A head louse is an insect that lives on the human scalp and feeds on human blood. The female louse lays eggs in the head and makes sure the eggs are attached to the hair shaft. It takes around eight days for the egg to hatch. The louse takes another 11 days to mature into an adult louse.

Causes:
The primary cause of head louse is poor personal hygiene. Other causes due to which a person can be infected by lice are:
1. Using combs and towels that are infested.
2. Coming in contact with another person who has this condition.
3. Sharing the bed with a person who is affected by lice.

Symptoms:
When a person is affected by this condition then the following symptoms are observed:
1. The saliva of the lice causes an allergic reaction in the scalp which leads to constant itching. It can occur in various places such as ears, scalp and the neck. It may not occur initially, but it tends to occur after a few weeks.
2. Constant scratching can lead to formation of small red bumps on the skin. A bacterial infection usually occurs from constant itching.
3. It may lead to symptoms of dandruff in the scalp.
4. Presence of various insects in the scalp.

Prevention of Lice:
Lice can be prevented by using medicated shampoos and conditioners to wash the hair. The shampoos are usually based on a chemical called pyrethrin. This compound is toxic for lice and helps in getting rid of it.

You can also opt for the following lifestyle changes to prevent lice:
1. You should avoid sharing your hairbrush with others.
2. In case you have long hair, tie it in buns or ponytails.
3. Add tea tree oil to your shampoo before using it.
4. Keep the scalp clean to prevent infestations.
5. Avoid sharing pillows and clothes.

Causes, Symptoms and Prevention of Lice

Lice are miniscule insects which generally germinate within the head of the infected person by laying eggs and sucking blood from the scalp of the head. Lice infection is generally viral and is heavily contagious in nature. It is generally advisable to treat lice infection properly due to its contagious nature. The causes behind lice infection are skin-to-skin contact with the infected person or sharing bedding or combs with the infected person and living in unhygienic places.

The symptoms of lice infections are extreme scratching at the scalp region due to the presence of the lice. Ayurveda can work as a useful remedy for lice infections. The most common ayurvedic remedies for lice infection are as follows:

You can apply onion juice on the scalp region and rinse it after 1 hour.
A juice of Indian hemp might be applied to the scalp region.
An application of a crushed paste of seetaphal before going to sleep.
A mixture of phitkari and water can be applied regularly to the scalp region of the head.
Though a preliminary application of the Ayurvedic mixtures tends to remove a layer of the lice, all the eggs are nearly impossible to destroy in the first dosage, if the infection has been there for a long period. For the complete extermination of lice, the prescribed mixture should be applied again. In order to prevent lice infection, you can wash the clothes, stuffed toys, combs etc. with warm water.

4 Ayurvedic Remedies To Treat Lice on Hair

 Head lice  are insects that feed on the blood of your scalp. This condition usually affects children and is moderately contagious. Contrary to popular belief, head lice does not occur due to poor personal hygiene. 


The symptoms of head lice are:
1. Presence of lice on scalp: Lice are small insects that are usually hard to spot. But their infestation can be felt because you experience intense itching on the scalp. 


2. Itching: There will be intense itching on the scalp and the neck. This itching occurs due to the saliva secretion by the lice that the skin is allergic to. Usually, the itching starts after 3 to 6 weeks of infestation. 


3. Lice eggs: The lice eggs stick to the shafts of the hair. They are very hard to spot as they are small and well camouflaged. 


What can be the reasons behind their infestation
This condition is contagious; apart from direct contact with the scalp of an infected person, this condition can also spread if you happen to share the below mentioned items with an infected person:
1. Brushes 
2. Hats
3. Headphones
4. Towels
5. Pillows
6. Accessories for the hair


The treatments for hair lice are:
1. Over- the counter (OTC) products: OTC products are made from  pyrethrin , a compound extracted from the  chrysanthemum  flower.  Pyrethrin  works as an insecticidal compound and it is advised to use these medications only after washing your hair with a shampoo. Vinegar may also be used to loosen the nits from the hair shafts. 


2. Prescription medications: Certain medications can also be prescribed by the doctor, such as benzyl alcohol and lindane.


Certain home remedies for head lice include:
1. Essential oils: Apply oils such as Anise oil or tea tree on the scalp; these oils act as toxins for the lice.
2. Wet combing: This is a method wherein the wet hair is combed using a fine toothed comb to remove the nits and the lice. Repeat the procedure for 3-4 days every week.

Head Lice - How You can Treat Them?

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