They must be combed out several times. The products are more toxic, but effective, and are approved for use in older children.
3. The product is applied to the hair. In accordance with the instructions, the required time is maintained. Then it is washed off.
4. After this, be sure to comb your hair with a special anti-parasitic comb. Its teeth are arranged very densely. This makes it optimal for removing nits and dead adults. Combing is convenient and effective under good lighting over a sheet of white paper. After this, it is carefully rolled up and burned along with the combed out dead insects and nits. The combing procedure is repeated several times until they completely disappear.

Cases when it is recommended to consult a doctor:

1. The baby is no more than 2 years old. The need for such a visit is due to the fact that for children of this age the choice of medications is very limited. And the doctor will help you choose a remedy.
2. If there is any allergy, bronchial asthma.
3. When identifying insects, nits on the baby’s eyebrows and eyelashes.
4. In case of an advanced state of the disease, in the presence of inflamed wounds, pustules. Preparations for head lice for children

Shampoos

1. Shampoo Hygia. Not recommended for children under 5 years of age. Price: 200 rub.
2. Shampoo Pedilin. Recommended for use by children over 2 years of age. Mild remedy. Requires application several times. According to reviews, its effectiveness is 57%. Price: 300 rub.
3. Pediculen ultra lotion or shampoo. It contains 6% anise oil, isopropyl alcohol, and functional additives. Recommended for children over 5 years old. Price: lotion 160-180 rub., shampoo 500-600 rub.
4. Paranit - shampoo. There are contraindications, read the instructions. The active ingredient is Clearol oil. For use in children over 3 years of age. Together with the comb the price is 800 rubles.
5. Tar shampoo. Prepared on the basis of tar, it is not only destructive for lice. It is also effective against dandruff. Heals wounds on the head well. Used in children after one year. Price 200 rub.

Creams, lotions, concentrates and more

1. Cream Nyx. Ingredients: Permethrin. Use with caution in children under 6 months. It acts very softly and carefully. Safe. Non-toxic. Even infants are allowed to use it, starting from the age of six months. Its downside is its low efficiency. Not effective in the fight against nits. Be sure to comb them thoroughly. Price: 320-400 rub.
2. Cream, lotion Nittifor. Contains Permethrin. Price: 300 -350 rub.
3. Lotion "Foxilon". The main active ingredient is benzyl benzoate. It removes nits and lice in one application. However, it is toxic and therefore contraindicated for allergy sufferers and children under 5 years of age. Price 150 rub.
4. Concentrate for preparing the Medinfox emulsion. This is a long-known drug, which is a solution of Peremotrin. It is diluted with water, applied to the hair and washed off after a while. Recommended for use by children after one year of age. Price from 129 rub.
5. Aerosol Para plus. Recommended for use by children over 2.5 years old. Price: 680 rub.
6. Liquid for lice and nits Full Marks. Contains Cyclomethicone and Isopropyl Myristate. Without smell. Easy to use. Approved for use by children from 5 years of age. Apply to hair for 10-15 minutes, then rinse off. The hair is combed out with a comb. Price 100 ml. 300 rub., spray 150 ml 450 rub.
7. Parasidosis. Active ingredient: Phenothrin. Recommended for use by children from 2.5 years old. Price: 20-30 rub.
8. Spray "Paranite". This drug is non-toxic and treats as gently as possible. Unfortunately, it does not affect nits. Therefore, additional application and careful combing will be required. Approved for use from 1 year. Price from 600 rub.
9. Cream "Nuda". This product is slightly toxic. Its components are only natural ingredients. It is easy to apply to hair. Destroys lice quickly and effectively, but does not work on nits. Be sure to repeat the process twice, followed by thorough combing. Recommended for use from 3 years of age. Price 600 rub.

Combs

Removing parasites by combing is the safest method.
The main requirements for such combs are a frequent arrangement of teeth:

1. "LiceGuard". This set includes the comb itself with densely spaced teeth, with sparse teeth and a strand separator. Price from 600 rub.
2. "Antiv." Effective in the fight against lice parasites. Relevant for those who do not want to use other means. Price from 900 rub.

Some parents try to get by with only combing and combing to combat lice. However, the effectiveness of this method is relative.

It must be repeated several times. The use of this technique in young children with a history of allergies is justified. And also with a small number of hairs.

Where do lice come from?

