![]() Clean floors, carpeting, and furniture by thorough vacuuming only.Clean combs, brushes and similar items by heating in water of at least 130° F for 10 minutes.Wash and dry recently worn clothing (including coats, caps, and scarves) in hot temperatures. Wash bedding in hot water (above 130° F) and dry in a hot dryer.While most head lice control should focus on treating infested people, some simple things can be done in the environment: Any nits that fall off the head will not hatch or reattach. Head lice cannot survive off the human body for more than two days. Manual removal of lice and nits by parents or professional services may be an effective supplement or alternative to OTC and prescription treatments. When applied, the treatment may suffocate and/or create a habitat unfavorable to the head lice. ![]() The alternative treatments listed below are referred to as suffocants. However, we feel it is important to mention some of the more commonly used methods. The Minnesota Department of Health cannot recommend these treatments without further evidence of their effectiveness. Although there is little scientific information to support these methods, successful treatment has been reported using several alternative treatments when conventional treatments haven’t worked, or when there is a concern about the toxicity of using head lice control products repeatedly. Many alternatives to OTC or prescription head lice control products have been suggested. ![]() What are some examples of alternative treatments? Additional prescription alternatives are available. Because of increasing numbers of reports of treatment failure with the OTC products, make sure to carefully follow all the instructions on the product label and talk to your health care provider if lice persist. With all of these products, the lice are often killed with one treatment however, a second treatment seven to 10 days later is often necessary to ensure all of the nits are killed. “Ovide,” a prescription drug containing malathion.Many brands of pyrethrin-based shampoo products (“Rid,” “R&C,” “Triple-X,” etc.) which are also available OTC.“Nix,” a cream rinse product available OTC which contains permethrin, a synthetic insecticide.Effective head lice treatments include products such as: The recommended treatment includes using either an over-the-counter (OTC) or prescription medicated (lice-killing) product. If you have questions about the diagnosis of head lice, call your doctor. One telltale sign of head lice is a persistent itching of the scalp, which is sometimes accompanied by infected scratch marks or what appears to be a rash. Nits should not be confused with an accumulation of hair spray, hair gels, or dandruff, which can be easily flicked off the hair nits cannot because they are firmly attached to individual hairs. Look closely for nits along the hairline at the back of the head and neck and behind the ears. What are the signs of a head lice infestation? Dogs, cats, and other pets do not spread head lice. They may also be spread by sharing personal items such as combs, brushes, other hair-care items, towels, pillows, hats, and other head coverings. Most commonly, head lice are spread by direct head-to-head contact with an infested person. ![]() Head lice have no wings and do not fly or jump, but they can crawl or run through hair quickly. They are found throughout the world, most commonly on children. Most people don’t know they are infested until they see the nits or lice. ![]() Who can get head lice?Īnyone can get head lice. Head lice are not known to spread disease. Head lice multiply rapidly, laying small greyish-colored, oval-shaped eggs (called nits) which they glue to the base of the hair, close to the scalp. These tiny insects (about 1/8” long) make their home in human hair and feed on blood. The head louse is an insect that can infest people.
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