While there are many different louse treatments that will effectively get rid of lice and eggs, in order to keep them from coming back, you need to be diligent and persistent.  Although they are mostly just annoying and frustrating, lice can infest an entire house and the occupants, as well as your child’s school, in just a few days!

Lice do not discriminate!  You can be infected with head lice regardless of your age, your background, where you live, or how much money you have.  Although many people believe that lice like dirty and greasy hair better, the truth is that they prefer cleaner hair.  Their eggs stick better to hair that is clean, and they are able to grasp cleaner hair more easily.  Lice can be picked up through physical contact or by using items of a person that has lice.  This might include a brush, hat, hair accessories, bedding, or even towels.

Pesticides and insecticides are two of the most common treatments for lice.  Most of the products and shampoos you can purchase at the drugstore either contain malathion or phenothrin.  People with asthma should not use these forms of treatment, as they can cause an allergic reaction or irritation.  Pregnant women should, of course, consult their physicians before utilizing any head lice products, and parents should do the same before treating young children.  Experts agree that lice may be growing resistant or immune to some of these common lice-fighting chemicals, rendering them useless.

Many people are also turning to natural methods of fighting lice infestations.  While in some cases the process may take a bit longer than using the store-bought medications, there are some benefits.  For example, most natural methods are safer and non-toxic.  Lavender, geranium, and even tea tree oils are all believed to be great lice treatments.  These would simply be massaged into the scalp after being diluted, and the nits and lice come out easier and quicker.

Outside of these common treatments, there are many home remedies that lots of folks swear by.  In fact, they are quite efficient at getting rid of those pesky critters.  Some examples of these home remedies include lathering shaving lotion on the head to kill lice and their eggs, utilizing antiseptic mouthwash to shampoo the hair, and mixing baby oil and vinegar to use on the hair.  While covering the hair and scalp with petroleum jelly suffocates the lice, it is quite a mess and you may have to shampoo the hair many times before all of the residue comes out.  Regular flour or baby powder can help absorb this residue if you sprinkle it on before shampooing.

Another of the most common louse treatments is to simply comb through the hair with a special comb.  The comb should be a fine-tooth, preferably metal comb with teeth that are no more than three-tenths of a millimeter apart.  This will help grab each strand of hair so that no louse or egg is left behind.  Just one being overlooked can result in re-infestation in a matter of a few weeks!

Flea combs work as well as a fine-tooth comb.  However, do not ever use flea or animal parasite products on a human to kill lice.  Some other things you should never do is place kerosene, gas, or alcohol on a human’s head in order to try to kill the lice.  These are all extremely dangerous and could result in serious injuries.