Two Different Types of Head Lice Combs and Which One is Best
So your kid has lice and your research has led you to the lice comb.
But now you are faced with the problem of choice: there are at least two to chose from when it comes to lice combs.
There are manual fine toothed combs and electric.
Which one is for you? Just a quick reminder before we get more into the combs: before you reach for the combs you have to make sure that your kid has lice! It takes some sacrifice on your kid's part to go through lice combing and being sure it's absolutely needed is essential should you want to stay in your kid's good side.
Remember, lice are small brown insects that lay eggs called nits.
These nits are also brown in color and will usually stick to the bottom of hair shafts.
Be sure you are looking at lice or nits and not just plain dandruff! If you're not sure, try shaking off the alleged parasites as they don't come off easily unlike dandruff.
Once you are absolutely sure, go ahead and start looking at combs.
The manual combs usually come in two forms: plastic and metal.
However, plastic combs have a serious disadvantage from the get go as they aren't as rigid as the metal combs.
Since lice and their eggs (or nits) can be quite stubborn, sticking to the hair shafts quite firmly, sometimes the plastic combs just can't cut it and end up leaving nits and lice behind.
The best kind of manual lice comb is the metal version.
Make sure that the comb has long, finely spaced teeth.
The handle also has to be sealed from the teeth end to prevent lice from getting inside.
Should you have no choice but to use a plastic comb, you will have to be very thorough and make sure you get all the lice and nits out, even if it takes more than on pass on the hair strands.
Cheap and effective, the manual comb is always a good choice as long as you have the patience to go through your kid's hair strand by strand manually.
Electric combs have also come along nowadays.
Powered by an AA battery, these things will save time and effort by using electricity to aid the lice removal.
By brushing your kid's hair with the comb, electricity is passed on to the lice and they are killed.
They can then be easily removed with a regular comb.
Make sure your kid's hair is dry though as these things do deliver electric shocks.
If you have the money, this thing will surely save you a lot of hard work.
Both combs have their strengths although the electric combs do have the advantage of taking out some of the tedium in getting the lice out of your kid's hair.
This of course comes at a higher price tag, so you'll have to pay extra if you don't want to spend the majority of your nights picking out lice.
You can also complement your lice picking arsenal with a pair of tweezers although these are not as effective as the combs.
You'll have to go through your kid's hair one strand at a time should you use tweezers alone.
Instead, try using it in conjunction with a comb.
Whenever there are lice that the combs can't reach, you use the tweezers on them.
Either way you choose, electric or manual, the only way to make sure your kid is lice free is through due diligence.
Try dividing your kid's hair into sections so you can go through them in an organized fashion.
And never think twice about repeating the process.
The great thing about these combs is that they do not cause any harm to your kid, unlike chemical treatments.
You can do it again and again so long as your kid is still up for a little hair pulling.
So don't panic! You now know more about the combs at your disposal and the ways to use them properly.
With a little work and some patience, you can save our kid from head lice.
But now you are faced with the problem of choice: there are at least two to chose from when it comes to lice combs.
There are manual fine toothed combs and electric.
Which one is for you? Just a quick reminder before we get more into the combs: before you reach for the combs you have to make sure that your kid has lice! It takes some sacrifice on your kid's part to go through lice combing and being sure it's absolutely needed is essential should you want to stay in your kid's good side.
Remember, lice are small brown insects that lay eggs called nits.
These nits are also brown in color and will usually stick to the bottom of hair shafts.
Be sure you are looking at lice or nits and not just plain dandruff! If you're not sure, try shaking off the alleged parasites as they don't come off easily unlike dandruff.
Once you are absolutely sure, go ahead and start looking at combs.
The manual combs usually come in two forms: plastic and metal.
However, plastic combs have a serious disadvantage from the get go as they aren't as rigid as the metal combs.
Since lice and their eggs (or nits) can be quite stubborn, sticking to the hair shafts quite firmly, sometimes the plastic combs just can't cut it and end up leaving nits and lice behind.
The best kind of manual lice comb is the metal version.
Make sure that the comb has long, finely spaced teeth.
The handle also has to be sealed from the teeth end to prevent lice from getting inside.
Should you have no choice but to use a plastic comb, you will have to be very thorough and make sure you get all the lice and nits out, even if it takes more than on pass on the hair strands.
Cheap and effective, the manual comb is always a good choice as long as you have the patience to go through your kid's hair strand by strand manually.
Electric combs have also come along nowadays.
Powered by an AA battery, these things will save time and effort by using electricity to aid the lice removal.
By brushing your kid's hair with the comb, electricity is passed on to the lice and they are killed.
They can then be easily removed with a regular comb.
Make sure your kid's hair is dry though as these things do deliver electric shocks.
If you have the money, this thing will surely save you a lot of hard work.
Both combs have their strengths although the electric combs do have the advantage of taking out some of the tedium in getting the lice out of your kid's hair.
This of course comes at a higher price tag, so you'll have to pay extra if you don't want to spend the majority of your nights picking out lice.
You can also complement your lice picking arsenal with a pair of tweezers although these are not as effective as the combs.
You'll have to go through your kid's hair one strand at a time should you use tweezers alone.
Instead, try using it in conjunction with a comb.
Whenever there are lice that the combs can't reach, you use the tweezers on them.
Either way you choose, electric or manual, the only way to make sure your kid is lice free is through due diligence.
Try dividing your kid's hair into sections so you can go through them in an organized fashion.
And never think twice about repeating the process.
The great thing about these combs is that they do not cause any harm to your kid, unlike chemical treatments.
You can do it again and again so long as your kid is still up for a little hair pulling.
So don't panic! You now know more about the combs at your disposal and the ways to use them properly.
With a little work and some patience, you can save our kid from head lice.
