Understanding the life cycle of headlice is essential to treating them effectively. Just because there are no visible lice on a person’s head does not mean there is not an infestation. Lice deposit their eggs in the hair and the eggs incubate for up to 10 days. Once they hatch into nymphs, there is another 10 days before they grow into adult lice. This means you can think you have eradicated a lice problem, only to find the problem back again in 20 days! Sadly, the problem was never eliminated completely; you simply got rid of the adult lice.

This is why it is so important for your lice treatment to target adult lice, as well as nymphs and eggs. Eggs, which are also called nits, are laid close to the scalp so a person’s body heat can help the unborn lice survive. They are oval in shape and usually a white or yellow-tinged color. They do not move and are sometimes easier to spot than adult lice. Once nits hatch into nymphs, they look similar to adult lice, but they are smaller. Lice molt three times during their life cycle and are eventually yellow or brown in color.

Adult lice are oval, much like their eggs, but they have three legs with claws at the end. Their color is brown or rust, deeper and richer than nymps. They live close to the scalp, often around the ears and neck. During their 30-day lifespan, they can lay up to eight eggs per day.

If you are looking for a way to treat your child or yourself naturally for headlice at all stages of their life cycle, choose an effective, natural product. Our Natural Headlice Blitzer can be used two times per week, so lice are targeted throughout their life cycle. To prevent lice before they get into your hair, use a preventative treatment like Natural Headlice Beater.

Begin with a thorough lice check. Even if there are no bugs, your child’s scalp might be covered in lice that are just about to hatch. Keep a close eye on things and see what changes over the course of several hours or a day or two.

If you are having your doubts about the problem being lice, you might only be dealing with dandruff or hairspray flakes. Wash your child’s hair and see if it makes a difference. Lice will still be present after a normal shampooing, but hairspray will vanish. Dandruff is likely to lessen, too, immediately after a wash.

Unfortunately, it could be a bug problem other than lice. Other bugs that take up residence on people include ants and aphids. Luckily, these little critters are not contagious, so you only need to rinse them out of your child’s hair.

The easiest way to avoid lice confusion is to use a natural product that prevents lice. This way you have a plan in place to prevent infestation. Another great option is to use natural lice shampoo, even if you are unsure if the problem is lice. If you choose a potent synthetic shampoo containing dangerous chemicals, you will not want to use the product unless it is absolutely necessary. If you are using a natural treatment, you are not risking your child’s health using it in times of uncertainty.

Start your revamping slowly. Some people have success tossing all of their old products and buying all new, but not everyone can be expected to do this. As you use up an old product, replace it with a healthier, natural alternative. This gives your body and budget time to adjust to the changes.

Dilute the unnatural products as much as possible until they are used. Commercial cleaning products are usually far stronger than necessary. Adding water to a commercial cleaning product makes it safer to use without making it ineffective.

Make changes to personal care products first. Though you and your family come into contact with all of the chemicals in your home, those you put directly on your body cause the most danger. Replace shampoo, conditioner, soap, and lotions as soon as possible. Laundry detergent should come next, and finally, household cleaners. Chemicals found in these products affect human cells, so the more direct contact they have the more time they have to do damage.

Finding effective replacement products might take a little time and research. If you or a family member is dealing with a specific condition such as dandruff, psoriasis, or headlice, there are plenty of natural remedies that are safe and effective. Devote some time in the New Year to learning more about natural products and by this time next year, your home will be a healthier, happier place.

Happy New Year!

Some people believe headlice could not possibly survive around Christmas time. Depending on the climate in which you live, the unbearable seasonal temperatures destroy most of the vermin. However, headlice are parasites, which means they do not care what the season might be, much less whether you are dealing with holiday chores, hosting family gatherings, or wrapping presents. Their goal is to survive and multiply at all times.

To avoid a headlice crisis at Christmas, have all children checked before their visit. If nobody enters your home with headlice, there should not be a problem. Remember, too, that headlice do not care about a person’s age. Adults are less likely to be infested, but make sure just to be safe. Do your best to separate sleeping kids into different beds. Even if they have to share a room, do not make them squeeze into the same bed. Inflatable mattresses are affordable and are a great solution for expanding sleeping space.

Keep your home cool and clean. No matter the temperature outside, your house should feel a bit chilly, especially when people are visiting. The extra people generate more heat, so you will need to knock the thermostat back a few degrees. Stock up on headlice prevention treatments. Preventative measures reduce the risk that headlice will spread between family members. Also have plenty of natural headlice treatment on hand, just in case an outbreak should occur. With a little effort, you can keep your family’s celebration lice-free.

Happy holidays from everyone at Headlice Help, including Nelly the Nit!

Eggs

Many animals lay eggs as part of the birth process. Lice lay eggs which are visible in the hair and on the scalp. The eggs attach to the hair shaft and are usually yellow or white in color. When treating lice it is important to deal with eggs, as well as the hatched lice. This ends the cycle of headlice and prevents future outbreaks. Eggs take about five to seven days to hatch.

Nits

Nits are another name for lice eggs. If your doctor or treatment specialist refers to nits, he or she is talking about the egg phase of lice.

Louse

This is the term used for individual lice. Removing a louse from the hair means you have taken care of only one individual bug.

Pediculosis

This is the term for a lice infestation. If a child or adult is diagnosed with pediculosis, their hair and scalp is infested with lice and he or she will require treatment to remedy the problem.

