One problem that families across the nation and around the world must deal with is head lice. Although it is an issue that is widespread, it’s not one that anyone wants to deal with personally.

It can be a problem anywhere but it is especially difficult at school. When a student catches head lice, it is often the parents that have to stress over the situation.

At first, it might just seem like your child is harmlessly scratching their scalp but before you know it, the entire family has a problem with lice. In addition, you have to worry about all of the different remedies, some of which can actually be harmful.

If you’ve ever dealt with head lice, you know that you just want a quick and effective way of caring for the problem. You also want to ensure that it is a problem that doesn’t show up again.

One thing to keep in mind about head lice is the fact that they can’t jump from one head to another and they don’t have wings, so they can’t fly. The only way that they can spread from one person to another is by climbing on the hair and spreading during contact.

In addition, you might be concerned that lice will spread through sharing a hat or using a hairbrush that belongs to someone else. Actually, that is not typically a problem and if the louse does fall out of a head of hair, it is probably because it is sick.

Although lice can be an uncomfortable problem, it is not one that causes serious issues. They will not kill you, but they can spread quickly and lead to a lot of discomfort or perhaps an infection.

In addition, you can spot lice easily by examining the scalp. They are small, about 1-3 mm in length and translucent. The easiest way to find them is to use a lice comb and carefully comb through the hair from the back to the front. The lice will typically drop off into the sink as you do this.

You might also find that it is easier to see the lice eggs, known as nits. They are darker in color and are found near the scalp. Don’t worry about beginning treatment if you find empty eggs, look for the living lice before treatment begins.

There are a number of ways to treat lice that don’t involve using chemicals and are relatively inexpensive.

Rather than using the lice shampoo, which may or may not help, it is better if you treat the entire family by thoroughly combing the hair to remove the eggs. There is also something else you can do, which is very effective.

Gather the Following:

A lice comb
Mouthwash
White vinegar
Shower cap or plastic bag
A towel

Take the Following Steps:

The first thing to do is make use of the mouthwash, since lice dislike the strong smell. Wet the hair with this, before covering it with a shower cap or plastic bag. Let this stand for an hour.

2. After an hour, rinse out your hair and soak it in white vinegar instead. The vinegar actually helps to get rid of the eggs. After the hair has been covered, let it sit for an hour again.

3. Wash your hair with regular shampoo and comb it with a lice comb.

4. To lessen the chance of your child picking up lice at school, spray their hair lightly with mouthwash. This can deter lice from sticking around.