The use of tar soap against lice: is it really effective?

Tar soap is considered one of the most famous folk remedies for fighting lice. Moreover, its popularity is fully justified: this remedy has practically no contraindications and side effects, very effectively heals skin lesions on the head, is easy to use and quite affordable.

However, experts are well aware that the pediculicidal effect of this soap, although it allows you to effectively deal with lice, is often overestimated.

If tar soap was chosen by you as the main preparation for lice, then be prepared that it will take a lot of effort to completely destroy the parasites with it ...

It is interesting

Birch tar has been known as a powerful antiseptic since the times of Ancient Russia. Then it, however, was used not as part of soap, but on its own, treating wounds, scratches and other skin damage with it. The popularity of this remedy in the fight against lichen and inflammation on the skin was so high that already in the Middle Ages, on the basis of tar, they began to prepare “tar water” and ointments to protect against mosquitoes and midges.

And only a little later appeared the actual tar soap and ointments based on tar: Vishnevsky's ointment, Wilkinson's ointments and others. Interestingly, tar soap against lice began to be used relatively recently.

 

The action of tar soap on lice

The effectiveness of tar soap in almost any of its applications is determined by the presence of a large number of phenol derivatives (actually phenol, cresol, etc.) and alkali in its composition. It is the combination of these components that so effectively destroys bacteria, fungi, viruses and various microscopic parasites.

For this reason, soap has proven itself well in the treatment of wounds and skin lesions in general - in these cases, all disease-causing agents that can lead to infection and the development of inflammation are reliably destroyed by the components of tar soap (the antiseptic effect of this soap is confirmed by numerous reviews).

It is interesting

Birch tar from lice is effective because the substances it contains from the class of phenols have a burning effect on organic tissues, leading to protein denaturation. However, tar does not have a pronounced insecticidal effect. It is interesting that tar against lice is generally less effective than, for example, from caterpillars in the garden - in the latter, the integuments of the body are more permeable and are more easily affected by the components of the substance.

So, the components of tar soap in significant concentrations are detrimental to lice. However, there are a few caveats here:

• It is important to understand that a short-term (say, 5 minutes) application of tar soap to the corresponding hairy part of the body will not be enough to kill the parasites. For the product to work, the soap ingredients must be in contact with the lice for at least 30-40 minutes during each treatment.
• It should also be borne in mind that nit tar soap does not help at all. This means that even with the most correct use of the product, at least two hair treatments will have to be carried out: first, the main population of parasites is destroyed, and after 1-2 weeks, those insects that hatch from the nits that survived after the first procedure. In practice, often even 2 treatments are not enough.

Review

On the advice of my grandmother, I bought tar soap from lice, read reviews, instructions, washed my hair three times, but they continue to crawl. In principle, I did not buy any chemicals, I decided to remove the lice in a healthy way. The pharmacy advised me a good comb, so things went with him. First, I wash my hair, wash it off, comb it. I combed it for three days and the lice were gone. Six months later, she brought out lice to her younger sister in the same way and did without any insecticides.

Alena, Kirov

By and large, the use of tar soap to get rid of lice is a small misunderstanding. The fact is that this remedy has always been known as a reliable cure for skin diseases, including the scalp. For this reason, tar soap has long been tried to fight hair loss, dandruff, and the symptoms of pediculosis - redness, itching, scratching.

And further: Creepy photos of head lice, including macro photography (the article has more than 50 comments)

Indeed, soap helped to some extent relieve pain and improve skin condition, effectively preventing scratches and scratches from secondary infection with bacterial infections.However, on lice, as the root cause of these symptoms, it had little effect.

However, the use of tar soap to fight lice eventually became a kind of tradition, a folk recipe.

In fairness, it should be noted that tar soap can still make the fight against lice somewhat easier if used in conjunction with other pediculicides.

Often those who do not want to use chemical insecticides try to remove lice with tar soap, holding, for example, the opinion that “any chemistry” is harmful. In this case, tar lice soap is best used together with special combs: after applying, keeping and washing off the soap, some of the parasites lose their mobility and weaken. As a result, it becomes much easier to comb them out with a comb.

