Composition of dust soap and principle of action
Dust soap resembles ordinary laundry soap, only it contains a strong insecticide - dichlorodiphenyltrichloromethylmethane (DDT). People call the substance DDT dust, which is why the soap itself received this name. The active component of DDT penetrates deep into the integument of insects, causing their inevitable death. Also, dust destroys the protective shells of lice larvae and eggs, which leads to their instant destruction.
The main component of soap is not excreted on its own; it can even accumulate in the body, entering through scratches, abrasions, and wounds on the skin. Therefore, repeated use of dust can harm the health of humans and animals.
Contraindications
The use of dust soap is contraindicated in the following cases:
- pregnancy and breastfeeding;
- childhood;
- weakened immune system;
- diseases of the nervous system;
- predisposition to allergies;
- for irritated or dry scalp;
- for various skin diseases;
- for reuse (soap can only be used once due to the toxic substance it contains).
Negative consequences of use
Excess DDT can lead to serious consequences:
- Mutagenic changes.
- Deterioration of the body's protective functions.
- Brain dysfunction.
- Formation and growth of cancer cells.
- Serious disturbances in the development of the child while still in the womb.
Signs of dust poisoning are:
- headache;
- the appearance of rashes of various types;
- nausea, indigestion;
- dizziness, lethargy;
- breathing problems;
- muscle spasms.
If even one of the symptoms appears, you should immediately consult a doctor. Taking activated carbon tablets and gastric lavage will not bring results.
Features of application
Dust soap contains a toxic component, so it is very important to follow certain safety measures when using it:
- You cannot carry out the treatment yourself; you need to hire an assistant.
- During the procedure, it is recommended to open the window to provide ventilation.
- It is mandatory for the person carrying out the treatment to use personal protective equipment - gloves, mask, goggles.
- The patient should not open his mouth and eyes until the use of the drug is completed.
- It is better to use 5% dust soap against lice.
- If a burning sensation of the scalp or other unpleasant sensations occurs, the soap foam must be washed off immediately.
- If there are still lice left after the first procedure, it is better to use another removal method.
Instructions for using dust soap against lice and nits
- Apply soap to the entire surface of your wet head, then put on a plastic bag or a special cap on top, and wrap your head in a soft towel;
- Leave for about 30-40 minutes;
- After the time has passed, wash your hair thoroughly several times with regular shampoo and apply a restorative balm;
- Dry your hair and comb it with a fine-toothed comb to remove dead lice and nits.
Gasoline and kerosene - what are the dangers of using them?
As a rule, these substances are used as a special hair mask. Indeed, all you need to do is soak your hair in kerosene or gasoline, put an airtight polyethylene bandage on your head and hold the insects under this pressure for 40 minutes, and all the parasites will be destroyed. To enhance the effect, olive oil or shampoo is added to these types of fuel.
But not only lice and nits suffer from such execution. A person who is forced to inhale kerosene or gasoline fumes for a long time can also develop serious health problems. And since these substances come into contact with the scalp, problems can also occur in this part of the body.
The fact is that even the purest and highest quality kerosene, which is considered almost edible, has never been tested in the laboratory as a medicine, either for external or internal use. Therefore, it is strictly not recommended to carry out such experiments on yourself.
Treatment of cats and dogs
Dust soap can be used to combat fleas and other parasites in pets. In this case, be sure to use a special veterinary collar to protect the animal from getting the product into the mouth, eyes and ears.
Parasites are removed using dust as follows:
- Fill a large basin with warm water to about half full, or you can use a bathtub.
- Put a protective collar on your pet, place it in water and wet the fur.
- Lather the entire body of the animal, except for the face.
- Let the foam soak for 5-10 minutes.
- Rinse off the product well (preferably several times).
- Dry your pet with a terry towel.
- After the procedure, give your pet a drink of fresh milk to cleanse the body of toxins and take it out into the fresh air.
Where to buy dust soap? Alternative remedies
Currently, dust soap is almost never produced due to the presence of a toxic component in its composition. You can buy dust on the Internet on special websites selling antiparasitic drugs, in some veterinary stores and pharmacies. The cost of a bar of soap is approximately 20-40 rubles.
It is important to distinguish dust soap from tar soap. Dust is used only in pest control, and tar soap is used for cosmetic purposes to improve the condition of skin and hair.
If using dust soap is not possible, it is easy to choose a safer pharmaceutical product. The most popular drugs for lice and nits:
- shampoo “Pedilin” and aerosols “Para-plus”, “Rosh tov” - effectively fight lice, while being safe for humans;
- sprays against lice and nits “Paranit”, “Nyuda” - can be used to treat children from the age of three;
- hellebore water is an alcohol tincture of hellebore herb, which has a detrimental effect on lice;
- shampoo and spray “Lice Guard” - the drug is harmless for use in children, but should be used with caution by people prone to allergies;
- special anti-pediculosis combs - with their help, parasites need to be combed out for several days, but a significant advantage of their use is the absence of contraindications and side effects.
