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Can I get head lice from my pets? You'll be happy to know the answer to this question is a definite no. Head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) feed on human blood, and human blood alone. They cannot be transmitted any other way than from contact with other humans. Regardless of what people tell you, pets cannot carry head lice, at least not the kind of head lice we can get.	How to Get Rid of Head Lice	Head Lice Home Remedies Electronic Lice Combs are produced by companies like LiceGuard, and are apparently far more effective at getting rid of head lice and nits than traditional, non-electric lice combs. If you're not into pyrethrins, permethrins, and other chemical head lice treatments, you may want to consider investing in an electronic lice comb. What could be cooler than an electric lice comb? Pretty much everything, but it's electronic so it's sort of cool, right? Tea Tree Oil has all sorts of tricks up its sleeves. It's a natural fungicide, a natural antimicrobial agent, a natural antiseptic solution, and it kills the crap out of head lice. I've been toting tea tree oil as a natural treatment for head lice, pubic lice, and other sorts of problems for a while now. I guess I can't get enough of this natural, magical extract of trees from the land of downunder. Hair Gel and Hair Spray, it has been suggested (you know who you are), is more effective at preventing a head lice infestation than keeping your hair clean with daily showers and shampoos. I grew up in the 80s and 90s, and I do remember something about parted hair, waves, and lots of hair gel. Good God, I did use hair gel--and I never did get head lice. So maybe this really works?
I don't remember the last time I thought about getting rid of head lice. I'm not sure I was even diagnosed with a head lice infestation. I do know one thing. I faked the symptoms of a head lice infestation to get that little toothpick test done on my head. I used to think those things felt great; nothing like a little hair massage to get the day started right. I guess it's a childhood thing. Anyway, are you getting a little itchy around the ears or the back of your neck? Do you have an unexplained rash on your head? These are the symptoms of a head lice infestation, otherwise known as a head louse or just plain lice. Just to clarify: lice is the plural of louse, and a louse is the singular organism people find on their heads. You can thank the Lord right now it isn't crabs, or scabies (other forms of lice); normal head lice are about the easiest form of lice to get rid of. Below are some tips for preventing an infestation of head lice and how to get rid of head lice if you're unlucky enough to have them. Head Lice Treatment & Prevention
Suggestions or Questions? Check our Pest Control Forum.
If you don't want to get a head lice infestation you should avoid situations where there is intimate contact or personal articles of clothing are exchanged. The most common way for head lice to be transmitted is for a person who already has head lice (and perhaps doesn't have enough of them to notice) offers someone else use of personal articles like a hair brush after recent use, or a winter hat, or a baseball cap. If you want to prevent a head lice infestation in your home, tell your children to keep their hats, coats, and other articles of clothing to themselves.	children are dirty creatures
Putting your child in with a large group of children in a confined place (think public school) is like sending them to a head lice farm. Since head lice can only be transfered from one human to another, it's best to keep an eye on kids at camp or in school. Trust me, I used to work at a camp for kids, and head lice scares were a weekly occurance. In fact, the nurse told me while I was getting a finger sewn up that head lice was the biggest health problem she had faced at youth camps. Have your children checked for head lice at least once every two weeks, and if any are found notify the school or camp director immediately. Chances are more than one child will need to be treated for head lice.	welcome to the lice farm
A permethrin shampoo like Rid or Nix will get rid of head lice. If prevention of head lice just isn't possible and you find head lice on your children or yourself, you should treat the infested person for head lice immediately with a head lice shampoo. Rid, Nix, and just about anything with permethrins or pyrethrins will get rid of head lice. Another, less common, head lice treatment is Lindane. Most over-the-counter head lice treatments have a 1% concentration of the active insecticidal ingredient, so there isn't really much of a health risk.	stevie nicks can't cure head lice
Washing your bedding and clothes in very hot water will get rid of head lice if you've come across an infestation. As soon as you find head lice on either yourself or a family member, and after you've washed with pyrethrin or permethrin, you should wash all of the bedding the infested individual has come into contact with. Articles of clothing worn in the past week should also be washed to help prevent a reinfestation. Very hot water in both the wash cycle and the rinse cycle (if possible) is recommended, as well as setting the dryer to high heat when drying the fabrics in question.	yes, that's my bed.
To get rid of head lice infestations, thoroughly vacuum places where people rest often. You'll want to vacuum like the dickens if you find a head lice infestation in your house. Vacuuming beds, couches, chairs, and carpets will help suck up and head lice that have escaped the washer/dryer holocaust. Using an agitator on carpets and a bristled attachment on furniture are both recommended, to help uproot any stubborn adult head lice or even nits that may have fallen off and gotten stuck on fabrics or upholstery around the house.	she looks happy in a way that scares me
Suggestions or Questions? Check our Pest Control Forum.
Head Lice Remedies For particularly resistant head lice, there are 5% head lice remedy concentrations available by prescription. Chances are you won't need something that strong because 1% concentrations are often more than enough to kill a few head lice, and there are any number of head lice remedies and treatments available online. Things haven't changed much since one biologist said to the other, "Hey if this stuff kills boll weavils like hell, maybe we should put it in a shampoo to get rid of head lice!" And it's precisely the fact that you're putting a toxic substance (one of the most common insecticides on the market today) in your hair that some things should be noted: If you're pregnant or you think you're pregnant, or you're feeding babies with your boobs, you shouldn't put this stuff on your skin. If it's causes you to break out into hives or rashes, or you drop to the floor gasping for air, you shouldn't put this stuff on your skin anymore. Aside from those 2 things, pyrethrin and permethrin based head lice treatments should be just fine for getting rid of head lice.
Home \| Pest Control \| how to get rid of head lice