Infestation

An infestation occurs when there are several lice on the head or scalp. Though the sight of a single louse can indicate an infestation, there are usually several lice or nits present during an infestation. It does not matter whether the infestation involves the adult louse or nit stage it is still considered an infestation. Infestations can also occur on toys, furniture, and bedding.

Lindane

Lindane is a dangerous chemical found in many lice treatment products. In many parts of the world, it is illegal for manufacturers of lice treatment products to use lindane. If you are considering a lice treatment product and you notice lindane is listed as one of its ingredients, choose another product. There are quality natural products available that are just as effective for treating a lice outbreak.

Fiction

The only cure for headlice is to shave your head. Not true at all! A lot of children are threatened with the prospect of shaved head to remind them how important it is to not share hats and combs. Shaving your head is not necessary though, even if you end up with a severe infestation. All you need to eliminate lice is a nit comb and an all-natural headlice shampoo.

Fact

Medicinal lice shampoos are dangerous. This is absolutely true and should be shouted from every rooftop. Lice shampoos are so dangerous they have been banned in several areas. Unfortunately, there are still shampoos that contain lindaine, the most powerful toxic ingredient found in pharmaceutical shampoos. If you or your child contracts lice, ignore the dangerous shampoos offered by many retailers and opt for something natural and safe.

Fiction

Headlice can fly or jump from head to head. This is not true at all. Lice are mobile and sharing hairbrushes, hats, pillows, and hairbands can put you at risk for catching lice. However, being near someone with lice does not automatically mean you will catch lice. If there is someone in your child’s class that has lice, encourage your child to politely keep his or her distance. The infested child does not need to be ridiculed or ignored, but keeping space between heads is a smart choice. In many areas, children are asked to stay home from school during when they are suffering from a lice infestation.

Fact

Lice can survive on non-living surfaces. Though their life spans are shorter when they have nothing to feed on, lice can live on blankets, pillows, stuffed animals, and hair styling supplies for weeks. These items should not be shared and if an outbreak occurs, the items need to be washed. Natural lice prevention products can be used to eliminate lice on inanimate objects.

This phenomenon happens quite frequently, especially in the pharmaceutical communities. Germs and diseases figure out how to avoid and survive treatments and those few strong ones that survive go on to create strong children. The strong the medication, the stronger the survivors need to be, which means their children are just as strong. Before long, we have a generation of excessively strong enemies, capable of surviving just about any pharmaceutical treatment we use.

So how to we eliminate lice without creating a super race? The answer is simple. Use a natural product that does not lead to the lice developing a strong immunity. Natural products let your body do what it was meant to do. When nature carries out natural processes, things fall into place. You not only eliminate head lice without using a dangerous chemical product, you stop a super bug before it is even born.

1. Do not share anything that touches your own head or the head of another child. This includes hats, brushes, combs, hair accessories like scrunchies, and pillows. Remind your child frequently not to share these things with friends. Also give them reminders before slumber parties or special events where they might be tempted more than usual. Headlice love situations where children gather together with no regard for what they share and what touches their hair.

2. Keep your head away from other children. This might seem easy for adults, but kids often huddle together when playing or when chatting with friends. Headlice transfer easily from head to head.

3. Do not share stuffed animals with other children. Children in daycare should be provided with their own stuffed animals, as well as naptime blankets and pillows. Even better, provide toys that are not plush. Lice can live on stuffed toys for awhile, so if a headlice outbreak occurs, launder the stuff toys in hot water.

4. Treat furniture and other items after an outbreak. If one person is infested, you need to reduce the risk for others. Headlice spray can be used on furniture if the pieces are too large for the washing machine and dryer.

5. Do not share towels and bath accessories. Each member of the family should have their own towel for bath time and the towels need to be laundered on the regular basis. This not only prevents headlice, it keeps other diseases and contagious skin conditions from spreading.

The use of headlice shampoos containing the chemical lindane has been linked to leukemia. Medical researchers have conducted studies showing the shampoos nearly double the risk of developing leukemia. Leukemia is a disease of the blood and bone marrow, causing blood cells to multiply out of control. The link between chemicals and leukemia has been found with young children who are exposed to insecticides in the home. Ingredients other than lindane that are thought to be dangerous include pyrethorid and malathion, common chemicals in household pesticides.

While there is no guarantee using certain headlice shampoos will cause leukemia, the risk should be strong enough for parents to think twice about how they treat headlice. Since you have natural options that often work better than over-the-counter chemical remedies, there is no reason to turn to the dangerous products for treatment. Choose a natural product you can use to avoid and treat headlice infestation. To learn more about the dangerous link between certain headlice shampoos and leukemia, visit Consumer Affairs or Headlice.Org.

• Wash all of the bedding in your home. Use hot water and dry completely in the dryer. You can add a ¼ cup of natural lice treatment to a washcloth and toss it into the dryer with the bedding. Do not forget bedding used at school if your child still naps during the school day.
• Soak combs, brushes, and hair accessories in rubbing alcohol or natural lice prevention treatment. Let the tools and accessories air dry.
• Seal stuffed animals, pillows, and other items that cannot be laundered or dry cleaned in a plastic bag for at least two weeks. This is long enough to kill living lice and allow the eggs of lice to hatch and die.
• Vacuum the furniture, carpets, car seats, and rugs in your home following the lice treatment. Professional pest treatment is usually not necessary, but you can spray natural lice treatment throughout your home.
• Continue to check for re-infestation. Lice are difficult to see on bedding and furniture, but you need to be vigilant when it comes to preventing further infestations.
• Finally, notify your child’s school or daycare center. Do not be embarrassed about the infestation. Preventing further problems means helping classmates notice and prevent infestation.