Methods of infection

The spread of such dangerous parasites as lice always occurs in various places where people live, and especially often when their settlement is too dense. Head lice, like the less common body lice, multiply especially quickly in a variety of barracks, communal apartments, and refugee camps. During the war years, lice plagued soldiers in deep trenches and barracks - in places with dense human concentrations, these bloodsuckers feel extremely at ease and people do not know how to get rid of lice. Lice pass from one person to another in the following ways:

• Lice can easily spread from a sick person to another. This often happens among those people who share the same bed, as well as between small children during all sorts of joint games. This is the main and most popular method of transmission of parasites.
• Head lice are also transmitted through any hygiene or household items. These are towels, combs, as well as hair ties and all kinds of hoops. From there they end up on the head of any other person when using the above things in a group. This method is quite rare, however, it does happen.
• Lice also spread well through shared clothing. For body lice, almost any clothing that has nits and adult bloodsuckers is relevant, and for head lice, these are a variety of hats, jackets with a hood, and scarves.

You should be aware that head lice carriers are all people with any number of these parasites on their heads. True, the more a certain person is infected with these insects, the greater the likelihood that they will easily fall from him onto household items or furniture. Therefore, it poses a greater risk of infection. Nits, due to their inability to move, can be transmitted solely by the person himself: the use of shared combs, on which hairs with eggs attached are often left, various towels, shared bedding or clothing, on which hairs infected with parasites often remain.

Prevention of occurrence

In order not to think later about how to get rid of lice, you need to constantly follow the well-known rules of personal hygiene, as well as monitor the general condition of your hair. All those who have long hair in any public transport are recommended to tuck it under their clothes or put it in a ponytail.

• Never use other people's hairpins, combs or hair ties.
• Do not use other people's towels and various hygiene items for yourself.
• Don't sleep on someone else's bedding on the train; it's better to take it with you from home.
• Also, do not wear other people's hats.

If someone in your family is found to have lice, then along with treating the patient, special measures must be taken to prevent the spread of insects. All linen and hats of the infected person should be boiled and thoroughly ironed. It is also necessary to warn all contact persons to undergo a full examination by a doctor.

How to get rid of lice

• Shaving the head of all infected parts of the body. This is the most universal and simple approach. It takes as much time to implement as it takes to shave a human head. This method does not require any large expenses, is completely safe, extremely easy to implement, and also allows you to further improve the skin of your scalp, which tans under the sun, in the summer. However, this method is not suitable for all those who are embarrassed to walk around with a shaved head or pubic area.
• The currently very popular pubic hair cut called “bikini” has played a real cruel joke on pubic lice. The bloodsucker, in the literal sense of the word, was simply left without a place for a normal existence. Parasitological researchers note a very large decrease in the number of such lice in those regions where this haircut is done especially often.
• Removing parasites with pediculicidal drugs. This includes creams, a variety of shampoos, sprays and lotions. The advantages of this method are a fairly quick effect, as well as hair preservation. When carried out correctly, complete removal of parasites usually requires two approaches of 3 hours each with an interval of seven days. The main disadvantages are the high risk of chemical poisoning and the possibility of various allergic reactions.
• Combing with combs. This is a very labor-intensive process that takes a lot of time, but guarantees safety for human health - it does not require the use of any toxic substances.
• Today you can get rid of lice using many folk remedies. True, they require great care. For example, the thoughtless use of kerosene and vinegar (anointed and immediately forgotten) can lead to much more serious consequences for human health than the parasites themselves.

The easiest way to quickly rid any child of parasites in the summer is, of course, to shave him.
If you really don’t want to remove your hair, and the use of traditional methods and various chemicals is categorically unacceptable, you can use combs to completely comb out lice. If the child is not very sensitive to various mild allergens, and it is desirable to remove lice quickly, then pediculicides are used at home. All the same is quite relevant for the treatment of common pubic lice. It is much easier to remove body lice - it is enough to soak all clothes infected with them for 24 hours in any effective insecticide, or wash them at a temperature of more than 70°C.

Lice remedies

Today's products for the complete removal of lice at home vary in price, and also differ in safety and effectiveness. Below you will see several preparations in order to eliminate lice without any fear of harming your health (the main thing is to follow the special instructions).

