Many people believe that head lice is a problem typical of times of war, poor families, and people who are homeless. But currently the statistics say the opposite. Pediculosis has become a problem not only for asocial individuals, but also for quite prosperous ones.
Pediculosis is the scientific name for an infestation of one type of lice. And there are three of them:
Today, the shelves of pharmacy kiosks contain a variety of drugs that are used to treat hair to kill lice. To find out which remedy for lice and nits is best, you need to get acquainted with their various forms. Most popular means are available in the following types:
It is difficult to say which lice remedy is better; each of them can give a good result if you treat the head efficiently and several times at intervals of several days.
Symptoms of lice
The first symptom that should make parents check their child's head is scratching the scalp. Upon careful examination, you can notice small wounds on the scalp that remain after combing.
Lice most often settle on the back of the head, behind the ears. If you part the hair, you can see nits attached to the hair in these places. If living insects are quite easy to destroy by all kinds of means, then in this regard they are practically invulnerable and you will have to try to remove them. Often even the most the best remedy from lice is not able to cope with them.
Only a thorough examination of the head and manual destruction of nits will help get rid of this scourge.
What product should I buy at the pharmacy?
On the shelves of pharmacies you can see a large number of products to combat lice and nits. To choose a specific drug, you need to know the features of its use and contraindications for use. Let's look at some of them:
It is difficult to say exactly which remedy for lice and nits is better; one will suit some people, and another will suit others. And it’s not even about effectiveness, but about the body’s reaction to the use of the drug.
Lice combs
If you do not want to use a drug to kill lice and nits, then a comb is perfect for these purposes. There are no contraindications for its use, so it can be safely used in both children and adults.
Ideal when the comb is used in combination with medicine. The medicine destroys lice, and the comb combs out dead insects and nits. You can, of course, deal with insects without sprays and gels, but only with the help of a comb, but you will have to do this for several days in a row.
The following brands are considered the most popular:
How effective the use of combs will be depends on perseverance and patience. You will have to devote several hours to combing out adult insects and their nits.
The dangers of using anti-lice products
Children are much more likely than adults to be attacked by these blood-sucking insects. Infection occurs in kindergartens, schools, and pioneer camps. When choosing the best lice treatment for children, you need to remember that they can be toxic to a child’s delicate skin.
Danger of use pharmaceutical drugs against lice is the possibility of an allergic reaction to the components medicine. Children often suffer various types dermatitis, so you need to choose the product more carefully.
Even adults, after using insecticidal agents, may notice the manifestation of allergies, dermatitis, dandruff, itching of the scalp, and what can we say about children.
Therefore, before buying the drug at the pharmacy, you must carefully study the instructions for use and look for contraindications. Only with this approach will it be possible to say after use that this is the best remedy for lice.
All preparations that contain insecticides should not be used by pregnant, lactating women, or children.
Traditional medicine against lice
Advantage of using natural remedies- they are almost completely harmless to the body, so they can be used in pregnant women and children.
How to choose a lice remedy?
If you want to purchase the best lice remedy, then when purchasing, you need to look not only at ease of use and effectiveness, but also at the composition. Since toxic substances are often added to such preparations to kill insects, this can lead to undesirable consequences such as dandruff, itching, skin burns, and dermatitis.
If you use improvised means and folk recipes, then it is also necessary to pay attention to their toxicity. In the old days, kerosene was the best remedy for lice and nits. Reviews currently say that you can easily get a scalp burn, let alone disgusting smell, which lasts for a long time.
Prevention of head lice
It would be nice if a better remedy for lice was not needed, but this cannot always be avoided, especially in childhood. But you can follow some preventive recommendations to avoid head lice:
Among pediculicidal sprays, there are products that are considered one of the most effective for combating lice. However, like any medical drug, lice sprays have their own advantages and disadvantages, and it is by the ratio of such pros and cons that one or another brand is usually chosen. Let's try to consider some options, you and I.
