Head lice are parasites that can be found on the heads of people and are very common in school age children.  Infection with head lice is called pediculosis. There are 3 stages of head lice. The nit is the egg that is laid by the female louse next to the scalp.  The nymph is a young lice that is unable to lay eggs.  Lice is the adult stage of the parasite. 

Knowing the lifecycle of head lice can help with treatments.  The female louse can lay 3-5 eggs per day.  After the egg hatches, you have a nymph.  The nymph is not mature enough to lay its own eggs for up to 7 days. This is why treatments generally call for repeating  every 7-10 days.  Lice cannot live off the head for more than 24 hours.  They feed off of human blood and need to eat 3-4 times a day.  If they are off the head they will dehydrate.  The eggs need human warmth to survive.  If one happened to hatch it would die quickly since it wouldn’t be able to get food.

Over-the-counter methods, such as Rid or Nix,  are the most common method used in treating head lice. To use these products, you must apply to dry hair, leave on for ten minutes and then rinse.  Nix is said to last for weeks if you don not use conditioners.  The conditioner will coat the hair and therefore not kill any lingering lice. However they are pesticides and do have some risks. Use of these pesticides can be very dangerous if the instructions are not followed or if they are over used.

Home remedies are being turned to and suggested by schools an alternative to the standard otc methods. The process of using mayo, Vaseline or olive oil is thought to smother the parasites. However, this is not a proven method. The products may make the lice immobile for a while and then they will be combed out. Using the home remedy methods mentioned are miserable for the child. They are recommended to leave on for hours or overnight. The products will drip down their face and be very difficult to wash out of their hair.

Herbal remedies are also being used to treat head lice. The popular tea tree oil is suggested by many sites. However, tea tree oil is a fungicide and with over use or high doses can cause skin irritation and even be toxic to the liver.

1. Detect early. It does take some time for the lice to lay eggs and then hatch. If you watch for the signs it will cut down on the time and effort you will need. Early sign include scratching and red or irritated scalp.

2. Check all family members weekly. Head lice are very contagious. Although, they are wingless and cannot jump, they will spread through direct contact. Family members often hug ( I hope) and this will increase the risk of spreading.

3. The method that is found most effective is manual removal. Even if you use a method listed above you will need to remove the lice and nits. You don't need to use any of the methods above if you are thorough with manual removal.

What you need for manual removal is good lighting, leave in conditioner and a metal nit removing comb.

Using a leave in conditioner can help make it difficult for the lice to grip and easier for you to remove. The conditioner also will make the lice immobile.

Divide the hair into small sections and comb each section thoroughly. The metal nit removal combs work the best. The plastic type pull the hair and cause tangles.

If you are unable to remove a lice or nit with the comb, then use your fingernails. You will need to comb the hair by a sink so you can rinse the comb often. If you got the little critter out you wouldn't want to put it back in the hair.

4. Wash the bedding and any stuffed animals that may be infested. If you have items that are unable to be washed, store them in a plastic bag out of the area (maybe in the garage) so any lice on them will die.

5. Soak all combs and brushes in hot water.

6. Vacuum. There is no need to spray your house with toxic pesticides. The lice and nits die quickly off the human head.

7. REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT. With all the steps above you will need to repeat to ensure that you get every last one of the nits and lice.