Tackling Head Lice Nits (eggs)

By Author: M. Gordon.
Total Articles: 6
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What is a nit anyway? A nit is the little egg a female louse will deposit onto a single hair shaft. It is most often laid very close to the scalp so it can incubate. Nits tend to accumulate behind the ears and at the nape—where it is darker, warmer and more hidden.

If your child has head lice, you have probably noticed that getting rid of the nits is the hardest part of the battle. There are very good natural options for treatment of lice—but they do not kill the eggs—only the live bugs. And the eggs are what the school nurse is bound to see! Which could mean another day with no school for your child.

What is a nit anyway? A nit is the little egg a female louse will deposit onto a single hair shaft. It is most often laid very close to the scalp so it can incubate. Nits tend to accumulate behind the ears and at the nape—where it is darker, warmer and more hidden. The nits are oval shaped and usually coffee colored (but look whitish in the hair). They have a hard shell that is “glued” on, so they won’t flick away. Nits take 5-7 days to hatch, and when the bug emerges, it leaves ...
... the little empty shell still attached to the hair shaft. If you see a shell that look really white and is flaccid, it is empty and harmless. Nits are not “contagious” and will die off the head within a day or two.

A nit needs to be removed skillfully. A good natural shampoo for lice will actually aid the process because they loosen the “glue” that binds the egg onto the hair shaft. If you are manually removing an egg, be sure to get ahold of it with you fingernail and pull it all the way down to the end of the hair. Also, be sure to wash your hands frequently and scrub under your nails.

A better option is to get a long toothed metal nit comb. The most effective ones are at least 1 ½” long and have very tight teeth. After you use a natural shampoo for head lice, rinse it out and add conditioner. Section the hair and start at the part, bringing the comb all the way to the ends of the hair. Be systematic about this, so you don’t miss any areas. Wipe the comb on an all white paper towel to see if you are catching nits. Continue this process until you get a clean wipe. You can also dip the nit comb in a little baking soda to help “grip out” the eggs.

Another good tip is to use dry heat. Dry heat actually kills nits! Once you have removed as many eggs as possibly with the nit comb, dry the hair with a hair dryer. Be careful not to burn the scalp, but get the hair as dry as possible (and then some). Another option includes using a hot iron for straightening hair. Carefully get the iron as close to the scalp as possible and bring it down to the end of the hair shaft. Cover the whole head in this manner and you can actually fry the eggs! They just won’t hatch. Also effective is the sauna. Think dry heat! Take a sauna everyday for two weeks.

Lastly, purchase a natural lice cure and use it every few days for two full weeks. An effective natural treatment of lice will contain enzymes that break down the hard shell of the bug and kill it (and loosen the glue of the eggs). If you miss any eggs, the shampoo will kill the baby bugs before they are mature enough to lay eggs themselves—thus ending the cycle.
Resource: http://www.happyheadsproducts.com/