How do you..?!
Question:
How do you get rid of head lice?
Answers:
Home Treatment
Home treatment with nonprescription medications can usually get rid of lice. These products include:
Nix (permethrin 1% creme rinse).
Rid, Pronto, A-200, R&C, Triple X, or Barc (shampoos and gels with pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide).
A new type of hair sealant that kills head lice by suffocating them is currently under medical review.
If nonprescription methods are not effective, a stronger medication may be needed. Your health professional may prescribe a more concentrated (5% instead of 1% nonprescription) form of permethrin (Elimite), malathion lotion, or shampoos containing pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide.
Current research suggests that combing your hair frequently in an attempt to remove lice and their eggs (nits) is not an effective form of treatment. 3 Preferred treatment is to use a lotion or shampoo to kill the nits as well as the lice. You may choose to remove the nits through combing to improve your appearance, but it is not helpful in stopping the spread of lice. Cleaning combs, brushes, clothing, and other objects can help prevent lice from spreading to other members of your household.
Medications
Both nonprescription medications and prescription products are available to treat head and pubic lice. Most products come as a shampoo, creme rinse, or lotion (topical treatment) that is applied to the affected areas, left on for a period of time, and then rinsed off. A prescription pill (ivermectin) is sometimes used to treat lice when two or more approved topical medications have not been effective.
A new type of hair sealant that kills head lice by suffocating them is currently under medical review. 4
Permethrin 1% creme rinse (such as Nix) is also a common first method of treating lice because it is safe and effective and continues to kill lice and their eggs (nits) even after the cream has been rinsed off. This product is available without a prescription.
When treating lice with medication, keep in mind:
A second treatment 7 to 10 days after the first treatment is usually recommended to ensure that any lice that have hatched from eggs are also killed. Two treatments are also recommended for pubic lice.
Itching may persist even after successful treatment. Do not reapply medicated products unless you are advised to do so by a doctor. Excess use of these products may increase the risk of negative side effects such as nausea, headaches, or more serious side effects.
If lice infest the eyelashes, petroleum jelly can be applied to the eyelashes several times a day for a week to kill the lice.
Generally, drugs are not needed to treat body lice—since the lice live in clothing, not on the body—unless the person is severely infested. Body lice are usually treated by washing clothing and bedding in hot water [130° (54.44°) or greater] in an automatic washing machine.
Medication Choices
Nonprescription products for head and pubic lice
Permethrin creme rinse (Nix) is a common first choice for treating head lice. It kills lice and their eggs (nits) for 2 weeks or more after it has been rinsed off.
Shampoos containing pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide (Pronto, Rid, A-200) are left on the hair for 10 minutes and then rinsed out. A second treatment is needed 1 week after the first to kill newly hatched lice.
A new type of hair sealant that kills head lice by suffocating them is currently under medical review. 4
Prescription products for head and pubic lice
Permethrin cream (Elimite) is a cream that is applied to the skin or scalp and left on for 8 to 14 hours.
Malathion lotion (Ovide) is applied to hair and left on for 8 to 12 hours before rinsing off. A second treatment must be done 7 to 9 days later if lice are still present.
Lindane (Kwell, G-Well) is used as a lotion or a shampoo. It should only be used when other products fail to get rid of lice or when a person cannot use any of the other products. The shampoo may be used to treat head lice, and the lotion may be used to treat pubic lice.
Carbaryl, which comes in lotion or shampoo form, is used only in Europe. It currently is not available for human use in the United States or Canada.
A prescription pill called ivermectin sometimes can be used to treat lice when the person does not respond to two or more topical treatments (treatments applied directly to the affected area). 5
Antihistamines, which help control symptoms of allergies, may be prescribed to treat the itching that often occurs with lice. These medications may cause drowsiness.
If there is a serious skin infection, antibiotics may be needed.
Other products that are less commonly used to treat head and pubic lice include benzyl benzoate, thiabendazole, and crotamiton. Trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra) is an oral antibiotic that sometimes can also be tried to treat severe cases of head lice. 6
Precipitated sulfur is not as effective as permethrin or lindane, but many doctors still use this product on very small infants, pregnant women, and nursing women because of safety concerns.
What To Think About
It may not be necessary to remove lice eggs (nits) following treatment, although some people may wish to remove them for cosmetic reasons.
Most products used to treat lice may cause side effects if they are not used properly. Never use a product more than two times (with less than 7 days between uses) without first consulting a health professional.
There is some concern that lice are becoming resistant to (can no longer be killed by) permethrin or other medication used to treat lice infestations. 7, 8, 9 It is also possible that lice may persist after treatment because the medication was not used properly or because the person was reinfected by someone else who was still infected with lice.
In cases where multiple treatments have failed to get rid of lice or where resistance is suspected, some doctors are prescribing combinations of treatments, such as permethrin cream along with trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra).
Other Treatment
Head-shaving helps get rid of head lice. While this may be an acceptable treatment for boys, it can cause social difficulties for girls
Other Answers:
There is shampoo specifically designed for this or mayonnaise.
Here are some similiar related questions that I just did a search for on Y! Answers. Lots of remedies. Take a look.
Call your doc and ask for an Rx of Kwell shampoo, or get an over the counter lice shampoo like RID. Use it on everyone in the house, even if they don't have lice, then use the nit comb! This is very important. If you miss one single nit (lice egg) it will hatch and everyone will be re-infested. Also wash all bedding in the hottest water that's safe for the fabric, dry them in a dryer, run all your pillows through the dryer and spray and vacuum all carpets. It's a pain to get rid of the lice, but it's worse not too.
Answers: