These are six-legged wingless insects that suck human blood. This is a common infestation and it is not a sign of poor hygiene. Lice multiply very fast that is why it necessary to kill them. They are not dangerous, but that continuous scratching and red bumps on your head can irritate and make you feel embarrassed in public. Don’t panic, in this article, we will discuss some easy steps to check for lice and will let out know the natural methods to kill them.
Kinds of Lice:
- Head Lice: This is a wingless insect that lives on the scalp of the human. The eggs of a louse look like dandruff. This is yellow in color and has an oval shape. These have a good grip on the hair and it requires a lot of hard work to get rid of them. The adult head lice are gray is color and its size is of a sesame seed. These are contagious and mostly school children suffer from them.
- Pubic Lice: These lice suck blood from the human genitals. They are 2 mm long and are gray in color. Pubic lice can be transmitted sexually and through clothes, bedding or sharing of towels.
- Body Lice: These lice are found in the human body and can be transmitted through infected clothing and bedding. They suck human blood and lay their eggs on the skin and clothing. These are bigger than other types of lice.
How to Check for Lice?
Contents
Head Lice: While checking for head lice the first step you need to follow is wet your hair or apply oil and use a nit comb to check for lice. Oil will make your hair smooth and if there will be any lice then it will come out with the help of a comb. Another thing that you can do is dividing your hair into different sections and then looking for white flakes. Comb the different sections of the hair and clean the comb with a tissue. Comb each section at least 4 to 5 times to check for lice.
Pubic Lice: These lice are gray in color and usually swell up after sucking your blood. You can easily check for lice in the human genitals by using a magnifying glass. The eggs of pubic lice are white in color and you can find them around the roots of the pubic hair. You will know that you are infested with pubic lice if you see them crawling in your pubic hair. If you have pubic lice then you will have severe itching in the genital area. You can check for the symptoms like low-grade fever and lack of energy.
Body Lice: Intense itching, red bumps on the skin, rashes and thickened skin are the symptoms of body lice. Check for these allergic reactions on your body. You should especially check the waistline and upper thighs. If you have body lice then you can find it at the seams of your clothing. You can also use a magnifying glass if necessary.
Top Remedies to Get Rid of Lice
1. Petroleum Jelly to Treat Lice:
This is an amazing remedy to kill lice. It kills the lice by suffocating it. The only problem with this remedy is that it requires time and patience as it difficult to remove the petroleum jelly from the hair. But you can take it out with the help of baby oil. You can also use mayonnaise to treat lice.
Directions to Use for Head Lice:
- Divide your hair into different sections with the help of hair clips.
- Coat all the sections of the hair with a thick layer of petroleum jelly.
- Cover your scalp properly with a shower cap.
- Let it stay overnight.
- Use baby oil to take out the jelly from your hair.
- Comb the hair to remove the dead head lice.
Directions to Use for Pubic Lice:
- Apply a thick layer of petroleum jelly on pubic hair. Ensure that the hair follicles are lubricated well.
- Leave it for a few hours.
- Wash the area with the tea tree shampoo.
- Use a lemon scrub or a nit comb to remove the dead lice and nits.
2. Tea Tree Oil to Eliminate Lice:
The antibacterial properties of tea tree oil will help to kill the lice. If you are using it for body lice then it will heal the damaged skin tissues which are caused as a result of scratching. It acts as a natural insecticide which makes it an effective choice for treating lice. It can also be used to check for lice.
Directions to Use for Head Lice:
- In 3 tablespoons of coconut oil, add one teaspoon of tea tree oil.
- Use this mixture of oils to massage your scalp.
- Cover your head and leave it for half an hour.
- Rinse your hair using warm water and medicated shampoo.
- Comb the wet hair to eliminate dead lice.
Directions to Use for Pubic Lice:
- Massage some tea tree oil on the genitals.
- Leave it for a few minutes.
- Wash the area with a medicated shampoo.
Directions to Use for Body Lice:
- Mix tea tree oil and water in the ratio of 1:2.
- Apply this mixture on your body.
- Leave it to kill the body lice.
- You can soak your clothes in tea tree oil for 30 minutes to remove the body lice.
3. Vinegar for Lice:
When your body is infested with lice you scratch, which increases the chance of skin lesions and infections. The acidic nature of vinegar kills the lice, but at the same time, it is harmful to the skin. You can mix some vegetable oil into the vinegar to prevent skin damage. The acetic acid in the vinegar will kill the head lice.
Directions to Use for Head Lice:
- Mix equal amounts of white vinegar and water.
- Make your hair wet with this liquid.
- Cover your hair with a towel.
- After a few minutes, use a nit comb dipped in white vinegar to eliminate head lice.
Directions to Use for Pubic Lice:
- Mix equal amounts of vinegar and water.
- Add one tablespoon of sugar, salt and honey.
- Apply this coarse paste on the pubic area.
- Scrub it off after 30 minutes.
- Add some margosa leaves in water.
- Have a bath with this water to kill lice completely.
Directions to Use for Body Lice:
- Take 2 cups of vegetable oil and add one cup of vinegar.
- Apply this liquid on the affected areas of the body.
- Allow it to stay for about 30 to 40 minutes.
4. Lilac to Get Rid of Lice:
This is a medicinal plant with antiseptic properties that helps to get rid of lice. If you have body lice or pubic lice the antiseptic properties of lilac will prevent any kind of infection. It will destroy the head lice due to its antibacterial nature. You can apply lilac oil to check for lice.
Directions to Use for Head Lice:
- You can remove the head lice by using lilac oil.
- Make a paste of lilac leaves and apply it on your scalp.
- Wash your hair with a lilac shampoo.
Directions to Use for Pubic Lice:
- Make a thick paste of lilac leaves.
- Apply this paste on the pubic area.
- Allow it to dry completely.
- Use a soft brush to scrub it.
- Clean the area with warm water.
- Do this on a regular basis to get rid of pubic lice.
Directions to Use for Body Lice:
- Boil 2 liters of water and add 250gms of lilac leaves.
- Fill a bathtub with this water.
- Allow it to cool a little.
- Soak yourself in this water for 30 minutes.
- Do this on a regular basis to treat body lice.
- You can also make a paste of lilac and apply it on the affected areas of the body.
5. Almond Oil to Cure Lice:
Almond oil will make the hair smooth. Now when you will comb the hair the lice will come out easily. It also suffocates the lice due to which it does not survive for long. Try this effective remedy to get rid of lice. You can also apply almond oil to check for lice.
Directions to Use for Head Lice:
- Massage the scalp with almond oil.
- Cover it with a cloth.
- Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Use a fine-toothed comb to remove the lice.
- You can mix almond oil in your conditioner and wash your hair with it.
Directions to Use for Pubic Lice:
- Apply this oil on the pubic area and cover the base of hair follicles.
- Let it stay overnight.
- Use a fine-toothed comb to take out the dead lice and nits.
- Repeat the remedy on a regular basis to kill pubic lice.