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Guide to over-the-counter head lice treatments

by Sherry Hanson

Created on: September 18, 2008   Last Updated: September 19, 2008

Prescription and over the counter head lice treatments contain toxic chemicals pesticides and insecticides that can be extremely harmful to children and adults alike. Parents turn to over the counter products with the hopes that they will magically get rid of their lice problems, only to find a week later that the problem still remains. Figuring the product did not work they head for the store and buy a brand of product and a week later they are left with the same results. Panic stricken they continue to buy and try different over the counter products or get a prescription and retreat their child repeatedly exposing their child to poisons and when all else fails they try the home remedies, some of which are flammable, add a blower dyer in the mix and what you have is a recipe for a potential disaster.

Please be very careful what you put on your child's head in effort to get rid of head lice. Whatever you put on the scalp is quickly absorbed all the chemicals and toxins contained in the lice treatment product go right into the blood stream. There are real life stories that can be found on the internet of the damage and you can read all over the net the tragic events that followed what seemed to be a normal way to treat lice.

Head lice and nit removal are time consuming, energy draining and can be downright crazy making, but the first and foremost priority is to consider which method is the safest way to get rid of head lice without jeopardizing the health of your child.

Parents tend to think that the magic is in the treatment, but the truth is it is in the combing process. It is important to follow up treatment with combing checking for lice and/or nits that might have been missed. Many parents will do the initial treatment followed by combing and nit picking for a couple days after treatment and then stop. A week or so later they find their child scratching again.

It is important that after you've treated your child's hair and removed all visible lice and nits to spend at least a minimum of ten minutes a day, every day combing and checking your child's hair for the first week. At day seven, look for any nymphs (newly hatched baby lice) and if need be retreat your child using a nontoxic, chemical free product, continue daily combing into the second week. On the third week you can reduce the combing to every other day or two, but continue to check your child's hair for up to a month after the first initial treatment or retreatment.

Before you put it on your child's head research it on the internet and learn all you can about the products and the side effects, dangers of using them. Read the real life stories of children who have been harmed by what seemed to be a harmless head lice treatment. Knowledge is power!

We all love our children and would never willingly or knowingly harm them, but as a reminder just because you can run out and buy it off the shelf or because the doctor prescribes it does not necessarily mean it is safe.

Same goes for the over the counter environmental louse sprays. They also contain harmful chemicals and pesticides. It is not necessary to expose our children to these types of sprays in effort to make our home lice free. Simply vacuum all carpets and upholstery, launder all bedding and clothing worn by infested person, boil all combs, brushes and hair accessories in water or throw them away and remember the key to getting rid of head lice is in the combing.

Source:
http://www.pickyournits.com

Learn more about this author, Sherry Hanson.
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