| Dear MichellE
Head lice don’t care if the hair is dirty or clean. They thrive in warm conditions and like to live next to the scalp. They easily migrate from head to head and so are easily spread where people are in close proximity to each other such as in schools or family groups. They can live for up to 48 hours on combs, hair brushes or hats so you need to thoroughly clean these if they have been used by someone who has head lice. If you find nits (eggs) stuck to the hair then there must be lice. To stop infestation you must kill all the lice and nits at the same time. Unfortunately it has been found that 80 percent of these nasty little critters have evolved a gene that protects them against a lot of the commercial treatments generally available. This means that the likely hood of quite a few surviving these treatments is quite high and you only need a couple to tango before you’re back to square one. Hot headed, sweaty children seem to be more susceptible but very few are immune to there interests. An old herbal remedy that we have found to be very successful is made from Larkspur seed tincture. This seems to kill the lice and nits and there is no need to comb the hair afterwards as the nits just wash out when dead. It’s one of the best natural solutions we have come across and beats any chemical shampoo hands down. There is also a pleasant smelling spray that you can use on dry hair which will discourage the lice taking up residence on your children in the first place. Head lice has always been a problem in schools but if you use what I have suggested your children will become much more resistant to them. Best of Health |
