A quick but dangerous method: how to use dust for lice and nits on your head so as not to get poisoned?

Why do you need dust?

Dust is a technical preparation based on a chemical compound called 4,4-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT). This is a powerful contact poison that affects the nervous system of insects. For the discovery of the insecticidal properties of dust, the chemist P. Müller was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1948. Since the middle of the 20th century, the substance has been used to destroy pests of agricultural plants. Fields were pollinated with a solution of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane to preserve the crop from aphids and Colorado potato beetles.

In the late 60s, scientists discovered the cumulative toxic effect of DDT in humans, farm animals and birds. In a number of countries, the toxic chemical was officially banned, and the large-scale practice of baiting insects using dust is a thing of the past forever. Today the substance is used to combat bedbugs, cockroaches, and flies.

Properties

Dust soap is no different from ordinary detergent, which we know under the name “Laundry”. The basis is phenol derivatives and oil-saponified alkali. The product is produced with varying levels of vegetable or animal fats. Depending on the technology, this figure is 65, 70 or 72%. Dust or dichlorodiphenyltrichloromethylmethane, abbreviated DDT, gives insecticidal properties to the detergent. You can find out how to use laundry soap against lice and nits on our website.

The substance is a pesticide previously widely used in the fight against agricultural pests and insects that parasitize the skin of people or domestic animals. The dust was used to treat granaries, premises in medical institutions, and control rodents and household insects (ants, moths).

The detergent contains a small amount of a toxic substance. It contains only 5% insecticide. This is enough to kill fleas, nits and lice after the first application. The dust affects the parasites themselves, and it also has a detrimental effect on the larvae (nits), destroying their protective cocoon. It must be remembered that the pesticide has a negative effect not only on insects, but also on the human body. Therefore, when using it, all precautions must be taken.

Dust-based products

In its pure form, dust is a white, finely crystalline powder that does not have a distinct taste. The chemical industry produces a number of products in which the amount of DDT varies between 1-10%. The remaining components are represented by materials such as chalk, white clay, dried solid gel (silica gel), talc, etc. The most popular product containing DDT is dust soap . It is based on laundry soap with a traditional composition (lye, phenol derivatives, vegetable and animal fats). Dust is added in an amount of 5%.

For a long time, dust soap was widely used to treat head lice as the most effective and cheapest remedy. In addition, before the advent of modern veterinary drugs, it was popular for treating cats and dogs against fleas. Today, dust detergent can only be found in online stores. It is not sold in pharmacies.

Pediculosis: how does lice infestation occur?

21.09.2021

Lice are one of the most common human parasites that cause head lice. Until recently, it was believed that pediculosis occurs due to lack of personal hygiene and dirt, but this is not true. It can appear regardless of social status and concern for cleanliness.

What are lice? Head lice, also called pediculosis, is a parasitic disease caused by head lice. Head lice are off-white or gray insects 2-3 mm long.

Its life cycle lasts from 3 to 4 weeks and looks like this:

• nits - that is, eggs laid by lice at the base of the hair. They are the size of a sesame seed or salt. They stick very strongly to the hair root, so they are difficult to get rid of;
• lice hatch 7-8 days after eggs are laid;
• 17-18 days after this, the insects reach sexual maturity and lay subsequent eggs. Over the next 2 weeks, one louse can lay up to 300 eggs;
• Death of primary lice occurs after 35 days.

There are also other types of lice - clothing (rare and associated with poor personal hygiene) and pubic lice (sexually transmitted).

How can you become infected with head lice?

Lice infestation most often occurs in children aged 3-12 years who come into contact with other children while playing. They do not have fully developed hygiene habits - children often share cups, stuffed animals, blankets, bedding or hats.

Borrowing a comb or towel is also a risk factor for lice in adults. Therefore, the main cause of infection is direct contact with a person who has lice. Modern lifestyles involving contact with large numbers of people increase the risk of lice infestation. You can become infected even while traveling on a crowded tram.

Symptoms of lice

The first symptom of the disease is persistent itching of the scalp, most intense in the area where these parasites appear. Namely in the temporal, parietal and occipital regions. This may be accompanied by:

• redness of the scalp, especially at the hairline or behind the ears ;
• minor wounds and scratches caused by itching;
• local inflammation;
• increased risk of fungal and bacterial infections.

In extreme cases, hair matted with purulent-serous discharge may be seen on the head of an infected person.

How to get rid of lice?

If lice are present, immediate treatment is required, as these insects very quickly spread to others and to the family living under the same roof. Treatment can be carried out independently (usually this option is chosen). If a bacterial or fungal infection is detected, or if any alarming symptoms appear, it is recommended to consult a doctor .

To get rid of lice, you need to purchase special medications sold in every pharmacy. These products can be in the form of shampoos, sprays and lotions. When using them, you must follow the manufacturer's recommendations regarding the dose, duration of treatment and correct method of application.

