Everything About Lice Treatment San Francisco Parents Should Know
Everything About Lice Treatment San Francisco Parents Should Know
Dealing with head lice is something many parents are faced with during their children's school years. Once a child is infected, it is easily spread to others and can become an epidemic amongst school-aged children which the parents must effectively eliminate. Unfortunately there is no one lice treatment San Francisco parents can use that will guarantee totally eradication, but the right combination of methods may solve the problem.
A single louse typically lays up to ten eggs or nits each day, which will hatch in a week or so. Newly hatched lice are no larger than the head of a pin, but will be grown and able to reproduce in only 9 to 12 days time. It only takes about four weeks for a child's head to become fully infested if untreated.
Symptoms of an infestation include itchiness of the scalp and sometimes tiny bite marks on the neck area as well. By examining the scalp, the parent can usually spot the parasites which are about the size of a sesame seed and either gray or rust-colored. Nits be visible as well and appear as tiny, beige, ovals.
If an infestation is suspected, the parent should take the child to the doctor for a proper diagnosis and recommendation for treatment. This process normally starts with the use of a "pediculicide" or shampoo which has been formulated to destroy the parasites and then removing any which remain with a comb. This treatment must be repeated in about a week to kill any new hatchings. Other members of the household should also be checked and treated if infested as well.
Proper attention must also be given to any personal items used by the affected child. This includes bedding, clothing, furnishings, stuffed toys etc. Any item which has been in contact with the child's head for the couple days before they were treated should be washed in hot water, and furniture should be thoroughly vacuumed.
Another approach which may be helpful is the application of concentrated hot air on the scalp. Intense heat dries up the parasites, causing death to most of them. A regular hair dryer will work as will a specially made device designed for this specific purpose. This should be repeated every seven to ten days.
A lice comb is a specially made comb with ultra-fine teeth which better facilitate the removal of these pests. Metal combs are better than plastic for long-term use and the spaces between teeth should be no more than 0.012 inch. Hair should be washed and damp during combing, and this must be done daily, carefully rinsing the comb repeatedly. There are also electronic combs which emit a tiny electric shock to kill the lice, but are harmless to people.
