The start of the school year has heralded the return of lice in children. How to eradicate them? Manual.
- Studies show that hair type, sex or age have no influence in the choice of a host by the lice, according to Health Insurance. In practice, infestations mainly concern 4-12 year olds and at least three girls for every boy.
- The use of a lice comb is recommended but only in addition to the treatment, in order to remove the nits before they hatch. Prefer a metal comb with fine, tight teeth rather than a plastic one.
“At the start of the school year, lice are often back at school”last week alerted the National Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (Anses) on his Twitter account.
A fear of parents, lice are brown insects of 2 to 4 millimeters that feed on human blood and lodge, most of the time, on the scalp, especially of children. Itching, caused by the bites of the lice to feed, is the main sign of the infestation.
Anti-lice products: insecticides to banish
“There are no products capable of preventing a lice infestation, the only solution is to intervene after the fact”explains the consumer association UFC-What to choose. But what curative treatment should be considered?
Over time, lice have developed resistance to insecticides, which have therefore become obsolete. This is probably a blessing in disguise, because these products (most of which are no longer marketed in France) often contain pyrethroids, some of which are “suspected of being endocrine disruptors” dangerous for humans and the environment, recalls the magazine.
Products that kill lice
To get rid of lice, it is therefore better to favor parapharmacy products “asphyxiants”advises the site of theHealth Insurance. Available in lotion, solution or spray foam, these are “liquid silicones prepared in a volatile solvent”who “act mechanically by closing the orifices through which lice and nits [les œufs des poux] breathe”. However, be careful when handling them, these products are flammable!
As a reminder, these products are to be applied to dry hair. After an exposure time of at least fifteen minutes, wash the hair with water and mild shampoo. “No product can unfortunately boast of being 100% effective in real conditions of use” in one go, underlines the UFC Que Choisir. The treatment must be renewed seven to ten days later in order to avoid a new infestation, knowing that most of these products are not effective against nits. Note that the itching can last several days after the treatment, even if the latter worked. If the problem persists, contact a doctor.
The anti-lice comb in addition
In parallel with a treatment, you can clean the clothes, sheets and stuffed animals that have come into contact with the child’s scalp or neck, in a washing machine at a temperature above 50°C.
As for the anti-lice comb, its use is recommended but only in addition to the treatment, in order to remove the nits before they hatch. Prefer a metal comb with fine, tight teeth rather than a plastic one. “Comb carefully and for a long time for 30 minutes wet and detangled hair, 3 times then 2 times a day, going from the scalp to the end of the hair. Between each passage of the comb, clean it on a disposable paper”can we read on the website of the Health Insurance.
Against lice, finally, forget essential oils, inconclusive and potentially allergenic, but also homemade treatments, made for example of white vinegar, olive oil or mayonnaise, which prove to be ineffective, or – it goes without saying – pest control products for pets.