If you do not follow the recommendations, this can lead to a rapid relapse of the disease. After applying the lice preparation, use a thick comb to thoroughly clean your hair of dead insects and nits. Usually this treatment is repeated after 7-10 days.

It should be remembered that you should not shave the head of an infected person. This practice is often used for boys, but it can lead to the risk of bacterial superinfection and long-term treatment for head lice.

personal items (comb, hair ties, hair clips and brushes) and throw them away. Bed linen, clothing and towels are best washed at a temperature of at least 60 degrees Celsius. For items that cannot be washed or cleaned, they should be thoroughly treated with an insecticide (preferably for lice) and then sealed in a plastic bag for 10 days.

How to prevent lice?

To reduce the risk of lice infestation in children, you should:

• pin up your child's hair if he plays in large groups or travels on crowded public transport;
• regularly examine the area of ​​the temples and the back of the head, as well as comb your hair;
• wash your hair at least once a week with cosmetics properly selected for the child’s needs;
• Explain to the child that you cannot use other people’s personal hygiene items.

An adult should follow similar principles, translating them into his age. Brushes and combs should not be lent even to those closest to you. It may turn out that this person, despite regular personal hygiene, is infected.

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How dust works against lice

Using dust soap to combat human parasites is a rather aggressive method. However, DDT works so effectively that people are in no hurry to abandon it. The action of the substance is based on the active destruction of the protective cover of adult lice and the nit capsule. This means that simple contact with a pesticide is enough for insects to die. The proven effectiveness of dust soap against pediculosis is 100%. With one procedure you can completely get rid of ectoparasites.

Dust soap is not a cosmetic product. This is a product with a strong unpleasant odor, consisting of surfactants and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane. Due to the high toxicity of the substance, careless use can cause harm to health

The principle of operation of the product

Lice dust soap resembles ordinary laundry soap, but it contains a powerful insecticide - dichlorodiphenyltrichloromethylmethane (DDT). This active substance penetrates deep into the integument of insects.

It kills not only lice, but also destroys the protective shells of the larvae and eggs, which leads to their inevitable death.

DDT is not eliminated from the body on its own. It accumulates in it, penetrating through scratches, abrasions, wounds or other damage to the skin.

If you recklessly resort to using dust several times in a row, it can harm the health of humans or pets.

Guide to using dust soap against lice

It is advisable to remove lice outdoors due to the characteristic odor of the product. If this is not possible, after treatment you need to ventilate the room well. To carry out the procedure you will need:

• • a basin with warm water;
• • a piece of soap;
• • cling film (plastic bag or rubber cap);
• • towel.

To mitigate the risks of side effects, it is recommended to have an assistant treat your head.

Procedure steps:

• • wet your head;
• • lather generously, gently massaging the skin;
• • distribute soap foam along the entire length of the hair;
• • wrap your head with film (put on a cap or bag)
• • securely fix the “cap” with a towel;
• • stand for 30-35 minutes;
• • rinse the soap thoroughly under running water;
• • wash your hair with shampoo and rinse with conditioner;
• • dry your hair (without using a hair dryer);

Finally, you should comb out the dead parasites with a fine-toothed comb.

Efficiency of application

Dust soap against lice has proven itself to be fast-acting and unparalleled in its power of action on various parasites. Most often, one procedure is enough to remove lice.

Sometimes, if a strand of hair is missed or the dust foam is washed off early, several nits survive after the manipulation. In this case, it is recommended to re-treat the head with another drug after 5-7 days.

This is due to the fact that dust is not allowed to be used more than once. It is advisable to use it only in case of emergency.

Why is dust dangerous?

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane is toxic not only to insects, but also to humans. The difference lies in the dosage of the drug and the method of exposure. In sensitive people, mild poisoning can be caused by the strong smell of dust. More serious health problems arise if the toxic chemical enters the body. Dust is not only resistant to water, ultraviolet radiation and high temperatures. It is not broken down in internal organs under the action of enzymes and other bioactive substances. And therefore it is not excreted by the filtration organs (liver, intestines, kidneys). Moderate intoxication is caused by 6-10 mg of DDT (per kg of weight). For severe poisoning, 16 to 286 mg/kg is required. The lethal dose is considered to be 300 mg/kg. It turns out that, on average, half a kilogram of dust poses a danger to humans. Of course, such an amount of poison cannot enter the body at once. However, if a substance is supplied regularly, even in small quantities, it settles (accumulates) in the tissues. Over time, this becomes the cause of chronic intoxication, which threatens the development of dysfunction:

• • central nervous system;
• • respiratory and visual organs;
• • gastrointestinal tract and hepatobiliary system.