• Nyuda. The drug does not poison lice in any way, but it leads to blockage of their respiratory tract. Thus, the lice begin to die quite quickly.
• Medifox is quite a powerful remedy and is not recommended for use on young children. Elimination of lice at home using Medifox is only possible for adults.
• Pediculen Ultra is a fairly inexpensive medicine made in Russia, well known for destroying both lice and nits. However, this drug is dangerous because it can cause a variety of side effects.
• Para Plus is a special preparation that contains three very powerful insecticides at once and makes it possible to cure lice at home quickly. And often in just one single step.
• Antiv comb is one of our most advertised lice combs. Using it you can get rid of bloodsuckers without the slightest risk to health in five days. The comb has proven itself to be excellent for use with children, as well as people with very thick and long hair.

How to get rid of lice professionally

Nowadays, various specialized centers have appeared that offer professional assistance in the fight against lice with a guarantee of complete results in getting rid of parasites in just one procedure. This way, you don't have to worry about how to get rid of lice. One of the most reliable methods of combating lice today is combing using the Shepherd method. Its high effectiveness is confirmed by many positive results, as well as reviews from people who have undergone such treatment. The essence of the Shepherd method is a combination of full hair combing using a special technology with subsequent inspection of each strand of hair in order to confirm the quality of the procedure performed. On the same day, you can return to your normal life and quickly forget that you ever had lice.

Folk remedies

The first lice date back 80,000 years ago, so humanity has long learned to fight them with improvised means. The main advantage of such methods is safety of use. They can be used in the presence of pets, in the presence of children and pregnant women. The only limitation may be personal intolerance to any components.

1. fragrant herbs are effective in fighting them : mint, wormwood, tansy, eucalyptus. Herbs should be placed on furniture, shelves and clothing. You can use both dry and fresh herbs.
2. A mixture of soda and salt shows good results . Both components are mixed in equal proportions and then scattered on clothes, furniture and the floor.
3. If it is not possible to wash things in hot water, you can prepare a mixture of kerosene and soap . Soak items for 30 minutes in this solution, then wash and dry.
4. Lice and nits do not tolerate low temperatures, so children's soft toys or clothes can be packed in a plastic bag and placed in the freezer. After 24 hours, all parasites will be dead.
5. All furniture surfaces and the floor can be wiped with a weak solution of acetic acid, or use a spray bottle. But after use, you will have to ventilate the premises well to remove the pungent vinegar smell.
6. Since lice cannot tolerate high temperatures, clothing and upholstered furniture can be treated with hot steam. The steam temperature is about 90 degrees, under such conditions lice and nits die. The steam generator should be moved slowly over clothing or upholstery, paying special attention to thick seams and folds.
7. Garlic has proven itself well in the fight against lice and nits . It must be finely chopped and spread on clothes and furniture.

How can I tell if my child has lice?

What to do if your child has lice? First, don’t panic and familiarize yourself with the symptoms.

There are certain symptoms:

• Itchy scalp - This is the most common symptom, although if there are not enough individuals (5 or less lice), they may not itch.

  

• Adult lice - These are small, transparent or white, mobile beetles visible on the scalp or hair. Adult lice are quite fast and therefore more difficult to detect.

  

• Nits are tiny white eggs that are glued to the hair shaft next to the skin. The nit may contain a live egg or be empty (the egg has already hatched). Nits located close to the scalp are more likely to contain eggs, while those located more than ½ inch from the scalp are likely empty. Nits in a child are often difficult to distinguish from ordinary dandruff in the hair shaft. One way to check is that the dandruff is easily slid off the hair with your fingers and the nits are glued to the hair shaft. How to kill nits? - they do not move from their place so easily, but drugs for effectively combating them will be described below.

  

Lice larvae photo:

Fight against harmful parasites

Lice are parasitic insects whose food source is human blood. Parasites are transmitted during contact with a person with lice. Due to the tiny size of the insects, as well as their rapid reproduction, it is very difficult to remove lice. After all, a larva hatched from an egg becomes a sexually mature individual within 8-20 days. And given the fact that the lifespan of parasites on the human body can reach about two months, it becomes very easy to assess the scale of the problem.

Disinfection of an apartment from lice should not be carried out independently. This is highly recommended by experts. Frivolous actions can be harmful to health:

• — Synthetic products very often cause serious allergic reactions.
• — Most aerosols are strictly contraindicated for use in homes where children and pregnant women live.

