People don’t get head lice because they’re not clean. In reality, millions report getting them each year in the U.S. alone. The most compelling evidence shows that people who get lice fall into all social classes.
Why do people get head lice? It’s due to head-to-head contact with an infected person. The lice crawl from one person’s head to the other, and although the person’s hair is clean, the lice find a new home. They need blood to live, so they flourish in the hair and scalp.
Although having an itchy head can mean head lice, it’s not 100% true in every case. Dandruff and eczema, for example, make people itch as well. Also, men and women go through different stages during their lifetime, and when they do, they can expect changes in their hair. Your head may be itchy for a combination of different reasons, so it might not just be a poor choice of hair lice shampoo.
Some report hair loss as well as itchiness. Pregnant women say their hair either thickens or falls out. Since exercise is good for the body, watch what goes into the body. With this in mind, what you eat and drink can make a huge difference to a person receiving treatment for head lice.
We’ll now take a look at what can be done to remove head lice. This will be followed by some useful advice on why ‘some’ OTC shampoos cause the head to itch, and how to remove itchiness caused by a hair lice shampoo.
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The expert dermatologist at the American Academy of Dermatology advises us to look for adult lice and their offspring. The nits attach themselves to the hair without moving about the scalp, so they are easier to detect. Check the back of the head, the neck and behind the ears.
What to do if you should find lice or nits? For one thing, try to avoid stress as tension can make matters worse and stay away from shampoos containing keratolytic. Soothe things over with personal care products made for sensitive skin.
Point often overlooked – styling and blow drying the hair should be done carefully. With this in mind, the experts also suggest using natural, mild shampoos and rinsing well!
Treatments for head lice are available over-the-counter, and most work the first time. However, this is not the case with everyone, and what works for one person may not work for the next. Furthermore, it’s not uncommon to have a dry scalp after using hair lice shampoo.
Fortunately, the itchiness should not last for very long, maybe a couple of hours or so. But why, you ask? The lice treatment can damage the hair follicles. As much as we want the itchy scalp to go away, it’s important to use products to counteract the dry scalp, especially following treatments.
Scratching will make things worse, and it can even cause an infection. Maybe too much sleep is lost already so be patient and remain calm.
In reality, treatments for head lice can be done at home. However, some people may want to consider seeing a professional (dermatologist) if these options are not available. Some people prefer to use over-the-counter treatments, some of which contain harsh chemicals.
Nevertheless, home remedies cost less and can be as effective as the name brands. Making the solution at home, the user knows what ingredients they are using and that they are natural. Normally, there aren’t any side effects to deal with because of the organic nature of the ingredients.
Besides, these solutions are proven by time and generations of trials and studies. Even though the FDA didn’t stamp their approval on these recipes, they eliminate lice and their eggs. Who wants to put pesticide on their head?
Pesticides are used to kill bugs, but this could be harmful to humans as well. Do you want to take the risk? Look what it’s doing to foods. More people are ill due to the amount of poison used to grow our foods. The scalp can absorb up to 50% of these pesticides.
According to a study, participants agreed to use olive oil, mayonnaise, butter, petroleum jelly and vinegar to treat head lice. Of those treatments, petroleum jelly was the highest and most clear-cut ingredient used to kill lice.
Used an over-the-counter shampoo to kill lice? Are you experiencing dry scalp due to the treatment? There are several different reasons why this could be happening. This is unfortunate, however, but on the positive side, there’s help for dry scalp available.
Does one of these descriptions apply to you?
There could be some ingredients in the lice shampoo which irritate the scalp. One reason why some people choose a natural remedy for removing head lice. It could be due to your regular shampoo, and the shampoo for lice are incompatible. For this reason, it will cause a dry scalp.
The person could also experience white flakes, redness, hives, and even wheezing. If this sounds familiar, stop using the product(s) and seek professional medical advice. Speak with a pharmacist or physician.
If direct contact is made with specific hair care products like lice shampoos, it can cause dermatitis. Notice any patches of inflammation or itchy skin? How about red bumps or an unexplained rash? These symptoms associated with pain and blisters could cause a person to seek medical attention.
The Mayo Clinic suggests repeated use of a product, which causes an allergic reaction, is reason enough to seek a specialist. At the same time, just once is enough to experience an adverse reaction. Then again, the symptoms may go away just like they came. However, purchase a hydrocortisone cream or topical agent to help clear the problem up.
Folliculitis is a condition where the hair follicles are infected, hoarding bacteria. A person can develop folliculitis while in the shower, especially if there’s a case of excessive sweating. Another key point to remember is folliculitis can happen while doing something as simple as shaving as well.
Friction, while shaving, could cause the infection. If the infection is severe, a topical medication may be in order. On the other hand, an oral antibiotic may be what is needed depending on the degree of the folliculitis.
Some forms, mild forms, will clear up by itself or with an over-the-counter medication. Then, it could get worse and cause even more irritation. In this case, make an appointment to see the doctor. Talk to the physician and supply all the details of the problem, so a professional can best help resolve the matter.
If the problem was misdiagnosed and there weren’t any lice present, to begin with, use a natural moisturizing shampoo to treat dry scalp. Certainly, if this does not work, and other symptoms are visible, you should see a professional.
The physician will prescribe the right medication for the diagnosis. Additionally, the doctor will be able to give a full examination to determine other areas of concern.
As mentioned before, tea tree oil is a strong oil. What was not revealed was the fact tea tree oil has terpenoid in it, which is similar to a pesticide. In light of this, don’t overdo using the oil and remember to dilute it with another essential oil like olive or lavender oil.
With this in mind, remember, these treatments are like any other treatments, including over-the-counter medications, in that some people have great results, while others do not. However, do not get discouraged, there are other options to getting rid of head lice. Some people reduce itchiness with Listerine. Hard to believe, but it can help a lot.
When applying the essential oils, make sure the eggs or nits have come ‘unglued’ by combing the hair well. Purchase a comb especially made for removing head lice. Although it may take some time and effort, the good news is that your head lice and dry scalp will be gone.
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