Head lice infestations are a common problem and one that is not localized. People all over the world are affected by head lice, but it is a problem more prevalent when there are conditions of crowding or if your environment is unhygienic or there is close proximity with others. The practice of cutting your hair short is in fact one that can be traced back to or attributed to the prevalence of head lice. Head lice were very problematic for soldiers engaged in trench warfare during the world wars, which is why short crops came to be the norm for most men.
Medicated shampoos for head lice are available easily over the counter but there are many allegations that some of these shampoos contain toxic chemicals that can cause long term damage. The effectiveness of some of these shampoos also varies wildly and both these factors have driven concerned parents to seek natural methods for treatment as an alternative to medical treatments. Unfortunately not all natural remedies or home remedies rather are completely natural and safe. Some of them are founded on unscientific and illogical premises and are ineffective and worse still, in some cases maybe downright dangerous. Kerosene as a treatment for head lice is one such example.
Make sure that you do not use kerosene for head lice. You have probably been misinformed by a dubious article or feedback from helpful readers with good intentions but who have themselves been misinformed. Kerosene should never be used as a treatment for head lice and the remedy is actually a myth. There are plenty of safer methods that are just as effective if not more. There have been countless incidents of parents using gasoline or kerosene as a treatment for head lice in their children with disastrous consequences because of the highly inflammable nature of the solution.
A much safer alternative that you can use requires just vinegar and water. Mix two parts of vinegar with six parts of clear water. Apply this solution onto your hair and scalp before going to bed at night. Applying it may not be very easy as it is a clear liquid, so you could immerse a cotton swab in the solution and use the cotton to apply it onto your hair. After you are done applying it thoroughly to the hair and roots, wrap your head well in a bandana or scarf before lying down to sleep. Do this twice a week to get rid of the lice.
answered by S D