Removing the nits from the hair of the person affected won't make a difference if adult lice are still able to breed. As long as there are adult lice, new batches of eggs will continue to appear on the hair. These additional eggs will then hatch into more lice, which in turn will lay more eggs. This unending cycle is not broken until all adult lice have been killed.  Submerging your hair underwater for an extended period of time will not kill or drown lice. Studies show that the lice simply cling to the hair or scalp while underwater and can survive underwater for several hours. The chlorine in pool water, unfortunately, is also not strong enough to kill lice.   To kill adult lice, wash your hair, or that of the person affected, with over-the-counter lice shampoo. In extreme cases of head lice, prescription-strength head lice shampoo is also available. One option is Pyrethrum, which comes from chrysanthemum flowers that harbor natural insecticides called pyrethrins. Pyrethrins attack lice’s nervous systems, though some lice are now resistant to the toxin. Apply the shampoo to dry hair. Then, wait ten minutes, add water, work into a lather, and rinse. You should then try to remove nits and repeat the process seven to 10 days later, to kill any remaining bugs. Although there are few clinical studies on its effectiveness, some people believe that you can kill lice by suffocation. The way this works is that certain products, they argue, clog the bugs’ breathing holes. Lice can survive for hours without breathing, but eventually they will die.  Try a petroleum jelly like Vaseline. Apply the jelly to your hair and scalp thickly. The jelly must remain for up to eight hours to kill, and you should wear a shower cap to restrict air flow. Keep in mind that Vaseline will be very hard to remove and will not kill the nits.  Some people also advocate the use of common olive oil. Again, some claim that the oil plugs the insects’ breathing holes and suffocates them. Like Vaseline, you should apply the oil to your hair and scalp, don a shower cap, and wait about eight hours before cleaning the oil. As a bonus, the oil should loosen the nits from your hair and make it easier to remove them.  Mayonnaise may work as well. Mayo contains a large amount of oil, which seems to be the suffocating ingredient. Apply to your hair and scalp like Vaseline and olive oil. Anecdotal evidence suggests that regular, high fat mayonnaise works best. Sit down in an area with plenty of natural or artificial light. This will make it easier the person removing the nits to actually see them, as they are small and are glued to the hair near the scalp. Additionally, drape a towel over your shoulders to catch any hair or nits that fall off.
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One-sentence summary -- Exterminate all adult lice. Try a prescription shampoo. Suffocate the live lice as an alternative. Prepare your nit-removal area.


. Your body needs water to function and, if you aren’t drinking enough water each day, your body will retain excess water to make up for your deficient consumption. If you aren’t currently consuming 64 ounces (1.8 liters) of water per day, make that your goal.  You can consume up to 135 ounces (4 liters). Ramp up your intake by 2 or 3 glasses of water per day if you are already drinking 64 ounces. Beware that increasing your water consumption to an unhealthy level can hurt your sleep patterns, interrupt your daily schedule, or lead to discomfort. You can include clear juices and teas in your estimated consumption. You can burn through more calories and remove more water weight and waste from your body by exercising.  Walk for 30 minutes at lunch and after dinner. Avoid snacking in the evening; this will add weight that your body does not have time to burn off within one day. Perform strenuous chores around the house. Sweep, don’t vacuum; move all the furniture and clean under it, polish your banisters, etc. Sodium consumption leads to excess water retention, and can also lead to bloating and discomfort. Aim to eat less than 1,500 milligrams of salt per day.   The easiest way to reduce sodium is to cut out all processed foods. This includes cereal, baked goods, cheese, lunch meats, frozen vegetables, canned soups, canned vegetables or beans, and sliced bread. Salt is a preservative (as well as a flavoring), and processed foods are rich in salt. Consume foods with little to no processing, like eggs, wild rice, quinoa, fresh vegetables, fresh fruits, garlic, salads, freshly caught seafood, unsalted nuts and seeds. Like sodium, starch helps your body to retain water. If you cut starch from your diet today, you will retain less of the water that you consume. To cut back on starch consumption, avoid foods like:  Pastas and French fries. Breads, cookies, and cakes Rice and baked potatoes.
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One-sentence summary -- Drink lots of water Increase your physical activity. Reduce your sodium intake. Reduce your starch intake.


While these requirements vary in their specifics, you'll typically have to be a legal adult with at least a high school diploma.  You'll also often be required to prove that you've cut hair for a substantial time period (typically in the 1,000-hour range). The licensing authority that establishes the requirements might be a barber examiners board, a board of cosmetology, or a similar board. A barber school is an institution that teaches you how to be a barber.  Locate barber schools in your area and schedule a meeting with a representative of the school.  There is no right choice when choosing a barber school.  If you have multiple barber schools in your area, compare the cost, quality of instruction, and level of attention you'll get at each when making your decision.  Barber school will teach you how to use different scissors, clippers, combs, and other hair styling tools.  You'll also learn how to clip hair (including facial hair) and gain experience sculpting different hairstyles. When researching barber schools, find out how large the class sizes are.  Smaller classes are generally better, since you'll likely get more personalized instruction. The cost of attending barber school varies significantly from place to place.  In the U.S., for instance, costs can range from $6,500 to $10,000.  Barber school programs necessary for certification typically last about 1 year. Early in your barber school training, you'll gain experience cutting hair by practicing on mannequins.  Later, you'll probably be assigned (or asked to seek out) an externship with a local barbershop.  There you'll work as an apprentice and be be tasked with cutting clients' hair. If you're asked to find an externship on your own, approach various barbershops and explain that you are a barber school student in search of work opportunities.  Provide the barber with all relevant information, including how long you wish to apprentice there, what your experience is to date, and what your career goals are. Once you've identified and fulfilled the requirements for becoming a barber, fill out the license application and submit it with the appropriate fee.  The cost of this fee ranges from $20 up to $110 or more depending on your location. Proving you're experienced typically requires attaching a letter or signature from the licensed barber under whom you trained or worked, as well as the transcripts or degree from the barber school you attended. After completing your education and training period, you might not feel confident enough to open your own barbershop just yet.  That's okay!  Look for opportunities to extend your training under the same barber you've been working with, or find a better-paying opportunity elsewhere.  As an employee of another barbershop, you'll typically pay rent for a chair.  For instance, you might pay $100 per week to cut hair at the shop, and take home everything you keep. Alternately, you might be paid an hourly wage when working as an employee.
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One-sentence summary --
Contact your barbers' regulatory authority to determine the licensing requirements. Attend barber school. Gain some work experience in school and through externships. Obtain your barber's license. Perfect your craft by cutting hair at another barbershop.