If lice are detected, the most common is to use special lotions or shampoos that contain permethrin in 1 percent of its composition and can be purchased without a prescription. Applying these products consists of washing the head regularly and drying it. The unique shampoo is then applied and left on for 10 minutes (or as long as the package indicates). After this time, the hair is rinsed again to remove the lice and traces of shampoo according to Lice Doctors Virginia Beach, VA.
It is important to note that permethrin shampoos are usually contraindicated for children under two months of age, in which case only manual comb removal should be used.
People who have psoriasis or other skin problems should use silicone instead of permethrin since it manages to kill the parasites by suffocation, not by chemical death, so it is less aggressive.
All head lice treatment should be applied to all family members simultaneously and should be repeated after seven to eight days. This is essential because the cause of resistance to treatment has its origin in the use of an insufficient amount of product or the forgetting of a second application.
Chemical Treatment
Over time, lice have evolved to overcome chemical treatments, and a small percentage may be able to resist. If this happens, you can raise the permethrin concentration from 1 to 5 percent and, as the last option, even go to the administration of endometrium by mouth.
In addition to chemical treatment by Lice Doctors Virginia Beach, VA, it is advisable to use a metal comb with fine teeth to remove nits more effectively. All clothing (including bath and bedding) used by the infected person should also be washed to prevent the plague from spreading.
Curiosities About Lice
- Lice are parasitic insects devoid of wings. They do not fly or jump from one head to another; they spread only by direct contact, moving along the hair.
- Lice do not have a seasonal origin, although outbreaks usually occur when children have more contact during school.
- Lice can survive a maximum of 48 hours without feeding on the host’s blood; that is, they can live outside the scalp on blankets, sheets, combs, etc. After this period, they die if they cannot reach a new host.
- Each female can lay up to 10 nits or eggs per day; its spread is swift, so it is essential to act as soon as the infestation is detected.
