Lice have caused many problems for humans since the dawn of time. The lice feed on the skin and blood on any location on the body that has hair including the scalp. They feed in these areas and attach their eggs, called nits onto strands of hair. Removing these eggs is not an easy process and requires the use of a special lice treatment. However, there are many different choices for lice treatment.

If you have lice, you first need to remove any external sources of it. Items in the home such as pillowcases, combs, and sheets, and any other things which have touched the area affected by the lice need to be eliminated. Wash anything that is washable. Non-washable items can be enclosed in a closed container for a period of time -- at minimum, two weeks. After you have done all this, you need to treat your head.

The simplest way of treating head lice is simply to shave the hair. The hair must be shaved completely, not just trimmed short. This is easier to do when the hair is not located on the head. Since it is not socially acceptable to shave one's head, other treatments are advisable.

Concern over harmful side effects leads Naturalists to avoid pesticide treatments in favor of more natural, less radical approaches to lice treatment. However, natural solutions are normally less effective. For example, using a lice comb can help remove the nits, but rarely solves the problem without further treatment. Because governmental regulation of natural products for medical uses is generally not required, sometimes the natural solution is also the less safe option.

The doctor preferred treatment would be the application of a chemical solution of 1% permethrin or pyrethrin. These pesticides kill lice by impairing their ability to breathe. The solution is applied for approximately two weeks. It is important to supplement the treatment with daily removal of any eggs with a lice comb. A doctor should be consulted before you begin treatment with any pesticide. The pesticides should be applied on in the scalp area only to dry hair.

It is possible to treat lice with alternative measures as well. For example, some people recommend leaving your usual conditioner in the hair for over four hours. This techniques effectiveness comes from the fact that it interferes with the ability of lice to hold on to the hair, and makes the nit more visible. Among other possibilities are electric combs. Simply changing your hairstyle may be effective. Keeping your hair short is thought to discourage lice infestations. The track record for these methods of treating head lice is not as long as traditional methods, and there effectiveness has not been widely established.

It is best to visit a doctor to help you sort through the many treatment options.