How is pediculosis treated? Medication, shampoo, brushing

If the disease and the presence of parasites are confirmed, it is important to isolate the infected person first to prevent the infection from spreading further.

The last resort in the case of childhood lice infection is to cut the hair to less than 1 cm. A completely shaved head is not necessary.

It is recommended to cut the hair to a length of approximately 2.5 cm or less. This will virtually kill the adult lice, as they usually cannot survive in such short hair.

Clipping can be done by the sufferer himself using mirrors to observe all sides of the head. It is easier if someone helps him with this procedure.

Shaving the head will reduce the chance of lice getting attached to the head. The main reason for cutting is to reduce the temperature of the scalp. Lice mainly stay in areas that are warm and dark.

Women usually have longer hair. Lice have been found to stay at the beginning of the ponytail, at the nape of the neck or behind the ears.

Cutting the hair short causes insufficient ambient temperature for lice to settle. Cutting is effective but may seem unaesthetic to some sufferers. Other therapies are also used, usually the application of some chemical.

If this solution is not possible, especially for women and girls with long hair, a special shampoo or spray is used for both lice and nits. It kills the parasites by paralyzing their nerve activity (Liquido, Paranit spray, Orthosan, Diffusil or Hedrin).

Alternatively, natural products with oil-based substances are used to make it impossible for the lice to breathe. Longer-term treatment for at least two weeks is important so that the nits are also eliminated.

Specific products containing permethrin or carbaryl do not irritate the skin and also act against parasites. They can also be reapplied directly to the skin.

It is also important to disinfect clothing, bed linen and towels by boiling at high temperatures above 80 degrees.

Above all, don't panic. It doesn't have to be evidence of your family's poor hygiene standards or poor childcare.

Precautions to take:

• It is imperative that all children, classroom teachers and all their family members who have head lice wash their hair with an anti-lice shampoo available in the market.
• If this treatment is not applied to everyone and at the same time, further transmission may occur.
• The shampoo should be applied to wet hair by massaging the scalp and left on for 3 minutes. It should then be rinsed off with clean water.
• The shampoo should also be applied a second time, left on for 3 minutes and then rinsed thoroughly with clean water.
• These 2 consecutive applications are necessary to achieve the desired result.
• The shampoo should be repeated after 14 days to ensure a reliable effect (destruction of larvae hatched from the surviving nits).
• Objects in direct contact with the hair (combs, brushes) should be treated with a crawling insect repellent or soaked in a chlorine-containing solution.
• A high level of personal hygiene is essential.
• Each member of the team must use their own personal hygiene items (towel, comb) and not borrow each other's.
• The same applies to hats, scarves or other headgear.

A common mistake is the unnecessary application of de-worming products for "preventive" reasons.