A Natural Solution To the Problem of Head Lice
852 words, basic article for school publications.
Remove head lice with a natural solution that won’t harm your child’s head or the environment
John Owen
As we break into summer again and children become more active, head lice become a recurring problem for many parents.
Head lice can cause itchy scalps or a pale pink rash on the skin - above the hairline near the back of the neck or behind the ears as well as unsightly lice or eggs being visible in the hair.
One in ten children in the UK are infected every year. That leaves many parents scratching their heads, wondering how to make head lice homeless. And there is a lot of misinformation floating around about head lice.
Head lice myths
“Head lice are dirty” ]
Head lice can and will live on any hair, clean or dirty, long or short. If anything they prefer clean hair, as it is a more pleasant environment! There is no stigma in having head lice - happy healthy children with lots of friends will bump into head lice sooner or later, it’s nothing personal.
“I have to exterminate them from the whole house”
Head lice can only live in children’s hair. They will not stay dormant in pillows, linen, or clothes, waiting for an unsuspecting head of hair - they would die. How many parents have been told that their house must be unclean - they must clean all the linen, curtains - you name it!
This is completely unnecessary for the prevention of head lice. Washing everything in the house is a waste of time and energy and spraying pessticide in the house or on the bedding is an over-reaction and should be avoided at all costs.
“It must have jumped from somewhere else”
Head lice cannot jump from one host to another - they walk. They can only move to your child if their head is close to another child’s head. This can happen when playing rough, but also when leaning over to read a book together or share a secret - any time their hair comes in contact. Girls are more likely than boys to get lice, as they tend to have longer hair and more personal contact with each other.
“Lice can only be removed with harsh chemicals”
Lice are probably doing less harm to your child than some of the harsh chemicals recommended. There are plenty of low cost gentle remedies available like NITMIX which uses natural essential oils to firstly make it easier to comb out existing lice and secondly to mask the hair’s natural scent to stop lice returning. One of the greatest dangers with head lice is using a cure which is worse than the problem - your child’s scalp is not designed to be subjected to harsh chemicals like lindane which is a nerve poison.
“But head lice are dangerous - they carry diseases”
Head lice do not carry any other diseases - the abolute worst they can do if untreated is leave your child feeling, well, lousy - a headache and minor flu symptoms. They do not carry any germs or bacteria that can harm your child.
My child has head lice - what should I do?
Firstly - don’t panic. Every year 10% of UK children get head lice.
Secondly - don’t spend a lot of money. The more expensive cures are not necessary and can often do more harm than good.
Thirdly - your child isn’t dirty, she has done nothing wrong, this is just one of those things.
All you need to do is massage NITMIX’s Wet Combing Aid right down into the roots of dry hair and leave it for 10-15 minutes. You can get NITMIX through their web site where you will also find advice and support.
Then work through the hair with their Ultra Fine Toothed Comb, wiping the comb on tissue paper as you go to remove the lice.
Large adult lice are about the size of a sesame seed and are all shades of reddish brown
Tiny juvenile lice can be as small as a grain of sand and all shades of brown, from very light to almost black.
Use your usual shampoo to get rid of any excess oil.
Just repeat this process every 2-3 days until the comb is clear after every stroke.
How do I make sure my child doesn’t get head lice in the future?
When you wash your child’s hair put a weak solution of an essential-oil based treatment like PURE NITMIX in the final rinse. A few drops in a pint of water is ample. This leaves a faint fragrance on your child’s hair, the equivalent of using a perfumed shampoo, but will disguise the hair sufficiently to fool head lice that it is not a suitable home. You can keep the scent topped up wih a daily spray of dilute NITMIX too.
Used this way the solution will last for months if not years and provide a cheap, gentle, safe way to keep your children free from head lice.
John Owen
NITMIX Ltd
Head lice treatment and advice from NITMIX.
The All Natural Head Lice Removal System,
F.D.A Registered too!