First of all, we note that the standard modern spray against lice and nits is good because:
But sprays also have certain disadvantages:
- It can sometimes be quite difficult to thoroughly treat the scalp with them;
- Most sprays do not affect nits and require at least two treatments.
However, each brand of lice spray may have its own specific properties, sometimes radically differentiating it from the average drug. Therefore, when choosing a product, you should carefully study its composition, properties and contraindications.
On a note
Zoya, Elista
How to choose a lice spray?
To choose an anti-lice spray, you need to know the properties of each drug and the situations in which it will be most suitable. Typically, an anti-lice spray is selected based on the following criteria: price, effectiveness, ease of use, the presence of specific contraindications, and side effects, the type of lice to be dealt with (cephalic, pubic or body lice).
It should be remembered that in every individual case the situation may require choosing a remedy based on other, special criteria. Here you should carefully study the instructions for the drugs, pay attention to contraindications and read reviews.
“While we were taking the child to school in the regional center, we had to kill lice three times a year. Only in the city did this problem disappear; there, in the district, the director didn’t care at all that lousy children went to school from the working-class outskirts. We've probably tried all the remedies, including traditional ones. For some reason, sprays evoked the most confidence. They were easy to apply. Usually they poisoned with Paraplus, it helps very well, especially against nits, but the last two times we bought Nyuda, it’s even better, because it doesn’t irritate the skin. But Nyuda doesn’t work against nits, you have to poison it twice.”
Lydia, Odessa
Aerosol Para Plus
Advantages: three powerful insecticides in the composition, destruction of lice, few side effects, can be used for children from 2.5 years old.
Disadvantages: lack of comb included, contraindications.
Instructions: apply the product to the head for 10 minutes, completely treating the entire length of the hair. Afterwards it is washed off with shampoo. Nits should be combed out with a comb.
Spray Paranit
Advantages: completely natural composition, non-toxic, lack of toxic substances in the composition.
Disadvantages: no effect on nits, difficult to wash off from hair.
Instructions: apply to the head for 15 minutes and wash off several times with shampoo. After 7-10 days the treatment should be repeated.
Lice Guard
Advantages: absolute harmlessness and non-toxicity, Possibility of use for infants.
Disadvantages: relatively low efficiency, impossibility of use as an independent means, high price.
Instructions: apply to the head and do not wash off for several hours. You can treat clothes with the product. After treating the head, the hair must be thoroughly combed with a special comb.
Nyuda
Advantages: absence of toxic substances in the composition, high efficiency, affordable price.
Disadvantages: ineffective against nits, need to be used twice.
Instructions: Nuda is applied to dry hair along the entire length and rubbed in until it is completely wetted. After 45 minutes, you need to comb your hair with a special comb, and then wash off the drug with water and shampoo. Be careful not to get the product into your eyes.
Pediculen Ultra
Advantages: high efficiency, destruction of nits, low price.
Disadvantages: toxicity and contraindications.
Instructions: apply the product to the hair until it gets wet and rub it into the scalp with your fingers. After half an hour, the product is washed off and the hair is combed out with the comb included in the kit.
Spray A-Par
Advantages: A-Par is practically the only aerosol that allows you to fight lice at home; processing capability large quantity of things.
Flaws: strong smell, toxicity, side effects.
Instructions: apply the product to contaminated items body lice, in a well-ventilated area at a temperature not lower than 10°C. After treatment, items can be worn within 3-4 hours. It is not necessary to rinse the drug off things and wash them.
Alternative to sprays: what else can you use to get rid of lice?
With the help of combs you can always enhance the effect of any lice remedy, and sometimes thanks to them there is no need to re-process your hair chemical preparation. Therefore, if a comb is not supplied with the product, it is very advisable to buy it separately for successful lice removal.
Many parents face the problem of lice. They are trying to cope with problems different ways. It is important to know that lice do not only appear in children from disadvantaged families. In fact, infection can occur completely unexpectedly. What folk and store remedies are most effective?
