Summer is upon us and with it insect infestations: from mosquitoes invading our homes at night, to ants gobbling up anything they could (they seem especially fond of foam!), to head lice (kuto) suddenly nesting on hair.We recently had to deal with the latter after my sister's students took her comb from her bag and used it, all without permission. And since my sister and I tend to lie on our aunt's bed, all three of us were acting like monkeys, scratching furiously at our itchy scalps by the end of the week. Nits or head lice eggs (lisa) were the giveaway that it was not dandruff that afflicted us.
So how did we free ourselves from these pest? Based on our experience, these are the things we recommend you should do.
1. Run a nit comb (suyod), a very fine-toothed comb, through hair over a white sheet of paper. Squish all lice and nits that fall off or get stuck in the comb. Do this daily until scalp stops itching or you're not seeing anymore head lice or nits. We prefer using a wooden nit comb since the plastic ones tend to be slippery and some head lice might just slip through it as you run it through your hair. Shops that sell Chinese remedies usually have them.
2. Change bed sheets and pillow cases as often as possible. Head lice need to suck blood so they won't be able to live for long away from a person's head. However, they can live without blood for three days. Hence, they can transfer from person to person through shared objects that come into contact with a one's head or hair.
3. Wash hair accessories if possible, or don't wear them for a period of time after use.
4. Clean combs and brushes. We washed ours with head lice treatment shampoo as well. We're OC like that.
5. Get a short do if you find it difficult to be very thorough in running the nit comb through your hair. I have thick long hair and this was something I had to do.
6. Use a shampoo that kills head lice and nits. You can get them from drugstores and supermarket, even at the beauty section of department stores. The shampoo we've tried was Licealiz.
Licealiz Head Lice Treatment Shampoo was recommended by the very same kids who infected us. Available at Watsons, a 60ml bottle is less than P80. The blue liquid lathers quite nicely, the smell fairly unisex.
There's literature which came with the box detailing usage, ingredients, indications and other information on the product. Just as well as there are a few words on the the box that made me check Wiki. Words like pediculicide which is a substance for treating lice and pyrethrin which is pesticide from chrysanthemum.
Instructions were to use the shampoo twice a week for two weeks to treat head lice and once a week for two weeks for prevention. It's to be used just like any shampoo but you have to leave it on your hair for 10 minutes before rinsing. It's not to be used by children younger than 2 years old and people with scalp wounds. I don't think it's moisturizing enough on its own for my hair. No big as it's nothing that good old conditioner or serum couldn't address. After the first week, I wasn't scratching as much as I used to. As days passed, I would think that the lice have kicked the bucket only to feel itchy areas on my scalp especially after I've woke up. It was an on again off again experience.
It took us a month to be completely lice-free. No more itching and lice getting caught by the nit comb. Couldn't see eggs on hair strands anymore. We have stopped using the treatment shampoo by then because even though Licealiz is non-toxic and has passed fda standards, we couldn't help but think that pyrethrin is still a pesticide according to Wikipedia. As to using the shampoo everyday, LiceAliz mentioned in their Facebook Page that daily use could result in head lice becoming resistant to the treatment. So just follow the instructions, people! If you have more questions on head lice and the product, LiceAliz tend to respond to queries in their fb page.
Anyways, if you don't feel like using a head lice treatment shampoo, can you opt not to? Well, yes but you still have to do 1-5 as their tribe on your hair will not just go away or die out eventually. They will keep on laying eggs. You will also need to:
7. Have someone go through each strand of your hair and painstakingly remove every bit of nit. Tedious and time consuming, this was what our mom would do when we were kids and head lice treatment shampoos were unheard of.
I don't want to offer free board and lodgi inng to them anymore, so I'm extra careful especially now. I've read head lice tend to reproduce more during summer or in warm weather. Happy summer guys. Don't let the head bugs bite.
 |
| Did not expect a blue colored shampoo. |
So how did we free ourselves from these pest? Based on our experience, these are the things we recommend you should do.
1. Run a nit comb (suyod), a very fine-toothed comb, through hair over a white sheet of paper. Squish all lice and nits that fall off or get stuck in the comb. Do this daily until scalp stops itching or you're not seeing anymore head lice or nits. We prefer using a wooden nit comb since the plastic ones tend to be slippery and some head lice might just slip through it as you run it through your hair. Shops that sell Chinese remedies usually have them.
2. Change bed sheets and pillow cases as often as possible. Head lice need to suck blood so they won't be able to live for long away from a person's head. However, they can live without blood for three days. Hence, they can transfer from person to person through shared objects that come into contact with a one's head or hair.
3. Wash hair accessories if possible, or don't wear them for a period of time after use.
4. Clean combs and brushes. We washed ours with head lice treatment shampoo as well. We're OC like that.
5. Get a short do if you find it difficult to be very thorough in running the nit comb through your hair. I have thick long hair and this was something I had to do.
6. Use a shampoo that kills head lice and nits. You can get them from drugstores and supermarket, even at the beauty section of department stores. The shampoo we've tried was Licealiz.
Licealiz Head Lice Treatment Shampoo was recommended by the very same kids who infected us. Available at Watsons, a 60ml bottle is less than P80. The blue liquid lathers quite nicely, the smell fairly unisex.
There's literature which came with the box detailing usage, ingredients, indications and other information on the product. Just as well as there are a few words on the the box that made me check Wiki. Words like pediculicide which is a substance for treating lice and pyrethrin which is pesticide from chrysanthemum.
Instructions were to use the shampoo twice a week for two weeks to treat head lice and once a week for two weeks for prevention. It's to be used just like any shampoo but you have to leave it on your hair for 10 minutes before rinsing. It's not to be used by children younger than 2 years old and people with scalp wounds. I don't think it's moisturizing enough on its own for my hair. No big as it's nothing that good old conditioner or serum couldn't address. After the first week, I wasn't scratching as much as I used to. As days passed, I would think that the lice have kicked the bucket only to feel itchy areas on my scalp especially after I've woke up. It was an on again off again experience.
It took us a month to be completely lice-free. No more itching and lice getting caught by the nit comb. Couldn't see eggs on hair strands anymore. We have stopped using the treatment shampoo by then because even though Licealiz is non-toxic and has passed fda standards, we couldn't help but think that pyrethrin is still a pesticide according to Wikipedia. As to using the shampoo everyday, LiceAliz mentioned in their Facebook Page that daily use could result in head lice becoming resistant to the treatment. So just follow the instructions, people! If you have more questions on head lice and the product, LiceAliz tend to respond to queries in their fb page.
Anyways, if you don't feel like using a head lice treatment shampoo, can you opt not to? Well, yes but you still have to do 1-5 as their tribe on your hair will not just go away or die out eventually. They will keep on laying eggs. You will also need to:
7. Have someone go through each strand of your hair and painstakingly remove every bit of nit. Tedious and time consuming, this was what our mom would do when we were kids and head lice treatment shampoos were unheard of.
I don't want to offer free board and lodgi inng to them anymore, so I'm extra careful especially now. I've read head lice tend to reproduce more during summer or in warm weather. Happy summer guys. Don't let the head bugs bite.
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