Hair lice medicine to relieve itching on the scalp

Head lice certainly make life more uncomfortable because they make your scalp feel itchy. Well, there are various ways you can do to get rid of head lice, especially those that are hard to get rid of. One of them with hair lice medicine.

How to get rid of head lice with medicine

Some people believe that head lice problems go away on their own. The reason is, they believe that lice can sometimes go away without treatment and die when they are adults.

What's more, it is thought that long-term use of shampoo to get rid of lice can cause the lice to become more resistant. That is why, many are reluctant to wear it and choose to let the lice in their hair die on their own.

In fact, this is not the case. This scalp disease will not go away without treatment. Lice that die can leave eggs that will hatch and mature. This cycle will continue to rotate, producing offspring.

Therefore, head lice will be difficult to remove if left without treatment. Here are some ways you can try to get rid of annoying head lice.

1. Use over-the-counter drugs

One way to get rid of stubborn head lice is to use anti-lice medication that you can get at the nearest pharmacy without a doctor's prescription. These over-the-counter medications come in many forms, such as shampoo, oil, lotion, or cream.

Pyrethrin and piperonyl butoxide

Pyrethrin and piperonyl butoxide, especially in the form of shampoo, are used to get rid of lice on the scalp, body, or genital area. Medicines that can be used from children aged 2 years and over to adults work to eradicate head lice.

This anti-lice shampoo is made from natural pyrethroid extract from chrysanthemums and is safe and effective. However, pyrethrin can only remove live lice, not eggs that have not hatched.

That is why, treatment with pyrethrin is recommended to be used 9-10 days after the first treatment so that the newly hatched lice can be eradicated. If you have an allergy to chrysanthemum, this head lice remedy is not recommended.

In addition, the efficacy of pyrethrin is reduced because the lice can develop resistance. If live lice are still visible after using pyrethrin for a few days, contact your doctor. Always use over-the-counter medicines according to package directions.

Permethrin 1% lotion and shampoo

Apart from shampoo containing pyrethrin, permethrin lotion at a dose of 1% can also be used as a remedy for lice that are hard to get rid of.

Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid similar to pyrethrin. The way it works is the same, namely getting rid of head lice. This lotion does not remove unhatched lice eggs, but kills newly hatched lice for several days after treatment.

That is why, this one hair lice drug needs to be repeated 9-10 days after the first use. Note that you should use permethrin lotion for head lice according to the instructions on the package.

Not only in the form of lotion, permethrin to treat head lice is also contained in shampoo. In fact, permethrin shampoo is one of the first and most commonly used treatments for getting rid of head lice.

2. Prescription hair lice medication

If the two drugs above are not able to get rid of stubborn head lice, you should immediately consult a skin specialist. Generally, doctors will recommend a variety of flea-killing medications as follows.

Benzyl alcohol (benzyl alcohol)

Benzyl alcohol is a compound that is included in aromatic alcohol. This lotion for removing head lice contains 5% benzyl alcohol. Although it is effective in killing live lice, it does not kill unhatched eggs.

Therefore, this lotion needs to be reused after the first 7 days of treatment so that the newly hatched lice cannot produce new eggs.

Normally, benzyl alcohol can be used in people aged 6 months and over. However, its use for seniors over 60 years has not been determined because the side effects can cause irritation and itchy scalp.

Ivermectin

Not only benzyl alcohol, another head lice drug prescribed by doctors is ivermectin. Ivermectin 0.5% is a drug used to get rid of head lice for people aged 6 months and over.

The medication, which is available in the form of creams and lotions, can prevent the newly hatched lice from surviving. However, ivermectin cannot kill lice eggs that have not yet hatched.

This hair lice treatment is claimed to be effective on dry hair. Owners of dry hair who have applied ivermectin no longer need to comb their hair to remove lice.

However, ivermectin lotion is not usually recommended for children weighing less than 15 kg or pregnant women.

Malathion

Malathion is a drug that is included in organophosphates (chemical compounds used in pesticides). Malathion in lotion form has been approved in various countries as a way to get rid of head lice.

Head lice that are stubborn are reported to be manageable when used as directed. In fact, this medication for head lice containing 0.5% malathion not only kills live lice, but also kills some lice eggs.

If head lice are still crawling on the scalp after 7 - 9 applications, reuse this lotion as directed by your doctor.

Keep in mind that malathion is a flammable drug. That is why, this drug is not recommended for use while smoking or when using a hair dryer or curling iron. Especially when applying malathion to wet hair.

What about natural ingredients to get rid of head lice?

Some people may feel embarrassed when they buy shampoo or medication to get rid of lice at the pharmacy. In addition, not a few also feel doubt about the chemical content in it.

Therefore, many of them choose to use natural ingredients that may be recommended by others, such as baby oil. So, can natural ingredients be used to treat head lice?

Unfortunately, until now there has been no research that proves that natural ingredients, such as baby oil and tea tree oil, which kill head lice. Home remedies usually can only temporarily "pass out" the lice.

That way, you will find it easier to clean from the scalp, either with head lice medication or combing it. What's more, lice that have fallen from your hair are not a guarantee that the nits are dead and that they may still be stuck in your hair.

Therefore, instead of trying to get rid of head lice with home remedies, it's best to consult a doctor. The doctor can determine the right hair lice medication according to your condition.

Tips for using hair lice medication

Head lice will be difficult to remove if not treated immediately. Therefore, it is necessary to treat head lice, both from a doctor's prescription and over-the-counter drugs. However, there are things that need to be considered when removing head lice with the following drugs.

1. Shampooing before using the drug

Before using head lice medicine, you should wash it first. For better results, use shampoo without conditioner as it can reduce the efficacy of the drug.

After that, rinse your hair thoroughly and dry your hair with a towel. Then, apply the hair lice medication as directed.

2. Apply flea medication

Before applying medication to get rid of stubborn head lice, always read the instructions given by your doctor or on the package. This is because each product has a different way of application.

You can apply the medicine to all parts of the hair. In addition, you should keep the medicine in the eye, ear and mouth area.

3. Rinse hair

After applying the medicine according to the instructions, let it sit for a while for maximum results. Generally, drugs that have been used for 10 minutes can be rinsed off with warm water. Then, you can towel dry your hair.

4. Comb the hair

After your hair is dry, comb the hair completely with a lice comb or a fine toothed comb. This aims to eradicate lice and eggs that stick to the hair shaft.

Don't forget to check your hair again for 2 - 3 days after the drug is applied to reduce the risk of lice eggs. Although no fleas have fallen, it never hurts to make sure the fleas are gone.

After knowing what are the remedies for getting rid of stubborn head lice and their tips, don't forget to take care of your hair. That way, you avoid other scalp problems, such as dandruff and head lice.