{"id":36543,"date":"2025-12-26T00:10:19","date_gmt":"2025-12-26T00:10:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=36543"},"modified":"2025-12-26T00:10:19","modified_gmt":"2025-12-26T00:10:19","slug":"head-lice-how-to-get-rid-of-them-and-stop-them-coming-back","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=36543","title":{"rendered":"Head lice: How to get rid of them and stop them coming back"},"content":{"rendered":"

Anyone who\u2019s ever dealt with head lice will be painfully aware just how much time and energy it takes to get rid of them. Small wonder, then, that it\u2019s every parent\u2019s worst nightmare to have their children catch lice at school.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sadly, head lice are a prolific problem, and one more difficult to avoid than you might think. This is especially true when school returns after the holidays and children have been mixing with one another during summer.<\/p>\n

It starts with one or two children itching their scalps and escalates from there. Before you know it, the whole family is having to be wary of contracting lice.<\/p>\n

Then comes the\u00a0lice<\/a>\u00a0removal cream, with is no one\u2019s idea of a good time. It can be sore, takes time out of your day and there\u2019s no guarantee that once the lice are gone they\u2019ll stay gone.<\/p>\n

The spread of lice<\/h3>\n

Commonly it\u2019s children who ensure lice spread so far, so quickly. According to the\u00a0Care Guidebook<\/a>, kids are at greatest risk during the summer months. When school starts up again, the lice then have the ideal conditions in which to thrive.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to remember that lice can neither jump nor fly, but instead spread by climbing across hairs.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Photo: Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A common misconception is that lice can be spread through brushes and hats.\u00a0Care Guide<\/a>, however, state that there\u2019s a low risk of this happening, as lice that have fallen out of hair are considerably weakened.<\/p>\n

How to detect lice<\/h3>\n

Lice, though capable of causing itching and discomfort, are not deadly. That said, they can become a big problem fairly quickly. According to Care Guide, symptoms \u2013 including an itching scalp \u2013 will often appear 4-6 weeks after you\u2019ve been infected.<\/p>\n

To spot lice, simply examine one\u2019s scalp. Lice are one to three millimeters in length, long and translucent, and usually vary in color between gray, brown, black and red. The best method of confirming lice is to use a\u00a0lice comb\u00a0<\/em>and carefully comb the hair from back to front. Lice should drop off into the sink.<\/p>\n

Detecting lice eggs<\/h3>\n

In actual fact, it can be easier to detect lice eggs than the lice themselves. Eggs are to be found near the scalp and can be dark \u2013 if lice are still inside them \u2013 or lightly colored if the eggs are hatched. The eggs are also a millimeter in length.<\/p>\n

Care Guide<\/a>\u00a0says to keep in mind that you should not begin\u00a0treatment if you find empty eggs, only if there is a living lice found in your hair. The eggs disappear themselves as your hair grows out, or you can alternatively comb them out.<\/p>\n

So, how do you treat lice? Below, I\u2019ve listed a method that\u2019s cheap, free of chemicals and ensures children don\u2019t have to suffer for long.<\/p>\n

Treatment against lice<\/h3>\n

Sure, lice shampoo can help, but it doesn\u2019t guarantee to get rid of lice altogether. You often need to treat the whole family to two rounds, which can be expensive and time-consuming \u2013 the hair needs to be thoroughly combed to get rid of every egg.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve found an alternative method, however, one coming from\u00a0Healthy Life Center<\/a>. It\u2019s effective, and negates the need to expose yourself or your children to strong chemicals.<\/p>\n

What you\u2019ll need:<\/h4>\n
    \n
  • A lice comb<\/li>\n
  • Mouthwash<\/li>\n
  • White vinegar<\/li>\n
  • Shower cap or plastic bag<\/li>\n
  • A towel<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    What to do:<\/h4>\n

    1. The first thing to do is make use of the mouthwash, since lice dislike the strong smell. Wet the hair with this, before covering it with a shower cap or plastic bag. Let this stand for an hour.<\/p>\n

    2. After an hour, rinse out your hair and soak it in white vinegar instead. The vinegar actually helps to get rid of the eggs. After the hair has been covered, let it sit for an hour again.<\/p>\n

    <\/div>\n
    <\/div>\n

    3. Wash your hair with regular shampoo and comb it with a lice comb.<\/p>\n

    4. To lessen the chance of your child picking up lice at school, spray their hair lightly with mouthwash. This can deter lice from opting to call your child\u2019s head a home.<\/p>\n

    Do you want lice to stay away?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Share this article so that your family and friends can share this useful tip. We\u2019ll keep our fingers crossed that it works for you, too!<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Anyone who\u2019s ever dealt with head lice will be painfully aware just how much time and energy it takes to get rid of them. Small wonder, then, that it\u2019s every parent\u2019s worst nightmare to have their children catch lice at school. Sadly, head lice are a prolific problem, and one more difficult to avoid than…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36544,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"default","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[19,17,11,20,24,15,12,25,22,18,16,21,14,23,13],"class_list":["post-36543","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-chronic-diseases","tag-fitness","tag-health-tips","tag-healthcare-technology","tag-healthy-lifestyle","tag-healthy-living","tag-medical-advice","tag-medical-awareness","tag-medical-research","tag-mental-health","tag-nutrition","tag-patient-care","tag-preventive-care","tag-public-health","tag-wellness"],"yoast_head":"\nHead lice: How to get rid of them and stop them coming back - VM News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/news-vm.com\/?p=36543\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Head lice: How to get rid of them and stop them coming back - VM News\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Anyone who\u2019s ever dealt with head lice will be painfully aware just how much time and energy it takes to get rid of them. 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