Mention the word “lice,” and people shudder.
This is for good reason. Lice can be one of the least desirable afflictions to come down with, no matter whether we’re talking about an adult or child. For children, the difficulty comes with dealing with getting your kid to school, and with all of the administrators and fellow parents once you get them there. For adults, this is about trying to navigate the corridors of your workplace without letting onto people that you have the problem.
Suffice it to say, this can be a real hassle. Fortunately, there are a number of great ways to actually prevent lice before it happens to you, and many of them are totally natural.
Know What You’re Looking For
This might be one of the biggest and most important steps you can take, though people rarely even think of it: do your research. Google what lice look like. Know the enemy you’re fighting. Sometimes, it can be difficult to discern between lice and simple dandruff – or even poorly washing shampoo out of your hair. And given what our next item is, it’s really important that you have an idea of what you’re looking for.
Early Detection Is Key
No matter what you’re dealing with, be it a few pesky head lice or a potentially terminal medical issue, early detection is absolutely vital. Sure, this technically isn’t “preventing” lice, per se, seeing as the strategy requires that you actually contract lice beforehand.
But there are certainly varying degrees of seriousness with head lice, and people who catch it early not only have many more treatment options at their disposal, they also have a much easier time actually getting rid of it.
So, another wise recommendation to you would be to regularly schedule lice exams – not only for your children, but also for yourself, especially if you work at a place where there are children. Though it’s important to remember, even adults can contract head lice, so you should be sure to be always on the lookout for them no matter what.
The best part: these are exams that you, yourself can conduct at home. All you need to do is thoroughly examine the hair, and at the first sign of lice, react. Fast.
Avoid Sharing
This goes not only for siblings, but maybe more importantly for friends.
The fact is you can account for your children easily. Seeing as you’re checking them once a week for head lice and trying to keep them away from situations where it’s easy to contract head lice, you’re relatively sure that you’re doing your part.
But can you really say the same for other people? This isn’t to say that they’re unclean or anything, and it’s worth pointing out that head lice is not necessarily a measure of a person’s hygiene. Still, no matter the cause, once you get head lice, it’s very easy to transmit it, and a great way for you to keep that from happening to your child (and maybe eventually to you) is to try to keep sharing to a minimum. This goes not only for articles of clothing, but even toys, books and other popular sharing items.
If nothing else, it should help you sidestep fights before they happen.
Coconut Oil Shampoos
Regularly washing with coconut oil shampoos is a great way to keep lice away.
This is because unlike regular shampoos, the high concentration of oil in coconut oil shampoos helps whisk away any lice that may be there and keep more from coming.
Follow these steps, and you’re sure to stay lice-free.
Valerie Johnston is a health writer located in Lake Fork, Texas. She is passionate about running and clean eating and writing for Healthline.com ensures she stays up-to-date on the latest trends and news in the health and fitness industry.