Thread: hygiene part 2: lice

is it possible for a brush to get lice? (since it are hairs, I presume it's possible) If so, could we just wash it with the same anti-lice shampoo as our own hair or do you think that would ruin the brush?

May seem silly but those with little kids or in contact with many people (like me, on my trains) are more prone to catch them, hence my question.

I could very well be wrong, but I'm under the impression that lice would need their host to be living.

Jordan

yes, their initial host, but I mean as a source of propagation.. suppose you or your SO or children have lice, they feed themselves fat on your juicy blood and then drop, with a very satisfied and sly smile, *ploof*, on your brush. (like they drop on your couch/pillow/whatever.... they just do sometimes, saw that on CSI ) I'm kinda wondering how one would nuke that possible source of infection (just like you have to clean all your bedlinen and seats/couch/everything.) :|

Just wondering since I haven't had lice since I was like 7 years old, but I remember the 'shampoo' to be the most biting toxic thing ever, which probably doesn't bode well for a brush?

It is possible for lice to their eggs to be carried by brushes and cloths. Unfortunately people are still highly likely to conceal the fact that their kids are infected and expose other kids to risk just to avoid the shame.

I don't see how lice shampoo could
hurt your brush.


Terry

Lice spend very little time in the environment (unlike fleas, for example) so I wouldn't be too concerned about it. I think most of the current louse shampoos which are on the market are not insecticidal but merely assist you in brushing the little suckers ( ) out. I would be more concerned about traces of blood from previous users although I see you have addressed that issue in your other thread

AH, I've got it...a simple solution.

Do not use your brush to shave/lather your kids OR strangers on commuter transit.

Problem solved!


C utz

Gee guys don't look for problems we have to worry about when none exist. There are plenty of other things to worry about.

The louse requires a blood meal. There's no blood worthy of feeding on a brush. They won't lay eggs unless the nit has a chance of finding fresh food after hatching. Reproduction requires an animal, live, not dead.

There has been some recent medical experimentation with hot air guns that kill both the adult and larval forms.

http://origin.www.cbc.ca/technology/...icebuster.html

Should be fairly easy to um, toast the brush with the same effect, but I doubt it necessary.

You could wash the brush in a solution of ivermectin if you had to be sure that everything was really most sincerely dead.

Doesn't talking about this make you want to scratch a little???

Put it in the microwave for a few seconds?