Lice are surprisingly tenacious, it is practically impossible to remove them on your own; even the most modern laundry detergents are not afraid of the clothes lice. The only thing you can and should do on your own is to carry out preventive measures before the arrival of specialists.

♦ Washing. Disinfecting clothes from lice by washing is the simplest and most rewarding method. But washing needs to be done in an unusual way. It is recommended to use one of the following methods:

1. Wash at high temperature. Cotton fabrics (especially bedding) should be washed at 95° C. Synthetic items should be washed at the highest possible temperature according to the conditions for their care.
2. Washing in soda. Make a solution of soda ash (a tablespoon per liter of water) and use it for disinfectant washing.
3. Kerosene treatment. Affected items can be treated with a soap-kerosene solution (5 parts soap, part kerosene). Keep things in this mixture for about 20 minutes, then rinse with cold water.

After washing, heat-treat the laundry by ironing it on both sides with the iron as hot as possible.

♦ Steam, cold and sun. Disinfection against lice using these methods can disinfect large items: fur coats, carpets, blankets, mattresses. Fur items that have been previously dry-cleaned are placed in the cold for several hours (smaller items can be placed in the freezer). Steam also has a detrimental effect on fleas (steam treatment can successfully replace washing).

• After disinfection with steam and cold, the items are dried in the sun. Ultraviolet light will additionally destroy lice eggs and adult lice.

Pack soft toys tightly in plastic bags. Lice cannot exist without humans; after 10-12 days they die. Before the arrival of specialists, seal food, personal items, and medicines and carry out a wet cleaning of the premises.

IN WORK WE USE

FOG GENERATORS

which are the most efficient equipment. Only drugs that are safe for children, animals and plants.

♦ Cold fog. Disinfection of a home against lice with a cold mist is carried out using the following technology: the sprayed disinfectant liquid comes out of the ULF fumigators in a form split to 60-90 microns. This method has a number of advantages over the use of conventional pump sprayers:

• Greater efficiency.
• Floors and furniture are not filled with mortar.
• Increased safety and environmental friendliness.
• After treatment, no traces of the drug remain.
• The concentration of the chemical substance is not exceeded.

But cold spraying is still inferior in efficiency to using “hot fog”. With cold disinfection, the evaporated liquid stays in the room for less time than with the hot method. The cold method destroys parasites only in visible places.

♦ Hot fog. A jet-powered generator breaks down the insecticide into nanoparticles. The working fluid penetrates into all places inaccessible to humans. The high activity of the components simply does not leave lice a chance to survive; in addition to adult lice, the hot fog also destroys their egg laying.

• Hot fog simultaneously disinfects premises from bacteria and viruses. It also provides highly effective protection of air vents, cracks and risers from accidental ingress of lice.

At the end of the specialists’ work, preventive disinfection after lice is mandatory. After 2-3 hours, the treated room is ventilated and subjected to thorough wet cleaning.

♦ Comprehensive disinsection. Integrated control methods include barrier protection against the penetration of lice from the outside, treatment of housing with cold and hot fog. Disinsection ends with cleaning the premises from viruses and bacteria.

Disinfection against lice

Modern methods of disinfection against lice do not require too much time. Disinsection currently includes a number of operational methods:

Cold fog. A well-disinfecting atomized liquid comes out of special ULF fumigators in a form split to almost 90 microns. This method has many advantages over using standard pump sprayers:

• High efficiency.
• Floors and furniture are not filled with mortar.
• Increased environmental friendliness and good safety.
• After such treatment there are never any traces of the product left.
• The permissible concentration of the special substance is not exceeded.

However, cold fog is still inferior in its overall effectiveness to the use of so-called hot fog. With a cold fog from lice, all the evaporated liquid in the room can last slightly less time than with the hot method. Another drawback: modern cold fog destroys lice only in visible places.

Hot fog. A powerful generator quickly breaks down a special insecticidal preparation into nanoparticles. The special liquid quickly penetrates into any places inaccessible to human hands. The high activity of these components does not leave lice any chance of survival. In addition to adult insects, hot fog also immediately destroys their eggs. With the help of hot fog, they simultaneously completely disinfect the room from a variety of bacteria and dangerous viruses. Also, hot fog provides very effective protection of all air ducts, risers, and any cracks from parasites getting in from there. Upon completion of such work, special disinfection after lice is always performed. After 3 hours, the treated room is well ventilated and also subjected to high-quality wet cleaning.