Types of anti-pediculosis drugs
Chemical, physical and folk remedies. Good medicine – chemical substances. They are the most effective. Insecticides quickly and reliably remove lice.
Creams
The remedy for head lice for children should be chosen correctly. Many creams are not suitable, despite the fact that their method of application is very simple - it is rubbed into the scalp. The most popular means of this type are listed below.
Emulsions
Perhaps the best remedy is emulsion concentrates. They contain powerful chemicals. The drug can only be used in diluted form. The most popular concentrates are presented in three types.
An effective remedy is shampoo. The method of application is very simple. Moreover, the drug is inexpensive. You can buy shampoos at special stores or at the pharmacy. The most effective means presented in two types.
- « ». Production - Bulgaria. The shampoo is effective and has a pleasant aroma. The product is not suitable for children under five years of age. Shampoo should not be used by people with injuries or skin diseases.
- "Pedilin." Recommended for use by children and adults. The shampoo contains low-toxic insecticides - tetramethrin and malathion. The peculiarity of the product is that it does not paralyze insects, but destroys them.
Mechanical removal
The most correct solution when removing lice from older children, use the mechanical method. It is quite difficult to apply the method to young children. Proceed according to the instructions:
- examine the child's head;
- cut your hair if it is long;
- wash your hair with shampoo-rinse;
- comb your hair with a special comb;
- after combing, boil the comb for 10 minutes;
- Brushing should be done daily.
To make the job easier, use mousse "Nit Free." It is able to dissolve the glue with which nits are attached to the hair.
- "LiceGuard". Made in USA. The result is excellent, since the set includes 3 products - a comb with fine teeth, rare teeth, strand distributor.
- "Antiv." In great demand. Often used by those consumers who, for health reasons or other reasons, cannot use other drugs.
Traditional methods
- Oil mask. Apply at night olive oil or Vaseline. The top of the head is wrapped in polyethylene. In the morning, remove the mask and comb out the lice.
- Vinegar. A couple of spoons of product are required for glasses of water. The solution is applied to the head. The nits should be combed out. Vinegar dissolves the substance with which nits are attached to the hair.
- Vodka compress. Vodka is sprayed onto the hair using a spray bottle. It is important to rub the product into the roots. Polyethylene is placed on top of the head, and then a towel. After half an hour, the compress should be washed off, and the nits should be removed with a comb. The product is effective, but not suitable for small children.
- You can use these traditional methods, as M aslo tea tree, wormwood decoction or mint juice.
- Gasoline or kerosene. You should not use these substances, as they are very strong. The consequences can be dire, ranging from skin burns to hair loss.
- Cranberry juice. Take 3 handfuls of berries and rub into the roots of your hair. The remainder is applied to the hair lengthwise. A plastic cap is put on top. You have to wait 3 hours. Then wash your hair and comb it out.
How to use lice spray (video)
Features of choosing a product for children
Folk remedies for lice are not recommended for children. It is better to purchase store-bought drugs with instructions.
Folk or other remedies for lice for a child should be selected wisely. If the baby is susceptible to allergies, preference should be given to drugs containing a minimum amount of active substances. If the child is over 5 years old, it is recommended to purchase a comb.
Use of drugs for the purpose of prevention
Prevention against lice is carried out in the following ways.
How to rid a child of lice (video)
There is no 100% prevention against lice. It is somewhat more difficult for adults, especially women, to become infected with lice. Many people cannot tolerate lice cosmetical tools for hair that almost all women use daily. These include gels, mousses, varnishes, and hair dyes. Children are the first at risk of contracting head lice because of their mobility and shared toys.
Many drugs for lice and nits promise to get rid of both problems at the same time, but in reality, a very rare product can cope with nits due to their very strong, impenetrable shell. Here are the most effective and common ones.
Couple plus
This drug is used as a spray against lice and nits for children from 2.5 years of age and adults. It is applied by spraying onto dry hair and scalp, wetting it as much as possible. Leave on for 10 minutes, then rinse with shampoo. Nits and dead lice are combed out with a special comb. Para Plus should not be used by patients with bronchial asthma. You need to take into account how much a pair plus lice costs; its price in different pharmacies fluctuates around 400 rubles.
