Top 4 Lice Treatment Myths

Health & Medical Blog

Head lice is extremely contagious and most commonly seen in school children; however, it can infect individuals of all ages. It is important to begin treatment as soon as the lice are spotted. Knowing the myths will ensure you get the proper head lice treatment that will eradicate the bugs for good. 

Home Remedies are All You Need to Get Rid of Head Lice

While using a home remedy to treat your child's head lice would be much more convenient, there is no evidence to show that these methods are effective. For example, mayonnaise and olive oil may make hair strands slippery so that nits are combed out a bit easier, but they do not contain any ingredients that will actually kill the lice. Gasoline is another common home remedy that should not be used. Because of its flammability, it is extremely dangerous to use. 

Over-the-Counter Head Lice Treatments Are Less Expensive

Many strains of head lice have become resistant to over-the-counter treatments that use the ingredient permethrin, and parents may find that they have purchased and used three at-home lice treatment kits to no avail. This ends up costing much more than simply paying for a box of prescription meds. Also, most insurance companies will cover the cost of prescription head lice medications. Call your child's doctor, as often the doctor will not require a visit to call in this type of medication. 

Cutting Your Hair or Shaving it Bald Will Prevent and Get Rid of Head Lice

Unfortunately, cutting your hair or shaving it bald will not prevent or totally eliminate head lice. Head lice can be found on almost any type of hair, including your eyebrows, eyelashes, and even a beard. Even when the head is shaved, there are still tiny hairs present that the lice can attach their eggs to. It is best to contact your doctor to get a prescription medication to effectively remove the head lice. 

Using a Hair Dryer Will Supply Enough Heat to Kill the Lice

It is never recommended that a parent use a hair dryer to kill lice on their child's scalp. Not only could the child suffer scalding, but there are no studies that reveal the correct temperature or duration of the heat from a hair dryer that would be effective enough to kill all of the lice and their nits. Most likely, there will still be plenty of nits you didn't exterminate that will hatch and continue your lice problem. 

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14 September 2016

Take Your Health Into Your Own Hands

My name is Katie Langer. For a long time, I was bed ridden and I felt like I had no control over my life. I simply went along with what was instructed by my doctor and I didn't ask questions. It wasn't that my doctor wasn't willing to work with me, but I preferred to simply not think about the illness I was suffering from. I didn't realize that some of the symptoms I was suffering from were side effects of my medication and were not normal. After communicating more with my doctor, I was able to alleviate my symptoms. Since then, I've taken an interest in patient-doctor relationships and how to improve them.