Physically removing the nits
August 31, 2008
Suffocating the lice is a popular method and many products have been recommended. Petroleum jelly, vegetable and olive oil, and hair gels all have been used in successfully getting rid of head lice. However, you should know that if you use these treatments on your child’s hair it might take a month or more for the hair to return to normal. These products may help control the lice problem but they are extremely difficult to get out of the hair. A better method may be to use a conditioner after shampooing, leave it in the hair while combing out the nits with a metal nit comb.
Physically removing the nits is the most important step in treating an infestation of lice. Using a nit comb and manually and meticulously combing through the hair is the best method of removing these eggs. You may also want to find a pair of safety scissors and snip out the individual hairs that have nits attached to their shafts. This will not work if the infestation is heavy! Removing the nits is a crucial part of treating head lice. It is helpful if you have two people working on the infested person’s head at the same time. You can use your fingernails, tweezers, and double edge tape. Nit removal is not the total solution to the head lice problem, but it’s a necessary step.
Head Lice:
Physically removing the nits
