Lice eggs are very small eggs that come from head lice. While you'll need to kill adult lice to get rid of head lice completely, it's also very important to remove all nits. Cleaning nits properly means making them unable to hatch. Besides serving to prevent pain and suffering in people with fleas, this action can also prevent the spread of fleas to other family members, friends, furniture, or pets. First, understand how to remove nits from your hair so that you can get rid of head lice thoroughly.
Step
Method 1 of 4: Getting Rid of Adult Fleas
Step 1. Get rid of all adult head lice
If adult lice are still able to reproduce, removing nits from the affected person's hair will have no effect. As long as the adult lice are alive, new piles of eggs will continue to appear on the hair. Then these new eggs will hatch and turn into lice, which will later lay eggs in greater numbers. This never-ending cycle will not stop until all adult fleas are killed.
- Soaking hair in water for long periods of time will not kill lice or drown them to death. Research shows that head lice can stick to the hair or scalp when there is stagnant water and can survive in the water for several hours. Unfortunately, head lice also cannot die even if submerged in chlorinated swimming pool water.
- Wash your hair or the person with head lice with an over-the-counter lice shampoo to kill adult lice. If your head lice infestation is very severe, you can also use a prescription lice shampoo that has a strong exterminator.
Step 2. Try using a prescription shampoo
One option is Pyrethrum, which is made from chrysanthemum flowers that contain natural insecticides called pyrethrins. Pyrethrins attack the nervous system of head lice, although some lice are now immune to this toxin.
Brush dry hair with the shampoo. Wait about ten minutes, then add water and scrub your hair until the shampoo lathers, then rinse. Then try to remove the eggs and repeat this process 7 to 10 days later, to get rid of any remaining lice
Step 3. As an alternative, try suffocating head lice
Although there is little clinical research to support the effectiveness of this method, some people believe that head lice can be killed this way. They argue that certain products can clog the lice's breathing holes. Head lice can live for several hours without breathing, but will eventually die.
- Try using a petroleum jelly like Vaseline. Apply this jelly in large quantities on the hair and scalp. Let the jelly stay for eight hours to kill the fleas. Wear a shower cap to prevent air from getting into your hair. Keep in mind that Vaseline is very difficult to remove and will not kill nits.
- There are also those who suggest using regular olive oil. Again, they assume that this oil can clog the lice's breathing holes and cause them to suffocate. Just like Vaseline, apply this oil on your hair and scalp, then put on a shower cap. Wait about 8 hours then wash off the oil. You also get the added benefit of olive oil loosening the egg's grip on your hair making it easier for you to get rid of it.
- You can also use mayonnaise. Mayonnaise contains a lot of oil, which can be used as an ingredient to make lice suffocate. Apply mayonnaise to your hair and scalp like you would use Vaseline and olive oil. Although there is no scientific evidence, to get the best results you should use regular mayonnaise which contains a lot of fat.
Step 4. Prepare a place to clean the nits
Sit in a bright place in the sun or a lamp. A bright place will make it easier for you to see the nits, which are attached to the hair near the scalp. Also, place a towel over the shoulder of the person with head lice to catch the hair or nits that fall.
Method 2 of 4: Removing Lice Eggs with Vinegar
Step 1. Rinse your hair with a mixture of water and vinegar
Lice eggs are coated with a sticky substance that allows them to adhere to hair follicles. Vinegar is known to contain chemicals that can dissolve the substance that coats nits, so the nits can't stick to the hair.
- While kneeling in front of the tub, put your head under the faucet. Use warm water and wet your hair all over. Then while still on your knees, pour a large amount of vinegar on your head. Make sure the vinegar washes all the hair strands. Then rinse your hair with warm water.
- You can fill the sink with a mixture of water and vinegar in a 1:1 ratio. Soak all of your hair in the mixture, either by dipping the front or back of your head in the solution.
- Trim frizzy hair with a leave-in conditioner and a regular hairbrush. Try smoothing out all the tangled hair so you can use the lice comb more painlessly.
Step 2. Start combing the nits
You'll need a metal flea comb to do this. A fine-toothed, stiff comb has a better ability to remove nits than a plastic comb. You can buy a flea comb at almost any drugstore for no more than $13. To find hard-to-see nits, use a magnifying glass if possible.
When you apply vinegar, most of the nits will fall out of your hair. However, there is still a small amount of egg that is still stuck to the wet hair. Comb one small pinch of hair at a time with a fine-toothed lice comb. Continue to carefully comb through your hair
Step 3. Clean the lice comb after each use of a lock of hair
After using the lice comb on a lock of hair, clean the comb in a bowl filled with water and dish soap. Then dry the comb with a facial tissue or kitchen paper. Remove any lice or nits attached to the comb.
