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Svetlana Tarasova
Hairdresser-stylist with more than 8 years of experience, expert in the field of haircuts, styling, hair care, coloring.
A very unpleasant situation is when lice and nits appear in your hair. There are often cases when, after improper combing of nits, lice reappear after some time. How to comb them correctly so as not to encounter this problem again? This will be discussed in our article.
How to prepare for the procedure
Before you start combing out nits, you need to prepare the surface of your head for this procedure. Nits are glued to our hair using an adhesive substance that gradually hardens and at the same time provides them with a fairly strong fixation. Therefore, they cannot be washed off with either shampoo or soap. They cannot be removed with a regular comb . Even after treatment they still hold on to the hair. How to remove them from hair. There are several tools that we will now consider:
- Vinegar. Previously, this remedy was considered the best and most effective. It was believed that it killed nits, but it later turned out that this was not the case. It only destroys the adhesive substance. Therefore, combing was faster and easier. 300 ml of water was dissolved in 100 ml of vinegar. Wet your head well, put a plastic bag or a specially designed cap on top. After twenty minutes, you need to comb out the nits and rinse everything off with water.
- Hydrogen peroxide. It helps get rid of lice well, as it destroys the substance with which they are firmly attached to the hair. Hydrogen peroxide is so good that the nits begin to fall off the head on their own. For processing it is necessary to dilute it with water (1:3). Then put the bag on your head and wait half an hour. After this time, you need to wash everything off your hair and comb it out. But You should know that after this procedure your hair will become a little lighter.
- Hellebore water. This drug can be purchased at any pharmacy. It is very effective and good in the fight against nits. The great advantage of hellebore water is that it does not harm the hair at all, but on the contrary, strengthens it.
- Juices. Cranberry juice is very good for getting rid of nits. It destroys their sticky substance better than any chemicals. But cranberry juice is not so easy to obtain. Instead, you can take lemon juice or acid. One teaspoon of acid is used for one glass of water. This method will have a very good effect on the hair, making it soft and smooth, without spoiling its structure at all.
- Olive oil. A very good remedy for nits, which has a beneficial effect on hair, nourishing, moisturizing, accelerating its growth and restoring its structure. With its help, combing becomes less painful and unpleasant.
After using these products, combing out nits will become much easier and the process will take less time.
After treating your hair, you can begin the procedure of combing out nits . To do this, you must fulfill a number of conditions :
- choose a well-lit place;
- spread white paper or cloth for a better view;
- after treatment, rinse your hair with shampoo;
- comb thoroughly with a regular comb;
- gather long hair on one side into a ponytail;
- Gradually separate thin strands for combing.
Only in this case will you be sure that you haven’t missed a single hair, so get ready for a long and lengthy procedure. To make it easier to comb out nits, you can lightly moisten your hair or treat it with a special conditioner. The treatment should be carried out very carefully from the roots to the ends of the hair.
Should combing be done on wet or dry hair?
Combing dry hair is not very effective, as live lice may remain on it, and it is also quite difficult for the comb to pass through dry hair, especially if it is also tangled. That is why it is advisable to first wash your hair with shampoo (regular or special) . If you wash your hair with regular shampoo, then you need to apply an anti-lice spray after washing. Then lightly dry your hair and start combing.
Instructions for use
To effectively remove lice and nits from hair, you must adhere to the following algorithm of actions:
- If possible, pre-treat your hair with a head lice remedy. Both pharmaceutical products and traditional medicine are suitable for this.
- Do not dry your hair, dry it slightly so that it remains moist. So, parasites are more noticeable.
- Hair should be combed with an ordinary comb and divided into strands. If you brush yourself, it will be convenient to tie your hair in a high ponytail and then pull out thin strands from it.
- It is better to start combing from temple to temple, then proceed to the back of the head. If you have bangs, they should be processed last.
- Comb from roots to ends, slowly running the comb through the hair. Pin up treated hair.
- The strands must be taken small so that they can be easily combed with a comb.
- You need to comb the strand on both sides, then rinse the comb with the prepared solution and remove insects from the tool.
