Nitpicking!

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Article kindly provided by Nigel Russell from Holistic Hair

If you've got kids aged between 3-14 then it's safe to say at some stage Nits, or Head Lice, (depending on what you want to call them),  are going to become the bane of your family's life.  Nigel Russell from Holistic Hair gives us some pointers about how to get rid of these persistent little critters!

Have you ever battled with head lice brought home by your kids?

Do you get frustrated because you make the effort to get rid of them but the serial offender at school or day care is not so pro active and the problem keeps returning? In this article we examine the many creative ways people deal with head lice and also we examine the myths as well.

An article in NZ herald 21/05/2013 stated;

“NIT KIDS GET DOSED WITH FLEA REMEDY”

The story was of a Rotorua mother tired of losing the battle to kill head lice that were constantly re infesting her young daughter. Exasperated she finally resorted to using an animal treatment which she found quite effective. This of course contains a known poison, a cholinesterase inhibiter which can alter DNA.

The article went on to mention that many Vets in the area had been approached by mothers wanting to use such products on their kids.

This is just one extreme example,  but others range from dowsing a child's hair in Kerosene to using a straightening iron and trying to burn them off the hair.

These methods are not only dangerous but can cause long term damage and once again are only a temporary reprieve from re infestation.

Common treatments 

The most common head lice treatments on the market contain pesticides and often they may come in the form of shampoo. The problem with these, on two counts is that;

• Head lice are starting to become resistant to pesticides and as the treatment becomes less effective Parents tend to overuse them which may cause  at least a skin irritation, if not a skin reaction.
• When the hair is wet  before shampooing the head lice instinctively cling on tighter as they are sensitive to moisture and they are very resilient as well so this ,most common form of treatment may be the least effective.

Most effective treatments 

ANY treatment for head lice needs to be applied to dry hair to be effective and it has been proven that a viscous liquid applied over the hair will suffocate the lice causing them to loosen their grip on the hair strands and then let go.

The Harvard school of medical health did a test and found one of the best liquids was Olive Oil.

Why Olive Oil?

• It is the right viscosity which makes it easy to apply
• Olive oil is good for both the skin and the hair while the treatment is taking place.
• It is a great carrier for the specific essential oils that are known to eradicate head lice.
• It is a natural, non -chemical treatment that has been proven to work.

Soak the childs hair in olive oil (don't be mean with your application), and wrap in a towel or put a shower cap on. Leave for a hour (or more) then shampoo out before combing through with a Nit comb.

Brush Regularly!

Regular brushing using a soft cushion brush will disturb the head lice and prevent them from settling in the hair, it is best to brush from the NAPE UPWARDS as this is where they tend to hide as well as behind the ears so the hair should be brushed several times a day for this reason even if the child does this themselves.

Head Lice hate light so the more you can expose them to light i.e. a high pony tail that exposes the nape, the better.

You need to get rid of the Nits to break the cycle

The eggs are harder to detect as they are almost transparent but wet combing with a very fine comb and using an apple cider vinegar leave in rinse helps because the vinegar will loosen the glue that attaches the eggs to the hair strands.

This must be done regularly at least 3 times a week for effective treatment.

When the eggs hatch they need nourishment,  so a gentle heat applied with a warm setting blow dryer will ruin their environment done 3 times a week after the first treatment is recommended.

What is the cure? 

The most obvious answer is PREVENTION!

By using a preventative spray EVERY DAY then the head lice will not be attracted in the first place and it will set up a barrier that will resist infestation.

Prevention is so much easier than cure in this condition but it must be consistent prevention and it should be as automatic as brushing teeth or doing the hair in the morning.

Facts about Head Lice

• They do not jump from one to another the spread is caused by head to head contact.
• Head lice are not just a problem for low socio economic areas that are attracted to any hair, anywhere given the opportunity.
• They detect moisture and will cling on tighter when they sense it
• Head lice have built up a resistance to common pesticide.
• Head lice have been around for up to 100,000 years so they are way more resilient than us humans!
• Statistically Head lice are attracted to females between the ages of 5 to 12.
• Some people are more prone than others because of the alkalinity of their blood type so even with Twins,  one Twin may get head lice and the other may not.

Myths

• Head lice jump from head to head and that is how they are spread
• Head lice are more common in lower socio economic areas
• Head lice are seasonal
• They can spread from sharing hats and helmets.

 So there you have it,  the low down on Head Lice, for more information on Head LIce and some other things you can try check out the Holistic Hair website www.holistichair.co.nz

But we're also interested in what treatments you've tried on your childs hair and how effective they've been, so share your stories with us below.