How to Spot and Remove Head Lice

Head lice have been around and have been going around people’s scalps for ages. They are so common that even you probably have some kind of lice story. Today, lice are still abound and are a reality that your kids may have to face in the future. However, knowing how to spot and remove them can save you all a lot of time and trouble.

If your kid is excessively scratching and complaining about an itchy scalp, be wary. This may be the first signs of head lice infestation. You can visually inspect your kid’s scalp to be sure. What you’re looking for is either the insect itself or the eggs or nits as they are called. Lice are parasites and feed on the blood from the scalp. They are about the size of a sesame seed and are tan in color. No other insects are as adapted to the scalp as lice so if you spot anything crawling in your kid’s hair, it’s probably lice. The eggs are also tan or brown in color and are usually found near the base of the hair shafts. They are tricky though and can be mistaken for dandruff, especially the hatched eggs which are white or clear. To check, you can try brushing them off. Dandruff will fall off freely but the nits will stay on.

Once you have confirmed the presence of head lice, you can start removing them. This is usually done through medicated anti-lice shampoos with the help of some manual cleaning. The shampoos can leave some lice or nits behind that will continue the infestation. To make sure this does not happen use a lice comb or tweezers after wards. The shampoo is first applied then, with the hair still wet, the hair scalp is inspected manually. You can separate the hair into sections to keep yourself organized and to ensure that every part of the scalp is inspected and cleaned. Drag your comb or tweezers, from the base of the hair strands near the scalp all the way to the tip. Wipe any insects or nits removed from the hair. This can be an arduous task though and you should be ready to spend quite a bit of time and effort on this as this is necessary if you really want to be sure.

After removing them from the scalp, collect the lice and nits on a piece of tape and then roll them up into a Ziploc or similar container. This can then be safely thrown out. You should be sure that the lice are sealed in as they can survive outside of the scalp for some time and can spread to other children if not disposed of properly.

You can also find lice infesting upholstered car seats or furniture or even carpets. Try using a vacuum to keep them clean. You can also try using washing machines or dryers set on hot. This will usually kill off the lice.