Pediculosis is an unpleasant and difficult to control phenomenon. Lice are spread anywhere, despite precautions and careful hygiene. When lice occur during pregnancy, this is already becoming a dangerous disease, since it is impossible to remove them with modern effective pediculicidal agents.
Most medicines for the treatment of head lice contain harmful substances that paralyze insects, leading to their death. These components include:
- permethrin;
- cyclomethicone;
- isopropyl myristate and others.
These toxic substances are absorbed through the blood and skin into the body of a pregnant or nursing mother and can cause irreparable harm to the fetus or baby through breastfeeding. In addition, infestation with lice can cause a lot of trouble: severe itching, nervousness, and poor sleep.
Ways to combat head lice
Modern medicine does not stand still, special means were invented for nursing mothers and pregnant women, which do not harm the female body. In addition, there are a number of methods for dealing with head lice with safe folk remedies.
On a note!
Treatment of lice in pregnant women is complicated by toxicosis and increased sensitivity of women during this period. Therefore, it is not recommended to use products with a strong pungent odor.
Nyx cream and Pedilin shampoo
Preparations for head lice during pregnancy
Both of these products are safe for women's health, and they also have a strong effect on lice. To make the treatment of head lice more effective, it is recommended to use these drugs in combination:
- First use Nyx cream, rubbing it thoroughly into the scalp.
- Then wash your hair with Pedilin shampoo.
- After that, you need to comb out the parasites with a special comb. The procedure must be repeated in a week.
Combing out
This is a mechanical method that is completely safe for the woman and her fetus. But you will have to carefully comb your hair, dividing it into thin strands. So you need to be patient and have time.
In addition, the procedure will have to be repeated several times in order to achieve the desired effect and completely get rid of parasites in the hair.
Previously, simple ridges were used, in which the teeth are often located. Many combs are now known that are designed specifically for the treatment of head lice. Some of them have interesting features. Here are the most popular combs:
- AntiV is considered to be very effective. Moreover, it is convenient to use it. The teeth are long, which can handle even thick strands. The teeth are notched to increase efficiency. The price of the comb is 1,000 rubles.
- LiceGuard is another handy gadget. It costs about 900 rubles. Suitable for different hair types. Also removes nits.
- NitFree is very similar to the first option as it has the same shape. The cost is approximately 1100 rubles.
- RobiComb is an electric comb. It is completely safe for humans, but kills pests with current discharges between the teeth. Although it has a higher price, it gets rid of lice much faster.
Mechanical effect on parasites
The safest remedy for lice and nits for pregnant women is combing.Pharmacies sell special combs with fine-toothed teeth that allow you to comb out even nits.
After any other method of removing lice, it is necessary to comb out the dead insects with special combs and combs. This procedure is quite tedious and can take several days or even weeks before the lice and nits completely disappear from a person.
Mechanical effect on parasites
The essence of the disease
Pediculosis (lice) is a skin disease caused by human lice.
Lice are miniature parasitic insects that colonize the scalp. Vital activity is provided by feeding the lice with human blood. They lay eggs (nits), which in a week become adults (lice).
Nits are outwardly similar to dandruff, but there is a difference - they cannot be shaken off, they are tightly glued to the base of the hair with a special substance. Therefore, they must be combed out after the treatment.
Three types of lice can settle on the human body, which differ in size and location:
- Head. They live in the head of a person. Individuals have an oblong dark body. They multiply very quickly.
- Pubic (flat). In appearance, individuals have a short dark abdomen. They live in the groin, armpits, eyebrows, eyelashes.
- Body lice inhabit the scalp and clothing. They are similar to the head, but have a yellow color. Insect bites resemble scabies.
Acetic acid
Table vinegar or apple cider vinegar 3 to 9% can help get rid of lice for a nursing mom and a pregnant woman. Treatment takes place in several stages:
- Wash your hair with regular shampoo.
- Apply vinegar to damp hair, spreading it over its entire length.
- Wrap your head in a plastic bag and a towel and wait 2 hours.
- Rinse hair with water.
- Comb out nits and dead animals with a fine comb.
The procedure can be repeated up to several times a week until the complete disappearance of the parasites. If you experience scalp burning and irritation, you should not abuse this method.
Essential oils
The use of essential oils has long been considered a deterrent against various small insects. To cure head lice in pregnant women, you can use the following oils as detergents:
- tea tree;
- rosemary;
- geraniums;
- eucalyptus;
- menthol;
- lavender.
Important!
Before treating head lice with essential oils, it is worth checking a woman's sensitivity to the smells of these funds. There is a possibility that the smell of essential oils can cause a negative reaction in the patient.
Where do lice come from?
There is a widespread belief that lice are a disease of disadvantaged people. Unfortunately, the situation has changed in our time. Everyone is sick with pediculosis - both janitors and oligarchs, however, the latter have more opportunities to quickly get rid of insects. A woman in a position should not be too worried about this disease, because it can and should be fought with.
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Infection methods
The survival of many species of insects is due to their explosive reproductive ability. Huge hordes of locusts destroy crops in entire regions, bugs that appear in one apartment, after a couple of weeks, settle throughout the house. Lice do not lag behind them in reproduction rate, which allows their populations to live well in big cities, jumping from one carrier to another.
Pregnant women are no exception. Parasites can come from a variety of sources, and those that cannot be protected from. Possible ways of transmission of head lice:
- public transport. Try to avoid visiting trams and buses during rush hour. The crowded transport is the perfect place to share lice with those around you.
Observe precautions - do not take off your hat, tuck your hair under your coat, and when you come home, take your outerwear and hat to the balcony; - clinics and hospitals. Lice can be caught here, primarily in the wardrobe.
