+ Head Lice~! Eeep! +

So, you are minding your own business. You scratch your scalp, as happens, because you're human. Humans itch sometimes. Then you go to a mirror and notice little white specks all up in your scalp... especially behind your ears. You check out your neck, and curses, there's a party of white spots there, too! Oh no, lice have been gettin' all up in your business!

Panic not, lovelies. For it happens, especially if you have your own kids or are around them often. Once you get passed the thoughts of how disgusting it is that creatures are living on your head, sucking up your blood, and procreating in your hair it really could be worse. It's obnoxious to get rid of, but it is doable. Allow me to help reduce your panic.

First: Don't, I repeat, don't go and buy that nasty lice shampoo with the stupid plastic comb. It will dry your hair out, strip any color you may have all up in there, and fry it beyond any repair. There are better, cheaper ways.

Second: Get your supplies!
- Olive Oil/Mayonnaise -whichever you prefer. I like Olive Oil better.
- Metal Lice Comb (Local beauty/hair stores most likely have them... Such as Sallys Beauty Supply Store)
- Plastic Shower Cap
- Lots of laundry detergent
- Ortho Home Defense: Bed Bug Spray
- Black Garbage Bags
- Vacuum, Vacuum Bags, etc.
- Apple Cider Vinegar
- Clean Towels

Third: Gather up clothes, stuffed animals, hard to wash objects, and tie them up and throw them somewhere out of the way for two weeks. This is because lice die within 72 hours without food (e.g your blood). Nits hatch 7-10 days after being laid. After 14 days all lice are dead, nits have hatched and died without food. All infected objects are now clean again! Yaaaay!

Fourth: After items that aren't needed are tied up and quarantined, gather up all washable items and begin your many loads of laundry. Wash everything that might have been near you, you might have worn, or you might have touched. This will take what feels like forever. I suggest starting with bedding and clothes you plan on wearing the next day. Chances are the laundry might take longer than a day. The laundromat is also a good option if you want to save time, but possibly more expensive.

Fifth: Warm up some olive oil (not too hot it's going on your scalp). Begin to douse it all over your hair. Don't be afraid of too much olive oil, there's no such thing. If you're a drippy, oily mess - good job, you're doing it right. Once your hair is greasier than John Travolta's in the 70s, cover it with a plastic shower cap. This needs to stay on your head 3-8 hours. Most recommended is just sleeping with oil in your hair over night. Using towels as your pillow is your best bet, otherwise it can get a little messy. Change your clothes as they may have nits/lice on them and deposit in laundry room (if you want you can take a bath before changing clothes)

Sixth: As finishing your hair will take time, continue with your laundry and get your Ortho Home Defense for bed bugs. Spray this liberally on your mattress, couches, all inside your car, office chair, any furniture that cannot be cleaned/put through the washer (I also sprayed my purse, cell phone, and desk, but I went overboard). Not your pet! Human lice stays on humans; your cuddly friends are safe. Lice don't eat animal blood.

Seventh: Get to vacuuming. Humans shed a ridiculous amount of hair daily. Your infected hair could be all over your carpet. Don't be afraid of vacuuming too much; there's no such thing. You might also want to sweep up floors that can't be vacuumed... Just a suggestion. Empty your vacuum cleaner whether it's a bag or you have a bag-less vacuum. Get all possibly infected garbage into a garbage bag and tie it up. Put that garbage bag outside! You don't want a chance of lice hiding somewhere.

Eighth: After your hair has been oiled for at least three hours begin the magical journey through combing your hair (or your family member's hair) with the tiny metal lice comb. It might tug a little and not be fun for the whole family. Be sure to have a large bowl with hot soapy water to dunk the metal comb into after each chunk of hair you comb. You'll see dead lice and nits pooling in the water. I'm sorry, it's gross, but at least they're not still in your hair! Continue until all of the hair has been combed over. Some people go over it more than once. Some also use bobby pins to twirl combed hair up and out of the way to know the ground they've covered already. I didn't do that, but I've heard it's helpful.

Ninth: After washing your hair you might consider taking a cup of apple cider vinegar mixed with four cups warm water and soak into your hair and scalp. I also dunked a kitchen towel into the mixture and wrapped around my scalp and hair and covered that with a regular towel to keep the heated vinegar mixture in. This mixture stays on your head for no less than an hour. It loosens the nits from the hair and makes it easier to remove them and it melts some of the nits. Also nicely enough vinegar removes hair product residue from your hair. It makes it feel silky and squeaky clean.

Tenth: Repeat steps eight and nine every 3-4 days until not a single nit can be found. This also ensures any nit that was missed and may have hatched somehow is killed.

Bonus: If you're really paranoid and out of control like my twenty-something year old self you might consider doing a bug bomb in your house. I did that and it might have been overkill...but at least there were no living insects to be found. Which makes me one very happy Princess Zelda.

After you're pretty sure you have ditched the lice you can use lice shield shampoo found on Amazon.com. I've heard mixed reviews. There were several products I've tried to help prevent lice since getting them. I bought a frizz-ease garnier fructis product because it had four different kinds of natural oil. The problem is if you used a lot of it, your hair looks greasy, but smells awesome.

The product I've been using daily is Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Conditioning Spray. It's good for your hair with lots of essential oils, but doesn't make your hair look greasy. It gives you a musty pine scent, but it's refreshing smelling. And it might just give you a peace of mind, but it's made me feel loads better. This can be found on Amazon.com. I got mine at Ulta Beauty Supply store because I was impatient to use.