Head lice and vegetarianism/veganism

I've searched for any info on this all day, here and through google, with no joy.

I first started to think about it last time I had head lice (early last year I think) . I used the shampoo and comb method, and it kinda made me wonder if killing the things is kinda hypocritical.

I can look at it two ways, firstly, they're animals, most people may not feel sorry for them when you comb them out, but I kinda felt guilty for it. Living things is still living things even if they are bloodsucking parasites.

Or, you could argue that it's self defence, and therefore justifiable.

Since then, to avoid having to face the problem again, I've washed my hair with tea tree oil (which repells them). But there were a few things I wanted to clear up.

1)Has anyone else ever worried about this, or am I a fringe lunatic?

2)Do they have nervous systems capeable of pain (I guess they do, seeing as most small invertebrates do)

3)Do they cause any actual major health risks (visa vi the self defense argument)

4)Is there any way of removing them humanely (if I ever lapse on the tea tree)

Any thoughts?

 

My view on nits, despite being vegetarian is to get rid of them!!! I had the blighters for 5 years of my life. I don't know if you think suffoctation is a good way of killing them, but you can use what americans call 'rubbing alcohol' on them. They can't breathe so they die.

 

5 years, owwwch. Still, I dunno, the only methods of killing them seem quite harsh (guessing suffocation isn't too nice a way to go, nor is having chemicals shut down your nervous system)

 

vinigar disolves the egg casings so its like aborting a whole generation

do they do harm well..the person u sleep next to who gets em might think so
if u wanna be a hotel for em thats omnn you..but..do not subject yourself to others..go live away from humands, be a bug hotel and be happy bout that choice, but dont be a carrier for a parasite that will just attach itself to every1 u meet

when u get sick, do you cultivate the germs to get sicjker? or fight off the cold..


u could do the really humante thing..go away from ppl..shave evetrything off dentirely, make a hair bed for em, pick off every stray and leave em in the woods to latch onto an animal instead.

 

Hmmm, interesting, but my main wondering was whether or not they are capable of pain. Cause bacteria/viruses aren't (being single celled and that). Head lice (as far as I know, stick to humans for some reason, so they couldn't really go on with animals.

I'd say the vinegar one seems a fair option, seeing as I guess the nervous system develops late on in the louse fetus or whatever you'd call it.

 

We always had a rinse through of vinegar during the infestation, and happily all of us are now nit free! Apple Cider Vingear is also good for cleansing your hair anyway.

 

human louse can survive on animalks they preffer humans, thgere are many nasties like that, worms, the human bot fly (which burrows into the skin and eats away aty muscles) and more..they are parasites, parasytes are hardy because they infest then lose whole colonies but live long enough to re-infest. organisms that are infested with parysites have the option to purge them or suffer from them..be nothing more then theyre food source
the point is
if u get parasytes and wipe out that colony of parasytes u dont hutrrt that species really u only protect yourself and those around u from infestation..
run rampant they could literaly consume your scalp..

i understyand not wanting to hurt them, but, its them or you..
no..its them..or you..and everyone you know

u can try this
seal your house. your car, everywhere you normaly been for 2 weeks any in there will starve or move on
the 1's on you..
lie in freezing water as long as u can
dont die from hypothermia though
but keep your head and everything under the coldest water u can survive
they'll slow down go into hibernation and drift off
do the vinager

not 100% sure u can have 100% suvccess that way but ive heard it workls\

 

Yeah, I'd obviously get rid of things like worms and such that were causing me serious damage, but it seems like it wouldn't be possible for a louse infestation to ever get bad enough to harm the person seriously, I understand the spreading point though.

Oh well, I'll have to stick to good old tea tree oil for the moment.

 

It's crazy to keep them, they aren't animals to me, they are actually parasites (for real). I dont eat "meat" but i definitely dont want those itchy things in my head!

 

I had that exact thought!
I have dreads, so they we're a major problem, but as i was putting delacet on (a vegan remedy for headlice) it made me think twice. But then again things crawling things around my head made me dump the bottle my head quicker. I still do feel bad though

 

Yeah, I guess it also depends on what type of veggie/vegan you are. If you're the sort of veggie of that eats snails, or the sort of vegan that eats honey. I guess it'd bother you less. Then again, I spose if I ended up with em for 5 years I'd probably lose sympathy with em.

 

Oops, I knew I'd phrased that last point a bit off-ish sorry. I didn't mean to turn it into that, unfortunately I tried to round off my point a bit quickly.

I hadn't quite thought of them opening up the opportunity for other diseases, that's a good point actually.

I don't believe all life should be unmolested, I just believe that if something can feel pain, it shouldn't have to (unless it's self preservation obviously).

That does help knowing that they live for only four days. If I lapse on the tea tree and end up with them, I'll just have to abort the eggs every day until the adults give up the ghost.

Thanks for the advice, and once again, sorry for making it look like I was being holier than though (which would be obviously hypocritical, seeing as I'm not even vegan)

 

*grin*

 

I think there is a flaw in the logic of the OP. If you left your lice infestation untreated, or let them live, you would still be subjecting their little colony to a Hurricane Katrina-like disaster every time you washed your hair. By using an effective lice treatment you would technically be reducing the amount of suffering.

 

lmao or if you count the fact that almost nobody gives a shit about anything but themselves everyone you spread it to will be mmmMMMMURRRDERING THEM!!! if you stop the infection on your head, you saved all the future generations they may have had on other people o_0
bahaha
^_^
for reeal though my g

 

I was thinking the same...

 

You can not live without killing, the same way you can't make a painting without destroying a blank canvas.

Right now everyone's bodies are killing millions of living things.

Do what you can to avoid reasonless/unecessary/selfish killing, but you have a responsibility to take care of your body. Generally if you get in touch with what your instincts/heart says, you'll know what to do.

There are religions (Jain) who try to kill nothing. In the strictest form, they only eat fruit that has fallen from trees, won't walk over grass, etc. Do what you feel is right.

 

Id kill headlice because in eating plants, which I do in copious amounts, youre killing many many insects in a lifetime, which are in the same kind of league as lice. Only headlice are parasitic and has been said can cause infection, irritation, and nasties.

Im vegan and I do all I can within my abilities whilst still looking after myself. Veganism recognises that human beings are animals and the self is also worthy of respect and care. We need to eat plants, and we walk places, sit in fields, scratch ourselves... and therefore kill insects. We need to look after our bodies and therefore kill parasites

Ive only ever had them as a kid. My mum bought the regular head lice treatment you can buy in chemists and they went

:cheers2: