Preventing Lice

About Head Lice

Head lice are parasites that need human blood in order to survive. They are found in the hair and scalp of an infested person.

How Head Lice are Spread

Lice are not able to "jump" from one person to another. Instead, they are spread through direct, physical contact. This means that if you are in close proximity to another person who has been infested, the lice can spread to your hair and scalp. It's possible to become infested with lice from bed linens, a couch, or a carpet where lice are present. Sharing combs, brushes, and hair accessories are other common methods of contagion.

Anyone can be infested with lice. It is quite common among school-aged children (and their family members), since children tend to have fewer inhibitions about sharing products and touching one another’s heads. Since the presence of lice can cause an itchy, irritated scalp, a person with lice is at risk of developing skin sores and infections caused by excessive scratching.

Tips for Preventing Lice

There are several ways to prevent the spread of lice. When combined, these prevention methods can drastically reduce the chances of an infestation.

Don't Borrow (or Lend) Anything That Will Touch the Hair

This includes caps, hats, and head bands or hair clips. You also want to avoid letting anyone else use your brush or comb. Avoid sharing towels that are used to dry hair.

Keep Your Hair Clean

Hair should be washed regularly; this means at least every couple of days. If you have already been infested with lice, a regular shampoo won't get rid of them, though there are stronger treatment shampoos that can be effective. However, keeping your hair clean regularly may help to ward off an infestation. Thorough brushing can also help eliminate dead strands and debris in the hair that can nourish lice.

Don't Touch Anyone Else's Hair

This tip may apply more to youngsters than adults, but playing with someone else's hair is one way that lice can be spread from one person to another. Teach your children that they shouldn't be playing with their friends' hair – not even for beauty or hair style makeovers – nor should they allow anyone to do that to them.

Use a Special Shampoo

Lice can be prevented.

If you are interested in preventing lice, consider using either a coconut oil or olive oil shampoo and conditioner. Coconut oil shampoo and conditioner smell wonderful, and using them on a regular basis (not only when you are concerned about lice) means that your hair will be shiny and manageable, since lice won't be attracted to your hair.

Olive oil shampoo and conditioner is another good choice when you for preventing lice. These products are available at hair salons, general retailers, and online.

Add Tea Tree Oil to Your Regular Shampoo

Tea tree oil is made from the leaves of the Melaleuca tree. It can be clear to a light gold in color and is used as an antiseptic and an anti-fungal agent. Health food stores will carry this product, and you can also find it online.

To use tea tree oil for preventing lice, add a small portion of it to the shampoo you normally use to clean your hair. Another option is to mix the tea tree oil with water, and spray the solution on your hair regularly. This will also to help keep lice at bay. Spraying your bed linens with the tea tree oil and water is another way to prevent lice.

Check Your Children's Hair for Lice on a Regular Basis

If you have children in pre-school or elementary school, make a point of checking their hair once a week for lice. If they have been infested, you can act quickly to treat the problem and prevent the lice from spreading to yourself and other members of your household. Also be sure to notify the school so other parents can take preventative measures and recurrences will be minimized.

Preventing lice takes diligence and awareness of what these parasites need. With a few simple steps, you can minimize the risk of getting lice, which will in turn minimize the potential hair and scalp problems they can cause.