Danger Of Using Kerosene And Petrol To Kill Head Lice

Head lice are small, wingless, blood-sucking insects. They live in the hair on your head and feed off the blood from your scalp. A louse (a single adult) is about the size of a sesame seed. A nit (louse egg) is about the size of a small flake of dandruff.

Treatment consists of anti-parasitics. Medicated shampoos may often help, but lice are becoming increasingly resistant. Patiently combing and removing nits, sometimes over several days, is sometimes necessary.

Lice

The above methods are expensive as they are becoming increasingly failing. People are seeking for cheaper and better alternative. Most of the home options available seem to be nontoxic and safe to use. They include kerosene and petrol. They apply it on the head and hope for the death of the lice. However, research has shown otherwise.

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Because of the chemical nature of lice and how fragile they are, most chemicals are effective against them including kerosene and petrol. However, the nits are highly resistant to different chemicals. Chemicals that are effective against them are toxic to human skin.

What Is Kerosene And Petrol

Kerosene is a liquid fuel, similar in composition to diesel, obtained from the distillation of crude oil.

In the UK, kerosene is also known as ‘paraffin.' Petrol is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of hydrocarbons (typically of chain length C4-12). It is produced by mixing fractions obtained from the distillation of crude oil with brand-specific additives to improve performance. Under normal conditions, it is a volatile liquid with a characteristic odour.

Following exposure to any chemical, the adverse health effects you may encounter depend on several factors, including the amount to which you are exposed (dose), the way you are exposed, the duration of exposure, the form of the chemical and if you were exposed to any other chemicals.

Exposure to kerosene and petrol normally occur when they are inhaled while being ingested (aspiration) or applied to the skin. A short, one-off exposure to kerosene and petrol is unlikely to result in any long-term effects. Repeated skin exposure may result in dermatitis (eczema). Kerosene can cause the skin to be irritated, drying and cracking due to defatting action. There may be transient pain with erythema, blistering and superficial burns.

Effect Of Kerosene And Petrol On skin

Breathing large quantities of kerosene vapour may cause non-specific signs such as dizziness, headache and vomiting. A severe lung injury called pneumonitis can occur.

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Breathing in petrol fumes (not vehicle exhaust) may cause dizziness, drowsiness headaches. Breathing in large amounts can result in coma, loss of muscle control, heart and lung problems. Petrol can cause the skin to become irritated, dry and cracked; if the skin is exposed for a long time then burns may develop. Dermatitis (eczema) can develop if exposure to the skin happens often. Petrol is highly flammable; it and its fumes may cause fire or explosions.on the head if not handled appropriately.

So applying kerosene and petrol to the head is dangerous as it can irritate the skin and cause other problems. Also, applying them to a head with hair will serve as a reservoir for the kerosene and petrol increasing exposure time. This whole explanation also hold true for diesel fuel. Never use these unapproved chemical for head lice.