No one is safe from the appearance of lice and nits. Pediculosis has long ceased to be considered a disease of poor people. Quite prosperous families may face this problem. Children visiting public places are especially at risk. There are many different methods in the fight against lice and nits. But there will be no effect from the treatment if the house and things are not treated in a timely manner.
The consequences of head lice can be unpleasant and serious.
Parasites surrounded
Head lice live in hair that has a specific structure. When heavily infested, they can parasitize not only the head, but also the beard and armpit. Insects do not live on the pubic area because the hair structure there is different. Pubic lice infest this area and the eyelashes.
They leave their former places on their own - they explore the territory in search of a new victim. Forced - fall from the head during sleep, when a person is immobile, along with the comb. They enter the environment with fallen or cut hair.
For normal existence, all types of lice require certain conditions of temperature, humidity, and lighting. At home, insects can be found in the bed of a sick person, on his personal belongings. And also on the sofa, carpets, toys, upholstered furniture. Any place with a rough surface.
On a note!
Lice in an apartment outside the head live from several hours to 3 days. If they do not find a new victim, they are left without food and die. In other cases, they continue normal life activities on the new head.
Processing agents
You can conditionally divide all remedies against nits and lice:
- chemicals;
- traditional methods.
The first group of products contains insecticidal components that have a detrimental effect on lice and nits, destroying them.
Dust is a powdered insecticide containing boric acid, pyrethrum and other additional components.
Among such drugs, several categories can be distinguished:
- Powdered dusts. They will not be able to process bed linen and things in the closet, although this method is very effective. Caution should be exercised as grains of powder may enter the human and animal body.
- Gels, creams. They are also inconvenient to use for bedding, clothing, and personal hygiene items (combs, brushes). They can leave marks and streaks. To effectively treat all surfaces in the house, too much of the substance will be required.
- Products in the form of solutions based on a concentrated aggressive component and water. The solution is applied to things from a spray bottle. Using this method in the fight against pediculosis and lice at home is very convenient, but unsafe.
- Products in the form of an aerosol or spray. The most convenient form of preparations, used both for clothing, household items, and bedding.
- Products in pencil form. It will not be possible to remove all nits this way. Not all surfaces can be coated with the product.
- Shampoo. Special shampoos are widely used in the fight against pediculosis. They help remove harmful insects from the head.
The disadvantage of all chemical agents against parasites is their high toxicity. They also have an unpleasant odor that evaporates from the house over a long period of time.
The use of traditional methods of combating parasites and pediculosis is less effective. But sometimes the use of safe, non-toxic drugs is simply inevitable:
- Dried herbs with a pungent odor. Dried stems are laid out on surfaces and furniture in the house. The specific aroma repels insects.
- A mixture of soda and table salt. Suitable surfaces in the apartment are treated with a similar powder.
- Dried citrus fruit peel.
- Garlic.
- Leaves and sawdust of coniferous trees.
The smell of herbs repels lice
The action of all folk remedies is based on an unpleasant aroma, which insects are so afraid of.
Ways to combat parasites in an apartment
Treatment of an apartment for pediculosis Treatment of housing involves a number of activities:
- The apartment needs to be thoroughly cleaned. A solution containing chlorine, vinegar, and ammonia is added to the water. Lice cannot tolerate strong odors; they try to hide further; in strong concentrations they can die from asphyxia.
- Treating items against lice requires special attention. Insects do not tolerate high temperatures, cold, or insecticides. Things after lice and nits are treated using one of these methods.
- Rags are thrown into the wash. The water temperature must be at least 60 degrees Celsius. Large items that cannot be washed are taken out into the cold in winter. Lice and nits die and die at temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius. Or they take it to the dry cleaner.
Full processing: when and why you need it
It is advisable to carry out complete treatment for head lice in all cases when a lice problem is identified. Sanitation of the patient, things, and the surrounding area will help get rid of parasites faster. Comprehensive measures will significantly reduce the risk of re-infestation with lice. Being in a risk zone is a reason to think about introducing such actions on a regular basis. They will be an excellent disease prevention.
