Many people have very vague ideas about what head lice are and what they do. The belief that lice carry and transmit infectious diseases is also wrong. If you have correctly diagnosed the presence of head lice it is important to understand what you have and what treatment is advisable.
Existing myths include a great number of misconceptions regarding head lice and their affect on their victims. Lice do not carry diseases or transfer them to their victims. Another commonly shared idea is that head lice are capable of jumping and flying. Lice don’t have wings and they cannot fly; their only means of movement is to crawl. Lice are transferred from one person to another through direct contact with personal effects such as combs, brushes, clothing, beds and towels. Another misconception is connected to the question how long they live off of their host. Lice are completely dependent on the warmth and blood of the person they infect. Lice consume blood taken from the scalp. If remaining on their victim, they will live 30 days. Lice which are not on the human scalp can only survive, on their own, for about one day. Many believe short hair deters lice. This is not true. Head lice do not make difference about the age, gender, race, hair length, personal hygiene of their host. Head lice only live on humans and do not survive on animals and they are not transferable through pets.
Correct treatment of lice includes proper cleaning of things the host has come in contact with. As soon as the lice was removed through treatment and combing or picking out the nits you must then take care of the items the host had contact with. Washing items in hot water is the best thing to do. Exposing lice and nits to temperatures above 125 degrees F for 10 minutes is lethal. For the items that cannot be safely washed, you need to place them in the clothes dryer, heated to a temperature over 120 degrees at least for 20 minutes. You can also put items in an airtight bag for a period of about two weeks or have them dry cleaned. Another solution for combs and brushes as well as other plastic items is to put them in hot water on the stove for ten minutes. Beware that heating plastic things can damage them. You also can place them in solutions such as Lysol for an hour or longer. You should also clean and vacuum carpets, car seats and floor, furniture and all upholstery. A necessary thing is to clean clothing and beds. It is not recommended to fumigate or use any pesticides in your home to eliminate lice.
Many people facing the problem resort to wrong methods to solve it. This may cause a continued infestation. The right way to make sure that you eliminate the parasites is through proper cleaning.
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Properly treating Head lice Is extremely important. For proper treatments using home remedies see. http://myheadlicehomeremedies.com/ For more information http://myheadlicehomeremedies.com/getting-rid-of-head-lice/
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