Review

You can scratch your head with just a comb to the point of insanity - these combs do not catch nits, and until all adult lice are combed out, you will have to repeat the procedure. Take at least the same tar soap - small larvae die from it, things will go faster. That's what we did when we didn't want to buy Parasidosis. Well, now there is Nyuda, there are no problems with her at all - both safely and effectively.

Pavel, Moscow

But soap can also be used in conjunction with insecticidal shampoos, creams, and even folk remedies such as vinegar and kerosene - it helps to reduce the risk of possible skin irritations from these products, effectively washing away the remnants of drugs from the skin and hair.

 

What to do so that tar soap helps with lice?

Depending on the means with which tar soap is used to kill lice, the procedure for treating the head should be carried out differently:

• if soap is used in conjunction with a comb, then first the head is thoroughly washed and rinsed to remove grease from the hair. Then the soap is applied again, the foam is thoroughly whipped and kept on the head for about half an hour or an hour. There are no upper limits here - soap has no contraindications, and only with individual hypersensitivity to tar components can unpleasant sensations appear. Then the soap is washed off, and the wet hair is carefully combed out strand by strand and from the very roots with a comb. This procedure should be repeated daily for a week.
• When combining soap with insecticidal preparations, the head is first treated with an appropriate lice remedy strictly according to the instructions, and then washed with tar soap. In this case, a single application of soap to the hair with thorough foaming is sufficient. The procedure is carried out once or twice, depending on the effectiveness of the additional drug.

On a note

The combination of tar soap simultaneously with insecticidal preparations and with the use of a comb for combing out lice and nits is, generally speaking, redundant, although in the absence of a reaction of the scalp to such a combination it may well be used.

In both cases, tar soap helps to get rid of lice to some extent, enhancing the effect of the second component.

And further: You need to know the enemy by sight - detailed photographs of lice and nits (including macro photography). Terrible thing...

 

Does tar soap have any contraindications?

There are few contraindications for tar soap, and side effects appear only in very rare cases.

So, for example, people with dry skin are not recommended to often use tar soap (and any alkaline soap in general) in order to avoid excessive exfoliation of the skin and the appearance of cracks - soap dries the skin very much.

Caution should be used tar soap during pregnancy.

Review

I also tried to smear my head with tar soap from lice, but it dries my hair so much that after it the situation is even more difficult than after lice. In the end, I figured out the perfect combination: once I wash my hair with soap, rinse, smear with hellebore water and leave. My skin does not react to it in any way, and after washing - even more so. And then I comb it out with a comb. For a week of such experiments, she brought out all the lice, took up the guy. He just returned from a business trip, and, apparently, he either got infected from me even earlier, or I from him. But it was generally easy with him - he washes his head with soap, then combs it out. And on the third day he got tired of it and shaved his head. Also, by the way, an option.

Antonina, Yaroslavl

In order to avoid the appearance of an individual allergic reaction with soap, it is useful to spread the skin on the crook of the elbow and hold for several minutes.

If the skin does not react in any way, soap can be safely applied. If red spots appear at the site of application, it is better to refrain from using it.

 

Birch tar against lice

Similar to lice soap, other products based on birch tar can also be used, including tar itself. However, it is dangerous to use pure tar - due to the high concentration of active substances, it can cause serious burns on the skin. Therefore, to combat parasites, it should be diluted to a concentration of 15-20%, obtaining the so-called tar water. Her head must be treated in the same way as soap.

Tar is also part of Vishnevsky's ointment and Wilkinson's ointment. It is possible to use them against lice, but it is absolutely irrational: these funds have the same effect on lice as soap, but their cost is much higher.

In any case, to effectively remove lice along with tar soap, it is highly desirable to use additional products - the same combs, shampoos, creams or sprays, of your choice.

 

Find out why lice are sometimes so hard to get rid of

 

Useful video: using a lice comb in combination with other pediculicides

 

The use of birch tar for the treatment of diseases of the skin and hair