Comprehensive disinsection. Modern comprehensive methods of combating lice include protection against the penetration of bloodsuckers from the outside, as well as treating housing with both hot and regular cold fog. Disinsection necessarily ends with cleaning the premises from various bacteria and dangerous viruses. After this, you don’t have to worry at all about how to get rid of lice.

Boiling

An equally effective method for treating laundry is boiling. In this case, you need to use a weak solution of sodium carbonate, in which things are boiled for 15-20 minutes. After the procedure, things need to be hung on the street or balcony so that the sun's rays have a disinfecting effect. You need to ventilate things for at least 5 days.

After this period of time, things are carefully processed with a hot iron. You also need to treat hygiene items by immersing combs, combs and other accessories in boiling water for 2-3 minutes.

We treat the affected areas

Treatment for lice should be carried out taking into account age, the presence of allergic reactions and other factors that can have a negative impact on the normal conduct of the procedure. The process itself involves following a certain order of actions:

• Apply your usual shampoo to your hair and rinse thoroughly;
• lightly blot hair with a towel, apply anti-pediculosis agent using massaging movements;
• leave the product on the surface of the hair and scalp for the time specified in the instructions for the product;
• rinse thoroughly with water;
• carry out mechanical removal of dead or exposed but still living parasites from the surface of the hair shafts and roots;
• repeat the treatment after 7 - 10 days.

Treatment of pediculosis

The most effective methods of treatment for human lice include: insecticidal agents for treating hair areas of the body and mechanical removal of parasites using special combs.

The sequence of the procedure should be as follows:

• body treatment is carried out using pediculicidal agents: shampoos and lotions. The drug is applied to the infected area of ​​the body and washed off after the time specified in the instructions;
• if the infection was minor, then in this case you can resort to a natural herbal remedy - a decoction of tansy, which is used as a body rinse after bathing;
• using special combs, comb the hair to remove dead insects;
• seven days later, repeated treatment is carried out, which is necessary to kill the larvae that have hatched from the eggs.

Another current treatment method for lice and nits is trimming the head. But as a rule, this event is carried out after the use of antiparasitic agents.

Important! For advanced forms of pediculosis, which are accompanied by ulcers, purulent irritations and allergies, only a doctor can prescribe a medicinal drug.

Treatment for lice must be carried out for each family member, even if not everyone will show symptoms of infestation. It is possible that those who do not experience itching still have parasites, but in small quantities.

Repetition

Some head lice in our country have become resistant to certain treatments. This has led to problems eradicating the infestation in some families. Here are some guidelines to follow in certain situations:

• Immediate recurrence – If you still notice live lice on the scalp within a day or two of using the medication, it could mean that the lice are resistant to that particular shampoo or that your child has a particularly bad infestation. The best course is to immediately repeat the treatment with another medicine and repeat the same treatment after 7 days. Make sure you remove all potential sources of lice from around your child.
• Recurrence after a week or more - to the question can there be nits without lice? - they can, but this indicates that some nits were missed and hatched into living lice. In this case, you can repeat the same procedure again (which is often recommended anyway), taking extra care to ensure that you remove all nits over the next week.
• Stubborn recurrences – If you continue to have problems, there may be an unknown source of lice in your family or school. In this case, you can treat other family members even if you do not find lice or nits. Some experts have also recommended using both permethrin and pyrethrin at the same time (one after the other). It's safe to try. We do not recommend using Malathion until all other alternatives have been tried at least twice.

Eyelash lice photo:

Who is at risk?

Pediculosis, like many other types of dangerous diseases, is epidemiological in nature, most often associated with excessively mild climatic conditions and the lack of measures taken in the community if the source of infection is visiting preschool institutions or schools. It is worth noting that even in the quite prosperous metropolitan region, there is periodically a steady trend towards an increase in the frequency of disease outbreaks. And the first at risk are children, who more often than adults come into close contact with each other.

Another reason for increased lice activity can be considered the development of immunity to pyrethoid drugs. For a long time, pyrethrin and permethrin remained almost the only means of combating parasites. The result of this non-alternative approach was the emergence of a population resistant to their effects. That is why today, for effective treatment and sanitary treatment of residential premises, it is recommended to use new generation drugs that have much higher biological activity aimed at destroying bloodsuckers.

