How to Kill Lice

by pir8p3t3

919K2077

Intro: How to Kill Lice

Oh dear lord... you caught lice... Now what?!

The stigma of being infested with lice should be motive enough for anyone to kill the buggers, but for some reason they are still rampant all over the world. Don't be the person everyone hates (the one who gave us all lice).

Kill the little bastards before they can spread!
The only acceptable answer is to wipe them out!
Eradicate even the smallest and most pitiful louse!

I'll show you how.

STEP 1: An Oz. Prevention = Lb. of Cure

People can only get lice from other people, but lice can survive away from their host for a few days. Lice require human hosts so your pets won't get lice.

Sharing clothes, hats, pillows and brushes is a no-no if you might have lice. Hugs should be careful and restrained until you are clear. Once lice are discovered, a good idea is to quarantine bed pillows or stuffed animals which might be exposed. Quarantine time should be 14 days. Brushes, combs, and hair doodads can be boiled in water for 1 minute to kill lice and eggs. A cycle in a hot dryer will kill off any lice and eggs on cloth.

There are several products in stores which claim to be for treatment of lice, but most of these, as far as I can tell, are more likely to make you sick than to kill lice.

Lice are one of the hardiest life forms you or I is likely to meet. They fall dright between cockroaches and goats on the hardiness scale, and are, for all practical purposes, immune to all poisons marketed for their destruction.

... so how do I kill them?

STEP 2: Advanced Hand to Louse Combat Techniques!

The easy and effective ways to kill lice are with heat or combing, and I suggest a mixture of both.

COMB THEM OUT!
First obtain a delousing comb and a bottle of your favorite conditioner.
Now take a nice hot shower combing the conditioner through your hair and rinsing the comb and the tips of your hair throughout to wash any lice down the drain.

BURN THEM UP!
Second, dry your hair with an electric hairdryer, combing it out with only 'known clean' combs or brushes. Lice can't take the heat over 110F, but neither can you! Don't hurt yourself, but get it nice, hot and dry.

These methods can both be done on yourself, and don't rely on you actually seeing the lice. Which is a good thing since lice are tiny and tend to be nearly the same color as the hair they hatched on.

STEP 3: The Ultimate in Lice Removal: the Liceguard Robi Comb

I especially suggest this electric comb if you have elementary school age kids. It can turn a weekend long nightmare lice eradication frenzy into a 3 minute per day per child treatment. If you are careful with it, it will last for years and keep your family safe from lice.

This device should be used on dry hair only, combed through according to the directions. It will kill lice and nits when used properly, and, if used daily on everyone in the house, it will eradicate an infestion in 2 weeks of daily use.

These combs are about $30, but if you need one, and you know if you do, it's more than worth it.

STEP 4: Know Thy Enemy

Some links to help you bone up on you anti-lice knowledge

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_louse
http://www.nitpickers.com.au/life_cycle2.gif
http://www.safe2use.com/pests/lice/headlice.htm

Please go kill some lice!

72 Comments

KathrynW40 6 years ago

I can't wash my daughter's comforter but I can put it in the dryer. How long should I tumble dry the comforter at high heat to ensure the lice are gone?

CrystalM127 6 years ago

I'm wondering how to end lice
My child goes to 4 or more peoples places in a month.
I'm sure we had it for more then a year or so. I'm frustrated as I spent over $600. In a year on all of us and told them we had it but they didn't want to do anything on there end saying they did get them. I'm still itchy and got bumps and blood on my head these pictures show what I'm pulling out of my hair what is it and what can I do ?

thatonechickk 12 years ago

I can relate to some of the comments: last summer I was having an itchy head problem. My mom assumed that I had itchy scalp, but the shampoo didnt work, and it eventually got worse. One week I went to a friends house. They saw me itching and decided to check my head. They didnt see any lice but found some eggs(small case). Luckily they had lice treatment lying around. That whole situation was done, but then 2 months later the itching started up again. No one believed me that I had lice again, and I was doubting it too, until one day I was itching my head and one came out into my finger nail - EW- I treated it again and all was well. But then, one or 2 months later, I got it again! and sadly it was discovered at a friends house): and my two friends got it too, but this time we used RID, and that totally took care of it, but now my heads itching again, and everyone's checking my head and they only see a few eggs, but i see many eggs. And just a couple minutes ago, I found 3 fricking bugs in my hair. yippee. But im scared to tell my mom because every other time I told her, she got very angry. She knows its not my fault but I cant help but feel guilty and helpless. Where do I keep getting it from!!?? the bus? school seats? a friend?( I hug lots of people) And since no one confessed to having it when I got it those 3(now 4) times, I may not know how to prevent it from happening again. so that's 4 times in one year(: fml...

SarahS461 6 years ago

Not everyone wants to admit they have lice or know it so check friends that you frequently visit and the the school they might have a problem

LadyRoz 10 years ago

Try giving your hair a vinegar rinse after washing it...then use a hair dryer every day for seven days...no need to wash your hair every day unless that is what you normally do. The vinegar is an excellent conditioner and will kill and repel lice. I'd recommend the vinegar rinse once a week after that and to always use a hair dryer to dry your hair to avoid continued infestations. I'd also recommend purchasing a coconut shampoo and conditioner. Throw your pillows into the dryer for thirty minutes on high after treating your head and wash your bedding. I'm not sure how old you are but these are things you can do on your own without upsetting your family. Also make sure you have your own hairbrush and do not share it, or hats, with anyone else.