- After processing, all instruments and tissues must also be “neutralized.” Fabrics should be boiled for several minutes, shaken well outside and ironed.
- The comb must also be boiled and cleaned after each treatment.
- Be sure to thoroughly clean the house and pay close attention to upholstered furniture. It is better to wash bed linen and clothes at high temperatures.
- If household items on which insects could remain cannot be washed, then they should be packed in plastic bags and left in this condition for 14 days. A living individual cannot exist without food for more than 6 days, so in 2 weeks without food both lice and nits die.
How to comb out nits - suitable tools
In order to get rid of lice and nits, you need a special tool - a comb or comb. The most important difference between a regular comb and a specialized one is the frequency of the teeth and their length. They may also differ in the material from which they are made or in shape. So, a specialized comb should be stiff, have small and rounded ends. It is this form that will not damage your scalp with repeated combing . It also perfectly separates hair from hair, removing even debris less than one millimeter. With this tool it will be easier and faster to comb out all the parasites without damaging your hair or scalp.
Are there ways without using a comb?
Lice can be noticed at any time . What if you don’t have a comb or a special comb with you, what should you do? Of course, this is impossible to do without a comb, but you can try the following option:
- Go to the nearest store, stall or tent for a comb.
- Choose the one with the highest tooth frequency.
- Pass the thread between the teeth from edge to edge.
- Distribute your hair into thin strands and slowly run a comb through them from roots to ends.
If you can’t buy a comb, try picking them up with your nails and slowly pulling them down.
Combs for professionals
It is much easier to comb out nits with a professional tool, so you can order them online on the website or try buying them at a pharmacy. The most popular models are: AntiV; Lice Guard; Nitty Gritty Nit Free Comb.
ATTENTION! When choosing a comb, pay attention to the fact that products with small teeth are suitable for short hair, and oblong ones for long hair.
There is also a model that differs from its predecessors in that current is passed through its teeth. It is absolutely safe for humans, but not for nits and lice - it paralyzes them. This helps prevent lice from trying to get into your hair again.
Types of combs – plastic, wood, metal
There are several types of combs. They are made of different materials - plastic, wood, metal. In addition, combs are also electric. Let's look at each of them:
- Plastic. They can be purchased at any store, but they are not effective. The teeth often bend and lack serrations, which are necessary during combing, since without them it is quite difficult to do it.
- Wooden. Much stronger than plastic ones, but also without notches. They are also ineffective.
- Metal. Very strong teeth spaced less than 1 mm apart. They have micro-notches, which are very helpful in combing out parasites. This product is very effective.
TOP 3 best brands of combs (combs)
Let's look at the most popular models of branded combs:
- The brand has become widely known all over the world. RobiComb. The main purpose of this tool is to detect and destroy lice in humans. It is made of stainless steel. It works like this: when a louse is between the teeth, an electric current pierces it, paralyzing it. After this, the louse dies within 60 minutes. The cost of this comb is about two thousand rubles.
- Comb company Antiv has an unusual relief, which is equipped with rounded teeth. It does not harm the hair and does not cause dandruff. The cost of this product ranges from one and a half to two thousand rubles.
- A worthy alternative to the above tools is a comb from Neath Free. It is very reliable and suitable for all hair types. Has the optimal tooth length. It does not harm the hair and copes well with the task assigned to it. The cost of this comb is about one thousand rubles.
Getting rid of pediculosis using folk remedies
Getting rid of lice is easier than getting rid of nits. Many people wonder why they can't get nits out of their hair using regular shampoo.
The fact is that nits - lice larvae - are securely attached to the hair shafts. They are held in place by a special composition that only strong chemicals can dissolve.
Such means include:
- hellebore water;
- food vinegar;
- cranberry juice.
In the list, these compounds are arranged in descending order of their power. You can find out more about their action below.
If you want to get rid of lice and nits in one go, use a product such as hellebore water.
Please note that this product is extremely toxic to the body, so it must be applied to hair with great care. Video:
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Hellebore water is a mixture of equal parts of the medicinal plant Hellebore Lobel, infused with alcohol, and distilled water.
Natural alkaloids contained in the drug have effective insecticidal properties.