There are only two ways of infection:

• direct contact with a carrier of pediculosis;
• using personal belongings and clothing of another person affected by insects.

Of course, a person leading an antisocial lifestyle or engaging in promiscuous sex will have a slightly higher risk of infection. But, in general, statistics quite convincingly prove that each of us theoretically has a chance of meeting six-legged bloodsuckers. And in this case, treatment against lice will be the only means to achieve a sustainable result.

What to withdraw?

What to do? How do you remove parasites? Therapy for pediculosis is aimed at destroying lice, relieving unpleasant symptoms and preventing the spread of the disease to others. There are several treatment methods, which are usually used in combination or by combining them with each other .

Recommendations from pediatricians for the treatment of plantar warts in children can be found on our website.

Medicines

To destroy parasites, insecticides to treat the sites of infection. These may be the following drugs:

• Malathion;
• Pedilin;
• Benzyl benzoate;
• Permethrin;
• Medifox;
• Nittifor;
• Knicks.

The drugs come in the form of ointments, gels or shampoos.

They are applied at least twice a day to the infected areas. Treatment should last several weeks, since medical products destroy only adult individuals, and the larvae survive, so they are used until all the nits hatch.

Application time is approximately 10 minutes. After this, the product is washed off and the hair is thoroughly combed to get rid of dead lice.

The variety of drugs is explained by the immunity of different types of lice to the active substance, so sometimes you need to change the drug to another to achieve a positive result.

Shampoos

Shampoos are the most popular lice treatment because they are easy to use and children respond well to them, unlike medicinal gels and ointments. Let's look at the most popular anti-pediculosis shampoos:

1. Veda – the active ingredient is permethrin. One of the most powerful lice remedies with a quick effect. The shampoo is applied for 30 minutes, after which it is thoroughly washed off with clean water, and the hair must be combed. Can only be used by children over 2 years of age.
2. NOC is an analogue of the Veda. The application is similar.
3. Hygia - the shampoo contains permethrin and vinegar, which are harmful to lice. This is a complex, highly effective product, since from the first use not only adults, but also nits die. The shampoo is applied for 30 minutes, then washed off and the hair is combed.
4. Paranit is a product based on clearol. This substance envelops the parasites, causing them to suffocate and die. The shampoo is applied to the head with massage movements until it foams, then it is left for 15 minutes and rinsed off.
5. Pedilin - the active ingredient is malathion, which destroys adult lice and their eggs. Apply the shampoo for 20-30 minutes and rinse off. A potent product that can cause skin irritation or allergies, therefore it is used only on adult children (9 years and older).

Read about the symptoms and treatment of bruxism in a child here.

Folk remedies

To combat lice, folk remedies are often used, which are quite effective along with insecticides:

1. Kerosene . It is rubbed into the skin and left for 2-3 hours, after which it is washed off. The procedure is repeated every day for a week. The most popular folk remedy with proven effectiveness.
2. Vinegar . It is diluted with water 50 to 50 and the hair is washed with it. After this you should comb your hair thoroughly. Vinegar loosens the attachment of lice to the hair and dissolves nits.
3. Tar soap . It is used in combination with other remedies, as it only eliminates itching and burning in the scalp. It is enough to simply wash your hair with soap during treatment.
4. Tansy and wormwood . For 1 liter of water take 3 tablespoons of both ingredients. The product is brought to a boil and then infused for 1 hour. Wash your hair with the decoction every day.
5. Cranberry juice . The juice is diluted with water, and the resulting solution is used to wash the hair every day until the lice disappear. Cranberry dissolves nits, but lice are more resistant to it, so this remedy is used in combination with others.

How to treat balanitis in boys? Read about it in our article.

Useful videos

Treatment for pediculosis.

An unpleasant insect from which no one is safe is the louse; it is designed in such a way that it moves excellently and even survives in water. You can catch it through personal hygiene items.

In most cases, this happens in children's institutions, where children can exchange things and play with the same toys.

An adult can earn them in a hairdressing salon, where they neglect the processing of tools.

How can you get infected?

Infection occurs through contact with the environment, especially in public places.

Parasites are very tenacious and can remain in unfavorable conditions without food for a long time, waiting for human contact .

They cannot fly, but they move relatively quickly across the surface with the help of their legs. Most often, children become infected in the following places:

• Kid `s camp;
• kindergarten;
• school;
• pool;
• locker room

You can “pick up” lice by using someone else’s clothing, a comb, or through bedding.

