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The Doctors Book of Home Remedies II: Head Lice

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Head Lice

About the only positive thing you can say about head lice is that they've made contributions to our vocabulary. The insult nitwit originates from the myth that head lice infect only poor, uneducated children. In reality, lice affect people of all income levels and social classes. And nit-picking started out as a reference to the tedious removal of lice from the scalp.

At this very moment, an estimated ten million Americans are scratching their heads because of lice. All that itching is the result of the lice's saliva entering tiny holes in the scalp created as the insects feed on human blood.

"You can't really prevent lice. They are transmitted from child to child from a common resting place, like a mat at school," says Mitchell C. Sollod, M.D., a pediatrician in San Francisco. "You don't even need head-to-head contact."

Once they grab a head-hold, female lice lay up to ten new eggs every day. These babies, called nits, are white, football-shaped critters that look like dandruff but hang on to hair strands with the same intensity as a pit bull on a mail carrier's leg. Left untreated, head lice can lead to local scalp infection. Here's how to send them packing.

Wash them away. Most doctors suggest using a lindane-based shampoo available only by prescription (Kwell is the most popular brand). These shampoos can be dangerous to children under five and shouldn't be used by pregnant or nursing women or anyone with cuts on his hands or arms. Safer options are available. "There are several over-the-counter shampoos that are also effective against lice, but I think one by the name of Rid probably works the best," says Dr. Sollod.

Take your time shampooing. "No matter what shampoo you use, the trick in making it work is to leave it on for no less than two minutes and preferably ten minutes," says Dr. Sollod. "That gives enough time for the active ingredient to penetrate through the eggshells of the nits, so they can be killed before they hatch in your scalp."

When Head Lice Head South

You need to use your head when head lice invade hair on other parts of your body. "For lice on your eyelashes, rub a thin coating of petroleum jelly on your lashes twice daily for eight days," advises Karen E. Burke, M.D., Ph.D., a dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon in New York City. This smothers the nits, so you can easily remove them.

And don't forget that clothing worn while you're battling lice should be either dry-cleaned or washed in a hot cycle and followed with a thorough ironing--especially at all seams, says Dr. Burke.

Use a vinegar "conditoner." After shampooing, you can remove stubborn hangers-on with a rinse made of equal parts white kitchen vinegar and water, suggests Karen E. Burke, M.D., Ph.D., a dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon in New York City. "The vinegar helps dissolve the dead nits and wash off their remains." An added bonus: A vinegar rinse helps hair look thicker and more shiny.

Disinfect combs. Another way to get rid of remaining lice, says Dr. Burke, is to comb your hair with a fine-tooth comb that's been soaked in Lysol disinfectant or a lice-killing shampoo (such as Kwell) for one hour. But, she warns, don't pour Lysol directly on your scalp. A more tedious but more exact way is to thoroughly examine the hair and remove lice with an emery board or Popsicle stick. Don't use your fingers, because nits that are still alive might settle under your fingernails.

Forget about a haircut. A seemingly easy solution to head lice is to give your child a haircut. "Unless you're going to shave the head, that won't get rid of the nits, because they usually settle about 1/4 inch from the scalp," says Dr. Sollod.

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