Unsanitary conditions, crowded living conditions, irregular (poor quality) washing, infrequent changes of clothes, a predisposition to close contacts with strangers are reasons to think about protection from parasites. This applies to permanent and temporary similar conditions. For example, a child’s return from summer camp is a reason to strengthen control and prevent head lice.
Disinsection of bedding
Treating Bedding Treating your bed is quite simple.
But this must be done in parallel with removing lice from the head. After completing all the necessary procedures for the treatment of pediculosis, the linen is processed. Destroy parasites using the thermal method. Processing bed linen begins with collecting it in a plastic bag so that on the way to the washing machine the louse does not fall on the carpet, interior items, or remain on the mattress.
Wash at a temperature of at least 60 degrees Celsius for at least 30 minutes. Upon completion of the procedure, it is recommended to dry the items naturally outside. Then iron thoroughly with a steam iron. Particular attention is paid to seams and folds.
On a note!
Head lice do not live in bedding, but they can stay for some time. Body lice crawl onto the human body only to get food; they spend most of their time on linen and in bed. In this case, washing and ironing bedding is the main procedure for combating linen lice.
The mattress should be additionally treated with an iron and steam. Or a household steam generator, if available.
Main methods of infection and types of lice
Head lice (infested by lice) are most common in children and adults because they are a serious disease that can be easily contracted. Infection usually occurs when an already infected person comes into contact with a healthy person. Among the many species of these insects in nature, the most common types of people are:
- Louse. It mainly parasitizes fabrics, clothes, towels and upholstered furniture.
- Pubic louse is a disease that causes severe discomfort.
- Pediculosis. The most common type of human hair disease.
In fact, lice can be found everywhere: in playgrounds, shops, workplaces, schools and kindergartens, and usually in public places with a lot of people. In addition, a person can unknowingly introduce parasites onto a coat or any clothing to take home - this insect is very insidious and cunning. This is why you should be very careful when going to crowded places, because no one is safe from lice.
Disinfestation of things
How things are treated depends on the material from which they are made. The easiest way to treat clothes for lice is to throw them in the wash, iron them thoroughly, or send them to the dry cleaner. Fur products - fur coats, coat collars - are sprayed with a special composition containing insecticides, placed in a plastic bag, tied or zipped.
You can disinfect a hat against lice with any aerosol, broad-spectrum spray - Raptor, Raid, Clean House. In this case, it is not necessary to use a powerful insecticide in the form of a concentrated liquid. One treatment is enough. After completing spraying, the product should be placed in a plastic bag so that the parasites do not escape.
Treating combs after lice can be done by thoroughly rinsing them under running hot water. After that, you need to additionally apply medical alcohol to the cotton wool and wipe the comb. Do the same with the comb that was used to comb out dead lice and nits after using a disinfectant.
What are lice?
Lice are a representative species of insect. They are very small because they float in water - sometimes it is very difficult to see parasites with the naked eye, especially in the hair on a person’s head. These insects belong to the parasitic lifestyle of humans and animals. They also feed on blood when they bite, so they are also predators. They also have good vitality - they can quickly adapt to changing environmental conditions and have the ability to reproduce quickly. Lice larvae are called nits, and they accumulate in hair follicles. Lice are the most difficult to kill because they use a special “glue” to attach the larvae and prevent them from falling off.
Self-treatment for lice or extermination service?
If the object is severely infected and there is no result from independent measures, call a special service.
Qualified disinfectors, armed with high-performance equipment, will carry out disinfection measures in one stage. In their work, they use a fog generator that sprays a toxic substance in the form of a cloud.
The chemical remains suspended in the apartment for a long time. This disinfection method allows you to destroy parasites and eggs with maximum efficiency.
A conscientious company provides a guarantee for all work. Duration – up to three months. The guarantee is valid subject to compliance with the recommendations of the disinfector.
All drugs used in the work are certified and have high activity against blood-sucking insects.
After how many days do you need to repeat the lice treatment?
Repeated treatment is carried out a week after the initial one. Thanks to this, it is possible to achieve maximum results and prevent recurrent lesions.
Complete treatment for hated and annoying lice is an important step to get quick treatment results. If you refuse any of the complex stages, the likelihood of infection increases, which will quickly begin to develop in the house, thereby all relatives and family members are subject to re-infection.
Only a thorough approach to work will help to completely eradicate the danger.
