How to get rid of head lice?

While the start of the school year is already well underway, for many parents and teachers it is the return of their public enemy number 1: lice.

“There are several types of treatment available for head lice”

“We contract lice from those around us, through head-to-head contact or through the use of certain objects. We can really say that there are “lice heads”, because some people can catch lice very easily “explains Dr Berthine Toubate, biological research engineer at the University of Tours and specialist in lice.

“There are several types of treatment that exist against lice. Insecticides are no longer used, because lice have become resistant to them over time, they have found a resistance mechanism in their genes. Today, certain products on the market suffocates the lice by coating them and other more recent ones make them explode with the nits”, continues the scientist. “I recommend products that kill lice and nits in one go, because the less contact time with the child’s head, the better. When the product does not kill the nits, I recommend doing the treatment three times, one week apart.” she adds, warning: “certain products do not kill lice or nits, you should not use them”.

Lice: how to apply treatments on the head?

“You must also take the time to apply the product as if you were doing a total coloring, that is to say, put it in strand by strand, making stripes. Once the treatment has been applied to the hair, you must avoid putting a towel or cloth on your head, but rather wear a charlotte or wrap yourself in kitchen cellophane paper”, specifies the expert. And be careful: “it is at the end of the application that you must start timing the exposure time indicated on the box”, she emphasizes.

Dr Berthine Toubate is also responsible for the “SOS lice” service. “I test manufacturers’ products. I also give advice over the phone to parents so that they can get rid of lice, and sometimes I travel. In these cases, I treat the whole family by showing them the right actions . And when the products are too expensive for the parents, I contact the social worker so that she can give them purchase vouchers.” she describes.

“In my laboratory, we also work on genetics, trying to identify the different receptors of lice to see how they interact in order to combat them,” she explains.

“It’s not because you’re dirty that you get head lice”

Regarding essential oils, “the one with lavender can be useful when there is a big infestation at school, but you have to mix it with a styling gel and apply it to the hair at the end of styling, a bit like if you wanted to create a safety helmet”, confirms the specialist.

A word in conclusion? “I would just like to say that it is not because you are dirty that you get head lice. It can happen to anyone. And it is entirely possible to get rid of them with a little of good will”, concludes Dr Berthine Toubate.

Lice reproduce quickly

Lice are parasitic insects of humans that feed on blood. We distinguish :
– head lice, very common in communities and which mainly affect children between 6 and 8 years old;
– body lice that live in clothing and feed on the body. Rarer, they are mainly found among homeless people;
– pubic lice, commonly called crabs, which are a sexually transmitted infection.

Lice reproduce quickly. The female lays eggs (nits), which produce a larva (or nymph) in approximately 1 week, then an adult louse in approximately 2 weeks. “Itching is the telltale sign of lice infestation. Their bites leave small red dots”indicates Vidal.