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Head lice are a common affliction for children and nearly all kids will suffer from it at one point or another in their lives. They can become infected by sharing a hat or a hug at school, using another's helmet at batting practice, or playing with a friend who is infected. Lice are common and are easily transmittable between people.

One of the first things a parent will do when they find that their child has head lice is try to find the best head lice treatment. The most common of these treatments involves an over-the-counter lice shampoo from your local pharmacy or retail store.

What some people do not realize is that pubic lice and head lice are not the same type of bug. So, you do not have to worry that the lice have traveled elsewhere on the body necessitating using the head lice treatment everywhere. If you or your child has head lice, you only need to worry about applying the special shampoos to your head.

Use of a lice shampoo is not the only head lice treatment available. The Internet offers information about many natural and cost-effective treatments. These include coating your hair in vegetable or baby oils for several hours or overnight in order to smother the lice and kill them.

No matter what type of head lice treatment you opt to use on yourself and other family members, you also need to make sure that all of the lice are gone from your home. Lice can live on items such as bedding, pillows, furniture, clothing, and stuffed animals for as long as three weeks unless they are allowed to return to a human head first. You need to thoroughly and deeply clean every item in your home where they could live in order to completely eradicate the infestation.

Lastly, remember that everyone gets head lice. It does not mean your family isn't clean or that they have unhealthy habits. Lice are easily spread and need to be eradicated completely. Otherwise, they will return and you will have to start your battle all over again.