Most often, it neglect of personal hygiene that causes lice to appear, although this does not guarantee complete protection from this parasite.

How to comb out nits from a child

If you notice lice or nits on your child, you must immediately begin combing them out. It will be much faster and easier to solve this problem with boys, since they have short hair, but with girls it will be much more difficult. You will have to put in a lot of effort and patience to rid your child of these parasites.

IMPORTANT! Under no circumstances should you resort to folk remedies such as kerosene or dichlorvos when treating head lice in a child. They are very toxic!

Now on the shelves there is a huge selection of anti-pediculosis products, such as shampoos, sprays, lotions and much more. They can be bought at any pharmacy.

The first signs of pediculosis

It can take about a week from the time of infection with head lice until obvious symptoms appear, which is why it is important to regularly examine children.

The symptoms of the disease are simple; the presence of lice in a child is characterized by:

• Itching and redness in the occipital and temporal areas, behind the ears.
• Rashes due to skin damage from bites.
• Scratching, which then becomes covered with a purulent crust and dries out.

• Nits are found on the hair. Outwardly, they resemble small scales of a silvery hue. In order not to confuse lice eggs with dandruff, you should look at the photo. In addition, unlike dandruff, which is easily shaken off, removing nits from hair is not easy. They are attached to it using a special sticky substance secreted by the adult during reproduction.

Danger of infection: forewarned is forearmed

First of all, it’s worth figuring out exactly what type of insect disturbed your peace. There are three types of harmful parasites:

• Linen. Their habitat is the area of ​​seams on clothes and folds of linen. In some cases, eggs are also laid in the armpit area - if there is hair here and the nit can be fixed firmly enough. Discomfort from the appearance of pests in the house will manifest itself quite quickly. Bite marks on the body, severe itching - all this should be a cause for alarm. A source of danger or infection can be both unfavorable sanitary conditions in the premises of a house or apartment, as well as external factors: direct contact with the carrier, purchase of used things and interior items.

• Pubic. With the introduction of fashion for hair removal and total destruction of body hair, infection with parasites of this type is becoming less and less common. But still, you shouldn’t relax. Having discovered traces of crawling insects or their eggs in the area of ​​the pubic hair, in the folds of the groin and scrotum, it is necessary to begin the fight immediately. Otherwise, there is a high risk that the spread of insects will cover the axillary area and facial hair and will require much more serious attention.

Our readers write

Topic: Parasites are to blame for all troubles!

From: Elena V.

I have felt very bad for the past few years. Constant fatigue, insomnia, some kind of apathy, laziness, frequent headaches. I also had problems with digestion, and in the morning I had bad breath.

We suggest you read: Ivermek injections for cats

And here is my story

All this began to accumulate and I realized that I was moving in some wrong direction. I began to lead a healthy lifestyle and eat right, but this did not affect my well-being. The doctors couldn’t really say anything either. Everything seems to be normal, but I feel like my body is not healthy.

Then I went to an expensive clinic and had all the tests done, and in one of the tests I was found to have parasites. These were not ordinary worms, but a specific type, with which, according to doctors, almost everyone is infected, to a greater or lesser extent. It is almost impossible to remove them from the body. I took a course of antiparasitic medications that were prescribed to me at that clinic, but there was almost no result.

What and how to process combs, hairpins and combs?

First, we remove all the hairs from all the devices, make a soap solution: add laundry soap and two tablespoons of soda to a liter of water, dissolve. The water should not be very soapy and we begin to rinse (process) and brush with a brush to capture all the places between the cloves.

After processing, rinse all items in running water and dry them on a cloth or towel so that all the water drips off. This procedure can be performed more often to protect yourself from repeated lice attacks.

Is chemistry the solution?

Chemical lice treatments are most often done using available household options. These most often include a variety of sprays - dichlorvos and its derivatives, as well as sprays and emulsions based on pyretoids. But even here it is extremely important to remember that many commercially available products and their components are strong pesticides. It is necessary to use them independently to treat a house, apartment, or bedding, taking into account all the necessary safety measures.

If there are opportunities for professional disinfestation, you should abandon independent control and entrust the implementation of all necessary measures to specialists. Only in this case can reliable protection against re-infection be ensured and risks associated with the effects of toxic chemicals on health can be avoided.