Head Lice Removal: A Brief History

“Lice,” this one word is enough to cause of itchiness all over our head. These microscopic insects roam around in our hair follicles like a stowaway on a ship, lay their eggs, suck our blood, and give us the most creepy and itchy feeling. Lice are so old that they’ve been found on Egyptian mummies in their tombs.

Several lice removal options exist, but none of these could stop lice from spreading and multiplying. If these “lousy” insects have already attacked you, you will surely understand our concern.

Lice across the ages

The history of head lice and lice treatment dates back to 1550 BC when Egyptians, in their medical guide called “Ebers Papyrus” documented the first lice removal method. This guide recommended sloshing warm date-meal and water in the mouth and then spitting it on your face to drive away lice and fleas. Since then, people of all eras struggled to rid themselves of with these blood-suckers.

Around 1200 B.C, some Chinese documents indicated the use of mercury and arsenic compounds, and by 450 B.C., Egyptians started endorsing shaving all the hair from the body to eradicate lice. These efforts didn’t reap any positive results until about 100 A.D. when the Chinese discovered an effective and natural insecticide. Extracted from chrysanthemums called as Pyrethrum powder, this powder was considered a near-magical compound by Marco Polo, and he brought it to Europe in 1300 A.D.

Cut to centuries later. In the 1940s, a more refined extract of this powder was developed known as Pytheris, which showed positive results at killing head lice. But, this powder was not adequate for killing the eggs of insects, known as nits. Later in 1977, Permethrin, a synthetic version of earlier Pyrethrin was introduced as a consumer product to treat head lice.

How far has head lice removal come?

All the evidence concludes that almost all lice have become super-lice due to their resistance to different chemical pesticides. Thus, making them even harder to eradicate.

However, specific effective methods can be adapted to control them. The National Institute of Health recommends buying a fine-toothed metal comb and combing thoroughly until all lice and nits are removed. Your doctor may also suggest a medicated shampoo, a lotion, or an OTC drug to kill the lice. For highly super-lice,  your doctor may prescribe oral medication. Children under four years old can not use it. Neither can pregnant women or anyone with a compromised immune system. However, there is no instant cure, and even prescription treatments may not solve the problem.

A device called the AirAllé, developed in 2006. It uses controlled heated air to dehydrate head lice and eggs, but even a lice clinic that uses the invention rely on manual combing to solve the problem for good.

Lice are evolutionary survivors and are here to stay with us until science finds something to destroy them for good.

Lice Charmers has head Lice Removal options for families in need.

Lice Charmers does Lice Treatment that is fast efficient and guaranteed.

Lice Charmers is a Lice Clinic for professional treatment of lice, super lice, and nits in a single appointment.

Excellent5.0 Based on 315 reviews fromNerissa ZahoraNerissa Zahora ★★★★★ Lex was great - she made everyone comfortable, taught us a lot, and made the whole process easy and painless. We hope we never have to come back, but if we do we'll be happy to use this service again.Bernadette SandersBernadette Sanders ★★★★★ Very knowledgeable, skilled and friendly staff.Karin CunninghamKarin Cunningham ★★★★★ Getting lice was a less than ideal situation, but Lice Charmers in Beaverton really saved the day. Their quick, professional team, and in-home service are highly commendable. Thank you a million times!Cheryl M.Cheryl M. ★★★★★ Lice Charmers deserves a 5+ review. Noticing a family member had lice we ran down to Lice Charmers. Melanie, was calm, professional and very thorough....Lori EhleLori Ehle ★★★★★ I can't even begin to tell you how nice it was to find this amazing company and know they dealt with the entire issue! Not to wonder if I got it all myself and for the reassurance they did was a comfort. As much as I hope to never have this issue again, it's great to know they are there if needed!Heather FriedmanHeather Friedman ★★★★★ I highly recommend Lice Charmers in Portland for lice removal. We had a home visit and Lexi was thorough with checking and treating. I was given a lot of information and was able to purchase medical -grade lice tools should we have to deal with this in the future.Megan CrownMegan Crown ★★★★★ Amazing experience visiting Lice Charmers. I found a louse in my hair late Friday afternoon and was able to make an appointment with Lex the next morning. She was extremely patient and gracious as I asked a million questions. Thank you SO MUCH!Anne MaddenAnne Madden ★★★★★ Lex is wonderful! I don’t recommend getting lice, but if you do, I recommend getting rid of them at Lice Charmers.Lex is thorough and great with kids. She made the process easy and as pleasant as it could be.Sarah ReuberSarah Reuber ★★★★★ Lex is thorough and kind. This was the second time we had to use the Lice Charmers service and I'm so grateful there is a service like this! It may be expensive but worth every penny to be lice free!!! Highly recommend.Amy BentonAmy Benton ★★★★★ Organized, timely, informative care. She was thorough and complete. Lice free after 1 visit! Thank you.Naomi BergNaomi Berg ★★★★★ My 16-year old & I needed a check and were able to schedule the same day we called. Lex & Melanie were very thorough, compassionate, and helped put our minds at ease! I am so grateful for their service & care—especially as a single parent!Destinie LachicaDestinie Lachica ★★★★★ This place is so amazing. I was stressed when my daughter had lice and they were so calm and answered all my questions. We called on a Saturday afternoon and she squeezed us in that same day around 5. My daughter went home lice free and with oil to take home. Would defiantly recommend.Colette NevaColette Neva ★★★★★ Fast, kind and fantastic service! I wouldn’t go anywhere else.Tamara WicklundTamara Wicklund ★★★★★ Lex was great! This is the second time we have used her service and very happy! She did great with my two boys and was able to adjust when one needed a break. Highly recommend her!Noelle DiazNoelle Diaz ★★★★★ Has a great experience here! Called on a weekday about 3:30 hoping to get checks for my family of 5 (including school age and toddler children) and we were able to all be fit in that afternoon/evening. It was our first experience with lice and it was helpful and informative- I feel more confident in the future now knowing what I’m looking for! Would definitely return here for swift, informative service.js_loader

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