How Can I Get Rid of Head Lice?

Answer:
Head lice are an annoyance but an infestation

is treatable. There are a variety of head lice treatments, and parents must choose the best one for their family. Treatments include lice-killing shampoo, natural remedies, and fine-toothed combs.

Lice shampoos are not gentle substances – after all, they must be able to kill a parasite living in someone’s hair. However, they are effective. Most of them are considered to be fairly safe for people without pre-existing conditions, but they should not be used on infants. Make sure you read the label of any lice shampoo very carefully before using it.

There are many natural lice remedies to be found online and in natural food stores. However, most of these remedies are not FDA-approved and therefore have not been rigorously tested for either safety or efficacy. Most pediatricians do not recommend natural head lice remedies.

Fine-toothed combs are an excellent, although labor-intensive, way to remove lice and nits from the hair. Even after using a lice-killing shampoo, it is necessary to use a nit comb (a flea or tick comb from a pet store should also work) to remove the nits, or lice eggs. These combs can also remove live lice.

Whichever method or combination of methods that you choose, make sure that you also wash all clothing, bedding, and stuffed animals in hot water and make sure the infested person is not sharing brushes, combs, hats, or anything else that could spread lice.


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