Tips to Getting Rid of Lice in Afro Textured Hair

Having head lice can be frustrating, lice can live in the scalp and on the hair. But it’s not normal for lice to live in the hair or scalp or anywhere else on a person’s body. Head lice can be prevented and there are treatments for head lice and body lice. Lice and their eggs can make the skin and scalp feel really itchy. Lice are more commonly found around the ears, on the neck, and on the upper back.

This is one reason why many people using 'Clorox wipes' at work or schools, and also using hand sanitizers. The use of hand sanitizers are not just for preventing common colds and flu; but also used for preventing other unhealthy bacteria on the skin. Lice are especially found more often in children, a child can get head lice from other children at schools. Head lice can spread from one child to the next child by person-to-person contact. Also children in schools can spread head lice by: putting their back-packs together in a school closet, coats and jackets together in a school closet, sharing personal items like hair combs with other school children, etc.

Lice infestation can happen in about 7-14 days, this is why using a 'Nix cream' every 7-14 days will help get rid of the head lice. If the lice are not gone after 2 treatments, continue the treatment 7-14 days again until the lice are gone. When using 'Nix lice cream' read the instructions on the box and the bottle for the best results. Nix lice cream requires for people with head lice to wash their hair first with regular shampoo, before using the Nix cream. After shampooing the hair with your regular shampoo, then apply the Nix Cream to the scalp and leave on the hair and scalp for 10 minutes. Rub the lice treatment cream throughout all of your hair; follow the instructions on the lice treatment bottle.

The spread of lice on the head or body lice can come from;

• Hotels
• Schools
• Movie theaters
• Person-to-person contact
• Sharing towels and wash cloths
• Sharing hair brushes and combs
• Sharing hats and other hair accessories

Preventing head lice and body lice can be achieved, and getting rid of a lice problem in the home can be accomplished too. Some people get body lice and pubic lice by sexual contact with their partners, condoms and birth control cannot prevent lice in the pubic area. But pubic lice and crabs can be treated with 'Rid lice treatment' or 'Nix lice cream,' these 2 lice treatments can be bought at a local pharmacy or online at CVS.com. When you're on the CVS site just type in the word 'Nix lice cream' or whichever lice treatment you choose. Lice can't fly from one person to the next person; lice don't fly, hop, or jump.

African American/Black people can get lice also; wearing hair-grease in the hair does not totally keep lice away. However Tea Tree Oil does help with mild scalp fungus, because this oil is an antifungal agent.

Lice treatments do keep lice away longer which keeps the lice eggs from rehatching in the scalp which is re-infestation. Lice are an equal opportunity pestilence; they can live on clean people as well, and people that are not so clean. Lice cannot live on the blood of pets, but they can live on the blood of humans. Humans can't get lice from dogs or cats.

There are ways to prevent infestation of lice in your home

• Vacuum your home daily to prevent rug mites.
• Wipe away dust and dust mites on the furniture in your home with a damped rag with an antibacterial surface cleaner that contains ammonia.
• Wash curtains hanging in the home every 4 - 6 months.
• Change sheets and covers on the beds every 3 - 5 days, or as needed.
• Shower or bathe every day or twice a daily with an antibacterial soap (Dial soap).
• Wash children's stuffed animal toys in a pillow-case, with hot water and soap in a washing machine.
• Vacuum furniture also, and mop tiled floors with mild soap and 99.9% bleach in water (one teaspoon of bleach).
• Use vinyl mattress-covers on all mattresses and box springs.

Preventing your home from lice infestation can be easy; also vacuuming your car and spraying it with a lice spray might be necessary. Also watch your child to see if they are scratching their upper back or scalp. Some lice can be mistaken for dandruff on the scalp and hair. Lice are visible on the hair and they stick to the hair. Check your child's scalp every week, since they do go to school with other children.

Another lice killing tip is to do an "hot oil treatment" on the hair and scalp with Tea Tree Oil and vitamin E oil. Saturate the scalp and hair with tea tree oil mixed with vitamin E oil that has been warmed in a small bowl and put in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. But first, comb the hair into four large braid with the tea tree oil on it before apply the shower cap. Tea Tree Oil is an anti-fungal oil and it keeps the scalp clean; place a plastic bag or shower cap on the hair while under a hair dryer for about 20-35 minutes. And then rinse the hair with warm water. An hot oil treatment can be applied to the hair every week or every two weeks to help rid the hair of lice.

You can find tea tree oil at pharmacies, beauty supply stores, and health food stores.

In some cases it's difficult to get rid of lice, some people use a lice treatment every 7 days as needed to prevent re-infestation.