How To Kill and Get Rid Of Head and Body Lice

Head Lice and Body Lice Facts

Close up picture of head louse
(actual size - 1/32 to 1/16 inch)

Sterifab Sanitizer can be helpful in killing lice and eggs on furniture, beds, clothing, rugs and other areas where lice can infest.

Nyguard Plus Aerosol Spray will kill adult lice and also control eggs and nits. Spray it on surfaces that cannot be laundered or dry cleaned such as mattresses, furniture, etc. Do not spray on pillows, bed linens or clothes.

Looking for a fast effective way to kill head lice and body lice? Head and body lice are blood feeders and parasitic insects that live on humans and survive on their blood. They bite the skin four to five times daily to feed.

To feed, the louse bites through the skin and injects saliva, which prevents blood from clotting; it then sucks blood into its digestive tract. Bloodsucking may continue for a long period if the louse is not disturbed. While feeding, lice may excrete dark red feces onto the skin.

Having head lice DOES NOT mean that the infected person has bad hygiene or low social status. Head and body lice are spread by close contact with other people. Lice can easily thrive on heads, armpits and genital areas where hair is abundant and their presence may go unnoticed. Lice can only occasionally live in eyebrows and eyelashes.

Head lice can spread very easily, especially for those people that live in close contact with a person that has head lice. Overcrowded conditions, shelters, etc can be especially vulnerable to head lice problems. School children are at risk as head lice can easily spread by combs, brushes, hats, caps and other items that are commonly shared.

Finding Head Lice

Finding head lice may be difficult. A bright light must be used and the hair must be parted and the head carefully examined. Head lice are very small and difficult to see with the naked eye. They are easiest to see over the neck and ears. Head Lice eggs resemble flakes of dandruff, but instead of flaking off, they are glued to to the scalp. Picking the eggs off of the scalp or hair folicles with your fingers can be done, but removal is much easier if a lice comb is used.

Head lice eggs (nits) can be found at the base of hair shafts close to the scalp. Look for moving lice (called a louse) and the small white eggs. If you find 1 moving louse or 1 lice egg, then treatment should begin immediately. Don't assume if you just see 1 egg that the problem is not that bad. There could be more that you don't see, especially if the hair is thick, curly or long.

The use of a lice comb or a fine tooth metal comb can help in removing head lice eggs from the hair shaft, but removing head lice that are attached to the scalp can be difficult. Plastic combs usually will not remove the eggs. Stiff metal combs are preferred. Rubbing olive oil on the hair before combing will make removing lice eggs a little easier. All infested hair shafts, eggs etc, should be disposed of down a drain or in a plastic trash bag. Trash bags should be immediately sealed and disposed of to prevent lice from crawling to areas where they can re-infest. Take time and carefully inspect for head lice eggs before performing any treatment. The eggs are NOT killed by head lice shampoos or over the counter medications and have to be manually removed.

Removing Body Lice

Body lice can be a little easier to control since removing the hair is always the first step. Carefully cutting the hair under the arms and around the genitals and then shaving using a clean sharp shaver to remove the hair follicle will provide immediate control of the eggs. Shaving in a shower is recommended, since the infested hair and eggs can easily be washed down the drain. Shaving in a bathtub is not recommended since floating hair, eggs and even lice can re-attach themselves to other parts of the body.

When shaving or removal of hair is not practical for body lice, then the same inspection and removal methods for head lice should be used.

Steps In Head and Body Lice Control

1. Carefully inspect and remove all eggs. Whether controlling head lice or body lice, removing the lice eggs (nits) is the most important first step. Using a fine metal tooth comb or shaving and removing the hair will aid in eliminating lice eggs. Shaving the head is not recommended in head lice control but ALWAYS recommended in body lice control.
2. Shampoo the head with a quality lotion or shampoo such as NIX. These products can be bought at the store without a prescription. If these products do not work, call your doctor. Your doctor can prescribe a stronger prescription type product. Always use any lice shampoo or lotion exactly as directed.
3. Treat infested children and adults promptly and repeat nit (egg) combing every 3-5 days until no eggs can be found for a period of 14 days.
4. Wash all clothing, bedding, linens, blankets, and other washable items immediately in hot soapy water. Any item that cannot be washed in hot water should be treated with Sterifab. Sterifab is a sanitizer and bactericide that will kill exposed lice and lice eggs.
5. Combs and brushes can be boiled in hot water to kill lice and lice eggs.
6. Be careful when using lice shampoos on children younger than 6 months or elderly persons as side effects can occur.
7. Be diligent, continually inspect, follow all steps and you will be successful in finding and getting rid of head lice!