Sunday, January 27, 2008

Treatment for Pediculosis

Pediculosis is a condition in which a human is infested with some form of lice; this includes body lice, head lice and pubic lice. The most common pediculosis condition is head lice. Lice are tiny parasite insects that can be found in the hair and on the scalp of an infested human. These insects need human blood to survive; they will also stay close to the skin for warmth and moisture. Head lice move very quickly, thus the reason for how easily they move from one person to another. Anyone can have a pediculosis condition; it is not an indication of poor hygiene, and head lice do not limit themselves only to those on the lower economic level. The main symptom of pediculosis is itching, and at times the itching can be very irritating causing excessive scratching, that in turn, leads to sores and possibly infection. Though itching of the head is a sign of head lice, be aware that it may not always show up right away, and in fact, may take weeks before the lice are irritating the scalp to the point of causing excessive itching.If you should discover someone in the family has head lice, all members of the household should be checked for pediculosis. By doing this you can stop the infestation then, instead of family members giving the lice back and forth between treatments.The usual way in which pediculosis is treated is with shampoos and creams, containing chemicals that kill the head lice, but not the nits. With these treatments, it is important to treat the hair again within 10 days, as well as vacuuming all carpets and washing all clothes. You will also want to replace brushes, combs and other hair accessories, or soak them in very hot water for at least an hour.There are some home remedies for pediculosis that may work better without exposing your family to the toxins in the medicated shampoos. In addition to being safer, some evidence now points to the possibility that the over the counter and prescription cures for head lice are no longer 100% effective and may require several applications to produce the desired results. If you find that someone in your family has a persistent case of pediculosis, you may want to consult your healthcare provider about alternative options for treating the infestation. This is especially true if the person with head lice is a child or a pregnant woman.

Monday, January 14, 2008

Lice Cures – A Home Remedy

If your family has ever had to tackle head lice, and you’ve searched endlessly for lice cures that work, you know very well how frustrating the process can be. This can be even more of a nightmare if you have tried several different, over the counter; lice cures that failed to rid your family of lice. If you use an over the counter lice cure, you could end up spending hundreds of dollars every time someone in the house brings home head lice, and then there is a chance that the treatments won’t even work. A better alternative may be to try a home remedy. Most of the time, home remedies are much less expensive, safer and more effective for killing lice. There are several, safe, non-toxic home remedies that you may wish to try before sinking hundreds of dollars into over the counter, or prescription lice cures.Of the many lice cures that are, one home remedy that has been recommended by pediatricians is the use of real mayonnaise. To use mayonnaise as a lice cure you must saturate the hair and scalp in mayonnaise, and then cover the head with a shower cap. The treatments must be kept on for several hours. When it is time to remove the mayonnaise, you simply wash the hair with dish soap a couple of times, and then use a specially designed comb to remove the dead lice and nits. After treatment, it will be necessary to thoroughly clean all of the surfaces in the home. Vacuum all carpets and furniture; wash bedding, clothes and coats. Anything that cannot be washed should be stored in an airtight plastic bag for at least two weeks. The process should be repeated every four days for about two weeks to ensure that the head lice infestation is under control.There are several home remedies that are said to work good as lice cures; they include using olive oil, or tea tree oil as apposed to mayonnaise, and regular use of a shampoo that contains coconut oil is suppose to work wonders for keeping your household free of head lice. The most important step you can take in preventing head lice infestation in your home is to educate your children on the risks of sharing personal items, such as brushes and hats, with other children. Head lice spreads by the hair having physical contact with a louse found on clothing objects, furniture, combs, etc. If your child is sent home from school with head lice, don’t panic. With some careful research are sure to find good lice cures that works.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Treating Pediculosis with Chemicals Can Be Dangerous

Pediculosis is another term for head lice and body lice. It is very contagious and easily passed between people through personal contact. Once you or someone in your home catches a form of pediculosis it can be very difficult to get rid of. Though there are several methods of treating head lice, not all of them are considered safe and effective. For years the most common method of treating a pediculosis infestation was with a chemical shampoo or conditioner that contains neurotoxins to kill the lice. Over the past few years it has become apparent that this treatment method is no longer as effective as it once was, resulting in numerous repeated treatments to resolve the problem.As a result, for some time now there has been a search on to find a safer and more effective treatment. People have tried everything from mayonnaise in the hair overnight to olive oil and tea tree oil. Most people agree that these types of treatments can work if they are done properly. Even with natural treatments for pediculosis, it is necessary to clean and vacuum the home thoroughly, as well as bag all items that cannot be washed in a plastic bag for at least two weeks. Putting all bedding, clothes and hats through the laundry is also recommended.Another choice for treatment is the use of a hair dryer on the hair. In studies this has proven to be very effective in not only killing live adult lice, but the nits too. The heat appears to quickly eliminate the little insects.Use the hair dryer as you are combing through the hair, ensure that you get all areas of the hair and scalp. For best results you may choose to use the hair dryer method in conjunction with another home remedy treatment, such as olive oil or mayonnaise. To help your family avoid a run in with head lice it is important to teach your children that they should never share their personal items with other children. This can be difficult, as young children like to share, especially girls. Girls tend to share brushes and other hair accessories, unfortunately this is one of the main methods that pediculosis is transmitted from one child to another. Once your child gets head lice they will bring it home and likely everyone in the family, not to mention extended family as well as friends will get head lice. This can be embarrassing, but also very difficult to eradicate. Always inform the school as well as your friends and family that your child has been exposed to head lice, this will help to keep pediculosis from spreading, which will only result in your family getting it again. It is essential that you treat pediculosis safely and promptly.