You can protect your clothes, which will come into contact with the collars of other people's coats, by spraying a few drops of tea tree oil on it; - older children attending school or kindergarten. If you already have children who attend kindergarten or school, you are at risk. Very often, it is preschool institutions that become the place from where insects begin to actively spread throughout the area.
Always pay attention to the head of your first child - if he began to scratch it, or a rash appears on the neck, the child may have head lice and an urgent need for prophylactic etching of lice.
Read more about the causes of head lice infection on our website.
ATTENTION! In public places such as theater, museum, clinic, women's consultation, try to secure your clothes before putting them in the wardrobe. This can be done in two ways:
- the first is to turn coats and jackets inside out, and store them in this form (it is more difficult for insects to gain a foothold on the smooth surface of the lining fabric);
- the second is to put things in a bag, tie it, and so transfer it to the wardrobe.
Symptoms
Not always a person infected with head lice immediately detects uninvited guests. The lice caught in the hair must still multiply. While she is alone, the bites are situational in nature, they can be confused with the usual itching. To accurately determine why the head itches, you need to know exactly what symptoms of the disease give out the onset of infection:
- Redness behind the ears. The primary sign of head lice. Usually, by this time, the louse had already spent several weeks on the head, and its numerous offspring had time to hatch.
This is the first generation of lice, they are not too numerous yet. Making constant bites of the epidermis, they cause a local allergic reaction. - Red skin rash. This phenomenon can be observed when the second and third generations of lice are hatched. They become cramped on the scalp, and they go beyond it.
The red dots of the rash are nothing more than marks from insect bites that eat late at night. - Constant itching of the scalp. It is very difficult to get the lice out at this stage. Most likely, a whole population of insects thrives on the head, which all the time want to eat, and endlessly bother the wearer.
Temperature effect
Lice in a pregnant woman can be removed by exposure to high temperatures. Drying with a hairdryer, using a curling iron or straightening your hair is perfect for this. All these accessories have a strong thermal effect on parasites and contribute to their death.
On a note!
Treating personal items, bed linen, hats with hot steam is also a measure of protection against lice. Outerwear is recommended to be put out in the cold for a couple of days. Lice remaining in the items of clothing die at a sharp temperature drop.
Security measures
During therapy, some safety measures should be observed. They will prevent the further development of the disease, the transfer of parasites to other family members and the receipt of undesirable effects from the drugs used.
Safety precautions when treating lice:
- Wash all linen without fail, which is used by all family members.
- Have absolutely all hats dry-cleaned - from kerchiefs to hats.
- Each family member must use an individual hairbrush, personal towel, pillow.
- For the entire period of treatment, the woman sleeps in isolation.
- Under no circumstances should she breastfeed if she has lice medicine on her head.
- Examination of the patient's head must be done every week..
The attending physician can advise on additional safety measures based on the specific situation.
Natural remedies for head lice
Folk methods of struggle
Ivy budra has insecticidal properties. In order to treat head lice during pregnancy, the plant is dried and poured with 100 ml of 9% table vinegar. The infusion is kept for up to 2 days. The finished product is applied twice a day to the scalp and rubbed thoroughly. After an hour, the product is washed off with water and begins to comb the hair. One application is enough to completely get rid of head lice.
The use of cranberry juice also helps to eliminate head lice in pregnant women. Cranberry juice and berry pulp should be rubbed into the scalp daily. After rubbing in, cover your head with a handkerchief and wait 2 hours. Then rinse hair with water and comb out the parasites. The course of treatment should be at least 7 days.
On a note!
Decoctions of medicinal herbs can help get rid of lice: wild rosemary, wormwood, honeysuckle, mint, as well as tar soap. Their smell has a weak insecticidal effect. You can rinse your hair with broths after applying shampoo.
1What is the danger of head lice for pregnant and lactating women
During pregnancy, expectant mothers become extremely susceptible to almost any type of disease. Pediculosis is no exception. This disease is extremely dangerous both for the well-being of a woman and for the health of her unborn baby.
The main danger of head lice for pregnant women is stress, which is undesirable for any woman to experience while in an "interesting position."
The presence of lice in the hair of a pregnant woman inevitably leads to panic, because the expectant mother begins to fantasize and imagine that harmful parasites can infect her body.
Nevertheless, when lice appear in the hair, it is important to start adequate treatment of the unpleasant disease as soon as possible, otherwise it will "develop" into an advanced stage, which may be fraught with unpleasant consequences for the expectant mother. With a large number of lice in the hair, severe itching begins, the woman combs the scalp, which can lead to traumatic damage to the epidermis (scratches, wounds)
It is in the open wound that an infection can be introduced, and this already threatens a woman with the need for drug treatment
With a large number of lice in the hair, severe itching begins, the woman combs the scalp, which can lead to traumatic damage to the epidermis (scratches, wounds). It is in an open wound that an infection can be introduced, and this already threatens a woman with the need for drug treatment.
Preventive measures
Despite the fact that now there are many means than to remove lice from a nursing mother and a pregnant woman, you need to try to avoid the likelihood of contracting them. For this, there is a set of preventive measures that should be followed:
- avoid public places such as metro, ground transportation;
- if possible, reduce the time spent in hospitals, child care facilities;
- do not walk with loose hair;
- do not use other people's personal hygiene items;
- thoroughly treat bedding and clothing with detergents and steam.
Possible dangers
During the period of breastfeeding for a woman, it is important avoiding various stressful situations, as they can have a negative impact on the quality of milk. Moreover, in most cases, the mother's anxiety is transmitted to the newborn.
Lice during lactation may well become a source of constant stress, and not only because of the appearance of discomfort associated with itching and parasite bites.
Another danger of head lice in lactating women is the limited number of parasite control agents.This is due to the fact that most drugs have increased toxicity, therefore, they are categorically contraindicated for breastfeeding.