Beat_them 8 years ago

My daughters had them last year. I think the conditioner method got them. They got them this Spring and we can't get rid if them. Tried Nix, store brand Nix, many attempts of Listerine and vinegar, coconut oil. Even paid a professional and she had them a week later.

SarahS461 6 years ago

Always let the school know

Stewgal57 8 years ago

You might try diatomaceous earth ("de"). It's used on pets for fleas and is safe It cuts the exoskeletons of the fleas; they dry out and die. Lice also have an exoskeleton. Put "de" the at the roots of the hair, making sure to work it through the hair. You could allow the "de" to stay in the hair for a period of time before washing the hair. I don't know if it would work but its worth a shot.

AprillR1 7 years ago

Inhaling it kill you. I'd skip the de.

Stormgirl 8 years ago

Hello,

My daughters got lice at summer camp. RID or Nix didn't work, apparently lice develop immunity to these pesticides. I used a home remedy that got rid of them for good.

1. Take 1/4 cup of warm apple cider vinegar and a 1/4 cup of salt. Mix it and soak the hair throughly and let it dry for 15-20 minutes.

2. Comb out the dead lice and nits.

3. Wash the hair with regular shampoo (just add 3-4 drops of tea tree oil). Condition the hair.

4. Blow dry and/or flat iron the hair carefully from the roots to kill any remaining nits.

5. Repeat every 4 days for 2 weeks.

*Tip: to avoid reinfestation you can buy the OGX tea tree oil shampoo and use regularly. Also, clean all hard surfaces with rubbing alcohol or vinegar. Vacuum sofa, mattresses, and anything with padding. Wash all clothing and stuffed animals in hot water cycle and hot dryer cycle. Anything that can't be washed seal it in a plastic bag for 2-3 weeks (i do 3 weeks cause I'm a bit ocdish). Finally, change the sheets daily until you do the second vinegar application in 4 days.

Goof luck!

ElizabethS32 7 years ago

I first apply tea tree oil and olive oil mixture and cover the head with a bag and leave on overnight. Then i wash it out with head and shoulders shampoo then apply vinegar and leave it on for four hours then rinse then apply mouthwash listerin original for four hours (head covered with both vinegar and mouthwash). Then wash hair with head and shoulders again comb hair with nit comb thoroughly. Then blow dry your hair and then take a flat iron and flat iron your entire hair. Wash bedding and boil brushes and hair ties. Lice can only live of the body for 24-36 hour's. So best bet is after treatment sleep on the floor and was clothing you use daily keep seperate from drawers and clothing and pillows for that time period. 5 days later reapeat entire process. Then another 5 days later reapeat process. I have only had to do this process once and it completely cleared up but the two extra treatments should make sure it works. Hope this helps.

LauraH84 8 years ago

I'm a hairdresser and like I said it's very important that you treat it then doit once again 10 days later. and lots of combing every day in between with that little metal comb. Get rid of pillows and just get new ones after you treated it. Be sure to treat everyone at once. Again treat everyone 10 days later and wash everything in hot water and heat dry

SarahS461 6 years ago

Your best option is to go to your primary care physician. They can give you a strong dose of lice killing cream or any methods if you prefer not to use lice killing cream. Wash your bedding in hot water and dry it on high anything that can’t be washed you can throw it in the dryer for 30 minutes (or longer if you want to be extra careful). If you throw anything away you will still need to vacuum anywhere your head has touched in your house. Try the over the counter RID or NIX them the doctor. Combs don’t always work I tried that everyday for 2 months straight no effect. My doctor told me everything I need to do so you can trust I’m not just saying this with no knowledge I’ve been stuck with lice for months and I’m sick of it. Also, I saw that even if you didn’t get lice but you live in the same house hold you should still treat your hair just I case.

His6314 8 years ago

I got lice years ago and I can't get rid of them I tried everything and I tried mayo and it just made it worse it was a lot of bugs coming out of nowhere it had to be aleast 100 I need help!!! I am done having them it's like I try to treat them and next day I get them back :,( I don't know what else to try I tried everything I am so irritated with it. People think I'm nasty I'm just done someone please help me

opiumbrella13 6 years ago

Mayo or any of the treatments meant to smother do not work. They can hold their breath for over 8 hours.
I would start by using the nix or rid treatment, then combing out all the dead nits and eggs. Blow dry nice and hot and dry. Then use a hair straightener on the hottest setting and go from the roots to tip on inch sections of hair multiple times each piece.
Take all of your bedding and your jackets and hats and run them through a hot wash and hot dry, vacuume around your bed, and boil all your brushes and combs.
Get tea tree oil and add it to your shampoo and conditioner. And use it to wash your hair then blowdry and straighten at least once a week until sure they are all gone. Keeping the tee tree oil in your shampoo and conditioner will also help keep them away as they don't like it.
I'm sorry. I battled with lice with my children for months on end and myself and my husband as well. And we all have waist too butt length hair even my husband lol. So it was a huge pain.
Your not nasty, in fact live prefer clean humans to dirty ones, it's an issue everyone has at one time or another. So please don't get down on yourself.

LauraH84 8 years ago

Get rid of your pillow your bedding and just keep coming that out like outside treated every 10 days and keep your hair in coconut oil in a bag keep calm and it's out keep faithfully maybe get a prescription the most likely get rid of your bedding

JoleneS2 8 years ago

Have you tried the Nuvo method? It basically ends up suffocating the lice, look it up online and follow the instructions to the t! You just need Cetaphil cleanser, a comb and a blow dryer.

Beat_them 7 years ago

I have tried every single remedy out there except the "de". Now I use salt. It works every time!

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