Disclaimer: Jonathan Hatch & Natasha Laumei cannot accept any responsibility for any injury or damage that you may cause to yourself, others, or property when following any advice given on this site.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.

Home | Pest Control | how to get rid of head lice

Can I get head lice from my pets?

You'll be happy to know the answer to this question is a definite no. Head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) feed on human blood, and human blood alone. They cannot be transmitted any other way than from contact with other humans. Regardless of what people tell you, pets cannot carry head lice, at least not the kind of head lice we can get.

How to Get Rid of Head Lice

Head Lice Home Remedies

Electronic Lice Combs are produced by companies like LiceGuard, and are apparently far more effective at getting rid of head lice and nits than traditional, non-electric lice combs. If you're not into pyrethrins, permethrins, and other chemical head lice treatments, you may want to consider investing in an electronic lice comb. What could be cooler than an electric lice comb? Pretty much everything, but it's electronic so it's sort of cool, right?

Tea Tree Oil has all sorts of tricks up its sleeves. It's a natural fungicide, a natural antimicrobial agent, a natural antiseptic solution, and it kills the crap out of head lice. I've been toting tea tree oil as a natural treatment for head lice, pubic lice, and other sorts of problems for a while now. I guess I can't get enough of this natural, magical extract of trees from the land of downunder.

Hair Gel and Hair Spray, it has been suggested (you know who you are), is more effective at preventing a head lice infestation than keeping your hair clean with daily showers and shampoos. I grew up in the 80s and 90s, and I do remember something about parted hair, waves, and lots of hair gel. Good God, I did use hair gel--and I never did get head lice. So maybe this really works?

I don't remember the last time I thought about getting rid of head lice. I'm not sure I was even diagnosed with a head lice infestation. I do know one thing. I faked the symptoms of a head lice infestation to get that little toothpick test done on my head. I used to think those things felt great; nothing like a little hair massage to get the day started right. I guess it's a childhood thing.

Anyway, are you getting a little itchy around the ears or the back of your neck? Do you have an unexplained rash on your head? These are the symptoms of a head lice infestation, otherwise known as a head louse or just plain lice. Just to clarify: lice is the plural of louse, and a louse is the singular organism people find on their heads. You can thank the Lord right now it isn't crabs, or scabies (other forms of lice); normal head lice are about the easiest form of lice to get rid of. Below are some tips for preventing an infestation of head lice and how to get rid of head lice if you're unlucky enough to have them.

Head Lice Treatment & Prevention

Suggestions or Questions? Check our Pest Control Forum.

If you don't want to get a head lice infestation you should avoid situations where there is intimate contact or personal articles of clothing are exchanged. The most common way for head lice to be transmitted is for a person who already has head lice (and perhaps doesn't have enough of them to notice) offers someone else use of personal articles like a hair brush after recent use, or a winter hat, or a baseball cap. If you want to prevent a head lice infestation in your home, tell your children to keep their hats, coats, and other articles of clothing to themselves.

children are dirty creatures

Putting your child in with a large group of children in a confined place (think public school) is like sending them to a head lice farm. Since head lice can only be transfered from one human to another, it's best to keep an eye on kids at camp or in school. Trust me, I used to work at a camp for kids, and head lice scares were a weekly occurance. In fact, the nurse told me while I was getting a finger sewn up that head lice was the biggest health problem she had faced at youth camps. Have your children checked for head lice at least once every two weeks, and if any are found notify the school or camp director immediately. Chances are more than one child will need to be treated for head lice.

welcome to the lice farm

A permethrin shampoo like Rid or Nix will get rid of head lice. If prevention of head lice just isn't possible and you find head lice on your children or yourself, you should treat the infested person for head lice immediately with a head lice shampoo. Rid, Nix, and just about anything with permethrins or pyrethrins will get rid of head lice. Another, less common, head lice treatment is Lindane. Most over-the-counter head lice treatments have a 1% concentration of the active insecticidal ingredient, so there isn't really much of a health risk.

stevie nicks can't cure head lice

Washing your bedding and clothes in very hot water will get rid of head lice if you've come across an infestation. As soon as you find head lice on either yourself or a family member, and after you've washed with pyrethrin or permethrin, you should wash all of the bedding the infested individual has come into contact with. Articles of clothing worn in the past week should also be washed to help prevent a reinfestation. Very hot water in both the wash cycle and the rinse cycle (if possible) is recommended, as well as setting the dryer to high heat when drying the fabrics in question.

yes, that's my bed.

To get rid of head lice infestations, thoroughly vacuum places where people rest often. You'll want to vacuum like the dickens if you find a head lice infestation in your house. Vacuuming beds, couches, chairs, and carpets will help suck up and head lice that have escaped the washer/dryer holocaust. Using an agitator on carpets and a bristled attachment on furniture are both recommended, to help uproot any stubborn adult head lice or even nits that may have fallen off and gotten stuck on fabrics or upholstery around the house.

she looks happy in a way that scares me

Suggestions or Questions? Check our Pest Control Forum.

Head Lice Remedies

For particularly resistant head lice, there are 5% head lice remedy concentrations available by prescription. Chances are you won't need something that strong because 1% concentrations are often more than enough to kill a few head lice, and there are any number of head lice remedies and treatments available online. Things haven't changed much since one biologist said to the other, "Hey if this stuff kills boll weavils like hell, maybe we should put it in a shampoo to get rid of head lice!" And it's precisely the fact that you're putting a toxic substance (one of the most common insecticides on the market today) in your hair that some things should be noted:

If you're pregnant or you think you're pregnant, or you're feeding babies with your boobs, you shouldn't put this stuff on your skin.
If it's causes you to break out into hives or rashes, or you drop to the floor gasping for air, you shouldn't put this stuff on your skin anymore.

Aside from those 2 things, pyrethrin and permethrin based head lice treatments should be just fine for getting rid of head lice.

Home | Pest Control | how to get rid of head lice

Disclaimer: Jonathan Hatch & Natasha Laumei cannot accept any responsibility for any injury or damage that you may cause to yourself, others, or property when following any advice given on this site.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.5 License.