More than one person with thick hair long hair one bottle may not be enough. But, in comparison with many other products, the price of steam plus against lice is not too high. Reviews about this drug are contradictory - both positive and negative. Very strong painful sensations in the form of a burning sensation on the scalp. This makes it almost impossible to apply this drug against lice and nits for children - they tolerate it very poorly. The scalp and neck become very red.
Benzyl benzoate
It comes in the form of ointment, cream, emulsion. The drug has been used to remove lice for decades.
Its advantages:
- efficiency;
- low cost.
Flaws:
- long exposure time;
- Contraindications for children due to long exposure times, pregnant and lactating women.
If you decide to use benzyl benzoate, the instructions for lice should be carefully studied. Includes active substance- medical benzyl benzoate. It is capable of destroying lice within 3-5 hours. Apply it generously over the entire length of the hair and rub into the scalp. After this, the head is wrapped. Leave for 3-5 hours. Then wash off with shampoo. The use of the emulsion is similar to the use of ointment. Basically, benzyl benzoate emulsion has positive reviews for lice, just like the ointment. People note their high efficiency and low price.
Full Marks
The drug Fulmax for lice is available in the form of an oily solution and spray. The kit includes a comb for combing. Instructions for use are also included with the Fullmarks anti-lice product. If you strictly follow these instructions, it is possible in one application. The product should be applied to the scalp and dry hair. The exposure time is minimal - only 10 minutes. Afterwards, wash your hair with shampoo. Carefully comb out dead insects and nits with a Full Marks comb.
Reviews about the drug Full Marks for lice are positive. It is called one of the most effective remedies for head lice. People note the high effectiveness of Full Marks, ease of use, lack of burning sensation, unpleasant odor, quick effect. But it costs about 500 rubles. Of the contraindications noted childhood up to 4 years, possible allergic reactions.
Paranit
Available in the form of spray, shampoo and lotion. The active ingredient is dimethicone. When using it in the form of shampoo, it should be applied to dry hair along the entire length and scalp. Cover your head with plastic and hold for 10 minutes. Then rinse thoroughly with water, and comb out nits, dead and live lice with a comb.
On different shapes For the release of the drug Paronit against lice, the price is also different. The cheapest lotion is around 300 rubles. The most expensive is shampoo - about 700 rubles due to the included comb. A spray is also sold with the comb, but its price is average - about 500 rubles.
Gray mercury ointment
Previously, this ointment was very popular as a remedy for lice. Basics active substance- mercury. It is toxic and poisonous. Serummercury ointment against lice is effective, but it also has a detrimental effect on humans. Long-term use damages the kidneys gastrointestinal tract, nervous system. May cause allergic reactions. The ointment has a low cost - no more than 70 rubles. Strictly contraindicated for children.
Nyuda
This drug is produced in the form of a spray and is an analogue of paranitis. The composition includes the active ingredient dimethicone. The spray is applied to dry hair and scalp. You need to keep it on for 45 minutes, then rinse off. The kit includes a comb that is used to comb out dead insects and nits. In different pharmacies the information on how much Nyuda for lice costs varies, around 500-600 rubles.
Pediculen ultra
There are many reviews about pediculens and they are mostly positive. Information on how much Pediculen Ultra for lice costs is different in all pharmacies. On average, the price of the drug ranges from 250 to 400 rubles.
Permethrin
This is the active ingredient of many modern drugs from lice. Available in the form of shampoos, lotions, emulsions or creams. They are applied to dry, combed hair and scalp. Keep the cream for 10 minutes, lotion for 40 minutes. Afterwards, the drug is washed off, and nits and dead lice are combed out.
Unlike other drugs that are contraindicated for small children, it can be used by babies from six months old, as well as by adults.