The toxic effect of these alkaloids extends not only to insects, but also to humans.
Hellebore water can only be used to treat adults, whose bodies have stronger immunity compared to children.
This drug should be distributed using a cotton swab over the entire area affected by lice and nits.
After applying the composition to your hair, you need to wrap your head in polyethylene and do not remove it for half an hour.
Many people who have tried to kill parasites with this remedy say that hellebore water helped them get rid of lice in one application.
However, there are other reviews of the effect of this drug, which report that in severely advanced cases, a single procedure for using the drug is not enough.
Another effective way to kill lice and dissolve the glue that holds nits to the hair shaft is a hair mask containing regular vinegar.
To prepare this remedy, you need to use food vinegar, the acidity of which is nine percent.
To treat head lice, you can use any version of this remedy: alcohol, wine, apple, rice vinegar, etc.
Mix two parts warm, but not hot, water with one part vinegar.
To treat children's hair, half a glass of water with vinegar or even a smaller amount of solution is enough.
Distribute the vinegar and water mixture over your head and hair. Don't forget about polyethylene. Adults can keep the vinegar and water on their hair for at least an hour.
If you are treating a child’s head, do not leave the composition on the hair for more than half an hour.
Some people use freshly squeezed cranberry juice, which immobilizes but does not kill lice.
The acid contained in this juice dissolves the glue that lice use to attach their eggs to the hair, so it will be easier to comb them out.
Cranberry juice is non-toxic, so it can be safely used to treat head lice in children.
It will not be possible to cope with the disease at once using such a solution, but freshly squeezed cranberry juice will not have any harm on the health of children.
Is it possible to comb out lice and nits without treatment?
Of course, you can comb it out, but only if you have special combs. It is necessary to wash your hair first and at least use some products that will help destroy the sticky substance with which nits are attached to your hair , otherwise this will be quite difficult to do. And then you need to use a comb or a specialized branded comb, which one is up to you to decide.
How long to comb out nits after treatment
It is better to approach this issue carefully and thoroughly . This procedure will take a different amount of time for everyone. It all depends on the length, number of affected hairs and, of course, their thickness. It is necessary to remember that this cannot be achieved at once, so the procedure will need to be repeated often. It is advisable to do this every two hours for a week.
How to comb out nits from a child
If you notice lice or nits on your child, you must immediately begin combing them out. It will be much faster and easier to solve this problem with boys, since they have short hair, but with girls it will be much more difficult. You will have to put in a lot of effort and patience to rid your child of these parasites.
IMPORTANT! Under no circumstances should you resort to folk remedies such as kerosene or dichlorvos when treating head lice in a child. They are very toxic!
Now on the shelves there is a huge selection of anti-pediculosis products, such as shampoos, sprays, lotions and much more. They can be bought at any pharmacy.
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Read our other articles on the topic of head lice:
- actions upon detection and methods of combating pediculosis;
- reasons for lice in children: where they come from and why they appear on a child’s head;
- signs and symptoms of head lice in children: methods of treatment and prevention;
- what and how to remove lice and nits from a child with long hair.
What to do if nits cannot be combed out?
It is often observed that after repeated combing the parasites do not fall off, what should you do in this case? To make this process easier, use products that break down the sticky compound that attaches nits to your hair. After the special treatment, rinse your hair again with a specialized shampoo and let it dry slightly, then proceed to combing.
Why do children constantly get lice?
The reason is constant contact with children, including infected people, which the child may not know about. In addition, children often exchange things and try them on.
How to prevent a relapse?
You can use repellents such as essential oils. In addition, the baby's head is checked periodically. This will allow you to detect parasites in time.
Anna, 40 years old, Vologda It took a long time to get rid of lice for my daughter. Then she went out into the garden and picked them up somewhere again. I had to reduce the length of my hair to make it easier to process, and after we removed the parasites, I regularly used essential oil.
Veronica, 38 years old, Samara. A boy from a disadvantaged family goes to our kindergarten group. Other children often get infected from it, and so does my child. We began to go to the garden less often, and since then the problem has disappeared. But I still check my hair every few days.
Most often, lice become infected in kindergartens and schools.