Step 4. Repeat this process until all the hair has been combed
When you have finished combing a lock of hair, pin the combed hair to the side of your head to prevent the lice and nits from sticking to the hair again.
Step 5. Wash your hair
You may want to wash your hair one more time when you're done combing all of your hair. Even if you've removed all the eggs and live lice at this point, it doesn't hurt to give a final rinse to make your hair cleaner. It's a good idea to reuse flea shampoo so that all live lice and their eggs are completely removed.
If your hair is dry, inspect it carefully for signs of lice or nits. If there are still lice or nits attached to the hair, start the cleaning process again from the beginning
Step 6. Clean the equipment you just used
Discard the soapy water and clean the bowl, or pour boiling water into the bowl and cover tightly. Also soak hair brushes, hair clips, lice combs, etc. into a container filled with boiling water, but try removing all hair and nits from the appliance first.
- Lice and nits will die if heated at a temperature of about 54 degrees Celsius for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Alternatively, mix two cups of boiling water with one cup of ammonia. Soak the flea comb in the water and ammonia mixture for 15 minutes, then clean the comb with an old toothbrush.
- Each family member should have their own comb.
Method 3 of 4: Getting Rid of Lice Eggs with Listerine
Step 1. Wet hair with Listerine
You can kill live lice and remove nits that are attached to hair follicles using Listerine or other mouthwashes that contain a high percentage of alcohol. Although this method has the support of some "natural medicine" sites, be aware that some other medical sites do not recommend using this method. One of the reasons, the alcohol content in Listerine can burn the eyes and sting if it hits an open wound. Children can also drink it accidentally.
- If you do want to use Listerine, wet your hair with Listerine thoroughly and cover it with a shower cap for 30 minutes or more. Adult lice will die. Repeat the process if necessary.
- You can also coat your hair with Listerine and put a towel on the pillow to keep it from getting wet, then go to bed and do the next steps in the morning.
Step 2. Rinse your hair with a mixture of warm water and vinegar
After smearing the hair, wash the Listerine thoroughly with warm water and apply a large amount of vinegar so that the nits fall out.
Following the steps above, apply a leave-in conditioner or de-tangler, then brush your hair, then use a lice comb to gently remove the nits, section by section
Step 3. Clean the place and equipment you used to clean the fleas
Clean the flea comb with dish soapy water or wash it in the dishwasher. Also spray the surrounding furniture with Listerine in a spray bottle. This can kill adult fleas and help prevent re-infestation.
You can wash linens, towels, or bed sheets in hot water. Keep in mind that lice and nits will die if kept submerged in hot water
Method 4 of 4: Preventing Ticks From Coming Back
Step 1. Don't touch other people's head
Fortunately, head lice don't like to move. These lice cannot jump and cannot live if they are outside the human head for a long time. The most commonly used way to spread is through direct contact with other people's heads. This can happen at school, while playing or playing sports, or when staying over at someone else's house. For adults, this can happen when you come into contact with a partner who has lice.
Step 2. Do not come into contact with objects belonging to people with lice such as clothing accessories, cleaning products, and sheets and pillowcases
If not on the human head, the lice cannot eat and will starve to death within 1 to 2 days. But you should stay alert. Avoid objects used by lice and nits for shelter.
- These items include hats, hair ropes, scarves, coats, hair clips, and uniforms. Do not share items such as combs, hairbrushes, and towels.
- Soak all combs, hairbrushes and towels in hot water over 54°C for 10 minutes to make them sterile.
Step 3. Wash all clothes, linens and towels on high heat
You can wash sheets, pillowcases, stuffed animals, or towels in hot water and dry them on high heat to effectively kill the fleas. Again, you should use hot water over 54°C. If your clothes cannot be washed or dried on high heat, take them to the laundry or put them in a plastic bag and seal tightly, then let them sit for two weeks.
Step 4. Vacuum the floor and other surfaces
Maybe you or someone else with lice has dropped live lice or their eggs on surfaces in your home, such as sofas. If possible, use a vacuum cleaner that has a HEPA filter to make sure all the nits are absorbed when you suck on them.
Lice or nits on these surfaces won't live long and will likely not spread. However, it never hurts to take precautions by cleaning it as soon as possible
Step 5. You have to be careful when dealing with chemicals
You don't actually need to use fumigants (a type of volatile pesticide) and other harmful chemicals to kill lice and nits. The harm caused by inhaling or coming into contact with these chemicals may outweigh the benefits you get.
Although these chemicals can be obtained easily, understand that their excessive use in recent decades has made their efficacy decline. In many cases, head lice have built up immunity to these chemicals
Warning
- If the attack of head lice is very severe, you will need a prescription medication to completely eradicate head lice and their eggs. If you have performed the steps above several times but the nits are still lodged in your hair, you should consult a doctor.
- If you don't want nits to spread, avoid prolonged contact with the heads of other people who have lice.