Another affordable way to get rid of parasites is to shave your head completely, this will help improve the condition of the scalp in general.
How to get rid of lice
The really big problem of our time is lice (pediculosis), which humanity is unable to get rid of, despite all kinds of efforts.
You can get rid of lice and nits using a number of methods, which we will discuss later.
Before you start fighting lice, you need to determine the reason why you or your child got lice.
Causes of lice.
Most likely, the source of lice can be a kindergarten, school institutions, health camps, sanatoriums, clubs, swimming pools, city beaches or any places where children or teenagers gather.
Head and body lice are transmitted from person to person through direct contact (or through clothing, linen, household items, combs, etc.).
To completely overcome the problem of lice and nits, this process must be taken very seriously. Using not only anti-lice medications, but also traditional methods and other devices (special combs or combs for lice and nits).
Symptoms of lice
Pediculosis has the following symptoms:
- skin itching at the site of the louse bite;
- small grayish-bluish spots on the skin;
- scratching on the scalp;
- the presence of nits (lice eggs) in the hair.
From the moment of infection with lice until the first signs of illness can pass from several days to a month.
How to get rid of lice and nits
Often, a serious danger is that many people are silent about the problem of lice, and because of this it is very problematic to find and localize the source of lice.
The ideal way to get rid of lice is if you find them at an early stage of infection, when the lice have not yet had time to lay a sufficient number of eggs (nits) on the hair.
How to remove lice at home
Often, at the first symptoms of lice, we do not often rush to see a doctor, but try to solve this problem ourselves. But in order to remove lice at home, you should try a little, especially if you or your child has long and thick hair.
The easiest way to get rid of lice is to completely remove hair from the head. However, this method is not always acceptable and, often, you should use various anti-lice shampoos, anti-lice ointments, anti-lice aerosols, soaps and other folk remedies.
Folk remedies for lice (pediculosis)
Folk remedies for lice can be very effective in the early stages of lice development.
Combing out lice is the safest way to remove lice and nits. This is one of the simplest and most ancient ways to combat lice and nits. Combing is done with a fine comb or a special medical comb. The only drawback of this method is its duration, since on average a considerable amount of time will be spent on combing per day.
Anti-lice shampoos can be purchased at a pharmacy without a special prescription and used according to the instructions. Recommended in conjunction with combing.
Dust or tar soap for lice, which should be used to wash your hair and wrap it in cellophane for 15-20 minutes, then rinse everything off.
Turpentine ointment is an ideal and inexpensive remedy for lice. The only drawback is the problem of oily hair after the procedure.
Herbs for lice. Use decoctions of burdock, St. John's wort or chamomile, followed by combing.
However, if you managed to get rid of lice, this is not the whole process and it is too early to celebrate victory, since one hundred percent there are nits left on the hair, which are not affected by drugs, since they are in a shell and are not afraid of any means. Therefore, you should still comb your hair thoroughly, without giving any opportunity for lice to reappear.
It is also important to change bed linen and clothes every day during the treatment, as traces of nits may remain on them.
Anti-lice products
Now you can also buy a number of medicines for lice, which can be used along with traditional methods to significantly speed up the process of removing lice.
Hellebore water for lice – has an antiparasitic effect (on lice and nits located on the scalp and pubic area, as well as on clothing). Hellebore water destroys the intestinal structure of lice and prevents parasites from multiplying. At the same time, the drug has very good strengthening properties and restores damaged hair and has an antibacterial effect on damaged areas of the scalp.
How to use hellebore water against lice. Apply hellebore water to thoroughly washed hair either with cotton swabs or a sponge. Then the hair should be wrapped for 25-30 minutes, after which it should be rinsed with warm water several times.
After washing your hair, it is recommended to comb your hair with a thick comb to remove dead lice and nits.
It should be remembered that to use hellebore water, you should consult a doctor.
Lice aerosol “Para Plus” is a highly effective remedy against lice and nits, which is convenient to use for the treatment of head lice in both adults and children aged 2.5 years and older.
How to use the lice remedy “Para Plus”
Briefly press the valve and spray the spray onto the scalp and hair along the entire length. Wait 10 minutes without covering your head. Then wash your hair with shampoo and comb out the dead nits. If necessary, repeat treatment no earlier than a week later.
Lice prevention
There is no single proven way to prevent lice, but we can still significantly reduce the likelihood of lice.
You should observe the rules of personal hygiene and do not borrow your own or use other people’s combs.
Always after swimming in a river or pool, you should thoroughly rinse and dry your hair, followed by combing, to prevent lice from appearing.
Avoid close contact (head to head) at school or other institutions.
Tell your children that they should refrain from lying on other people's beds and pillows when visiting friends.
Follow these simple precautions and your child will always be healthy and will not have to deal with lice treatment.
Doctor KONON T.A.