There are different reviews about the drug permethrin for lice. It helped some people perfectly and immediately, but did not help others at all. Preparations with permitrin have different prices, which depend on the manufacturer, usually fluctuating around 200-500 rubles. For example, the price of the drug Medifox is about 150 rubles, and the price of Nyx cream is about 400 rubles.
Necessary steps to successfully get rid of lice
All preparations against lice and nits are intended exclusively for external use. They should not be allowed to come into contact with the mucous membranes of the eyes and mouth. The preparations are reused after 10-15 days to destroy lice that can hatch from nits if combing is not thorough enough. After hatching, the louse cannot reproduce for two weeks because it has not reached sexual maturity. Also, some lice may not die under the influence of a particular drug. If you do not repeat the procedure, the infection will develop with new strength. The drugs are reused in the same way as the first use.
A prerequisite for successfully getting rid of pediculosis is combing out the nits with a special comb.
Since no drug is capable of completely 100% destroying nits, humanity has not come up with more effective remedy like combing and picking them out by hand. Often reviews of medications for lice and nits are negative. Insufficiently thorough combing is one of the reasons for such reviews. It is advisable to comb out nits onto a cloth. white, and then carefully destroy them by ironing or burning. In addition to combing out nits, you need to do general cleaning in the house so as not to become infected again.
Bed linen and all items must be washed at a temperature of at least 60 degrees. Then the items need to be ironed thoroughly, preferably with steam, on both sides. Things that cannot be washed and ironed, such as fur coats, for example, should be taken to the dry cleaner or put in a bag, tied tightly and left there for about a month. Without food and oxygen, lice do not live long. And, even if they were on things, they will definitely die in the bag.
Oddly enough, but infection most often occurs not in in public places, and at home, in school and preschool educational institutions. If you sleep in the same bed and do not change bed linen in a timely manner, as well as if you touch during joint games. There is an opinion that if you use the same bedding, it is much easier and faster to get infected than if you use other people’s combs, hats and headphones. Although the infection is transmitted through them, but only under the condition that the infected person has massive head lice.
Advice! It is necessary to teach a girl from childhood that her hair should always be neatly styled to prevent the child from becoming infected.
What is the lifespan of lice?
How dangerous are lice?
Lice remedy for children
Shampoos
Lotions and ointments
Lice powders
Sometimes the drug is available in powder form, which most often consists of Pyrethrum, which is obtained from dried Persian chamomile. It is used to disinfect bedding and clothing used by an infected child.
Advice! Do not use powder as a means to kill lice on a child’s head. the best option because of its structure. The powder may accidentally get on the mucous membrane of the eye, Airways or into the oral cavity.
Folk remedies
Special combs
Preventive treatment of lice in children
- “Hygia” is a remedy that is quite effective as a preventative treatment, but it can be used for children over two years of age.
- "Pedilin" - Gel or emulsion. Along with “nittifof”, it is a fairly effective prophylactic agent.
- “Para Plus” is a product that is produced in the form of a spray. An excellent medicine that is used as a disinfectant for clothing and bedding.
You can also use tea tree oil for prevention by first dissolving it in water and moistening the comb in it.
Prevention at home
Advice! In order to sufficiently protect your child, you need to have a conversation with him about the dangers of lice, and also make him promise that using other people’s clothes and hats is unacceptable.
Not all medications are suitable for children, so below is a list of lice remedies for children under 3 years of age:
- "Pedilin" is a product in the form of shampoo or emulsion. Effective against nits, can be used for prevention. Apply to damp hair, after rubbing into the scalp for five minutes, the product must be rinsed off warm water, and then wash the baby’s hair with shampoo again.
- "Anti-bit." This is a shampoo that is used as prophylactic. Application: Apply to hair, lather lightly massage movements, and then wash off. Then apply again, but this time leave for 5 minutes, then rinse and wash the child’s head again with shampoo. The next day, repeat the procedure.
- "Sifax" is also a shampoo - an analogue of "Anti-bit". Application is slightly different: Apply to hair, lather and then rinse.
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