Permanent poisoning of the body leads to rapid aging and activation of cancer cells

Side effects and contraindications

Lice dust is contraindicated for use in the following cases:

• women carrying a child or breastfeeding;
• in pediatric practice;
• reduced body defenses;
• serious psychoneurological diseases;
• tendency to allergic reactions;
• irritated or excessively dry scalp;
• dermatological diseases.

It is strictly forbidden to reuse dust soap, since it contains poison, accumulates in the body and can cause severe poisoning.

In addition, when used in excess, this detergent has the following negative consequences: mutagenic changes, decreased immunity, disruption of brain function, and the formation and growth of cancer cells.

The main signs of dust poisoning:

• headaches;
• disturbance of spatial orientation, lethargy;
• dermatological rashes;
• nausea, indigestion;
• discomfort or difficulty breathing;
• sudden and involuntary contraction of one or more muscles.

If such symptoms appear, you should immediately seek medical help. Independent gastric lavage or taking enterosorbents will not give the desired result.

Precautionary measures

Since dust soap contains a toxic substance, it is necessary to work with it in a well-ventilated area. Access to fresh air must be provided for several hours so that the “aroma” completely disappears. You should not process it yourself. To ensure that if signs of poison occur, first aid is provided immediately, use the help of third parties.

A person working with dust soap needs to use protective equipment: rubber gloves, a respirator. It is also better to cover your eyes with special glasses. Soap foam that gets on exposed areas of the body is washed off with a stream of water as quickly as possible.

The respiratory tract of the person being treated also needs to be protected. To prevent accidental contact of soap with the cornea, the eyes should be closed tightly. The neck and shoulders are protected with fabric that absorbs liquid well.

Important point! A single external use of the product is not dangerous for people and animals if the rules are strictly followed.

If disinsection is carried out on an animal, care must be taken to ensure that the substance does not enter the pet’s esophagus. For this, a protective collar is used that will prevent the dog or cat from licking the fur treated with poison. Veterinarians warn that it is necessary to use the product to treat pets once, taking all precautions. The insecticide is contraindicated for animals that are not yet 10 months old. The drug is not used for tick bites, in which case there is an open wound and the poison will enter the blood. And it will be difficult to remove a dead parasite.

Effect of treatment

The dust is almost always 100% effective. The components of DDT penetrate under the chitinous shells of adult individuals and dissolve the cocoons and glue of nits, which leads to the death of the parasites. In very rare cases, when a strand of hair is missed or the product has had a negative effect on the patient and it had to be washed off, the dust may not remove several nits.

But in most cases, DDT kills all adult insects and all eggs. There is no need to carry out repeated procedures using an insecticide, even in the event of a relapse, the probability of which is close to zero.

You should also immediately visit a medical facility if, after using the dust, one or more of the following symptoms are detected:

• rash at the treatment site.
• muscle weakness or spasms.
• Strong headache.
• Gastric lavage or consumption of activated carbon will be an absolutely useless action, since DDT penetrates not only through the gastrointestinal tract.

The most important thing to remember when working with dust soap:

1. It is strictly forbidden to use by children, pregnant women and people with respiratory diseases.
2. Do not reuse under any circumstances.
3. Use only with personal protective equipment (at least gloves).

If there are no other options for getting rid of pediculosis, then dust is better than anything else.

But you can only use it in case of emergency, if there is no pharmacy or other stores nearby where you can buy improvised products, such as cranberries or hairspray.

It is worth remembering the potential threat of harm to health, also realistically assessing all the risks, and only then making a decision on the use of DDT as a means of combating head lice.

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Dust is an insecticide that was widely used in the twentieth century to control various insects. It is suitable for killing bedbugs, mosquitoes, moths and lice.

Now people have a large number of modern lice remedies at their disposal, but laundry soap with the addition of dust still does not lose its relevance.

Advantages and disadvantages

Dust soap was a fairly popular antiparasitic agent in the 60s and 70s. last century. However, it is still used today, although not so widely. The main advantage of the drug can be considered its high efficiency. Its use gives results in just one procedure, which is not always possible to achieve even with the use of expensive modern means. A positive side of the drug is its low cost.

The big disadvantage of the product is its high toxicity and pungent odor, which does not disappear for several hours in a row. The drug has a long list of contraindications, so not everyone can use it. The high alkali content in “Household” soap does not have the most favorable effect on the hair and scalp. It dries out the strands, making them brittle and dull. Therefore, after using the drug with dust against lice and nits, your hair will require enhanced care.

Effective folk remedies for lice and nits:

• recipes with hydrogen peroxide;
• how to remove lice with dichlorvos, precautions;
• treatment of head lice with cranberries;
• how to use hellebore water for lice;
• varnish against lice and nits: instructions for use, reviews;
• what natural oils will help cope with lice and nits;
• Does hair dye help against lice?