Lice.
Feeling itchy yet?
That response, along with an “eewww” is pretty typical, even just thinking about lice. And finding it on your child’s head? It’s enough to send even calmer parents into a tizzy. Hopefully the following information can help you and your household stay sane when confronted with an infestation.
Stay calm
1) Lice don’t carry disease.
They’ll make one’s scalp feel itchy, and scratching can lead to some scabs. Too much scratching anywhere can lead to secondary infections (bacteria on the outside getting “under” the skin and growing there). But the lice themselves don’t cause serious health problems.
2) Any human can get lice.
I know, that may not initially seem especially reassuring, but it should be. If your child gets infected, it’s not because they’re dirty, or because you haven’t kept the house clean enough. People of all social groups, economic statuses, and ethnicities can get lice.
3) Lice don’t jump, hop, or fly.
It takes prolonged, head-to-head contact to spread lice—think sharing a bed. Occasionally, lice can be transmitted from sharing headwear (hats and caps, scarves, and ribbons, and occasionally combs, hairbands, and barrettes), so “Don’t share what’s on your hair” is probably a good rule to teach our kids. But walking past someone or even sitting in the next desk for a school day will not spread lice.
4) Lice can be treated.
And finally, there are treatments, and they do work. So, you’re not stuck with lice forever.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing the lice is the first step. People will typically have lots of itching, especially behind the ears or along the hairline on the back of the neck. Look in these locations for small crawling bugs (about the size of a sesame seed), and for lice eggs (called “nits”) which are yellow to white casings adhered tightly to the shaft of a hair. The nits, too, are small—about the size of a knot in a thread. They need the warmth that comes from being close to the scalp (within a quarter of an inch) to survive, but they are adhered so tightly to the hairs, that empty and dead casings can be found farther along the hair shafts.
Treatment
Over-the-counter medication
If you do find lice, the first line of treatment is an over-the-counter medication. These generally do a good job of killing the live lice when the instructions that come with the medication are followed carefully. Conditioners and conditioning shampoos can interfere with the medication, so be sure not to use these just before a treatment. And, because the medications don’t work well on lice eggs (called “nits”), you’ll need to repeat the treatment in seven to ten days; it’s a different length of time for each medication, so again, be sure to follow the instructions.
Combing
Ever heard the term “nit picking”? The phrase comes from the tedious process of carefully combing through hair to remove the nits (egg casings) from a person with lice. Fortunately, this process is not required, as we can have much greater success using appropriately-timed medications. “No-nit” policies at schools and daycares are out too: children should not miss or be excluded from school because of head lice.
Cleaning
Extensive house cleaning is NOT necessary. Again, remember that lice don’t happen because our households or children aren’t clean.
- Clothing and bedding that has touched the individual’s head in the past two days should be washed using the hot water washing cycle (over 130°F) and the high-heat drying cycle. Dry cleaning kills lice too.
- You may want to treat stuffed animals as well. If these can’t be washed, storing them in plastic bags for a period of time (so that the lice don’t have access to humans) is an option. Since lice can’t survive without a human for more than one to two days, starving them for that length of time should be sufficient. For extra insurance, two weeks in a plastic bag (to make sure any eggs have hatched, and those adults can’t feed either) is more than enough.
- General household cleaning (vacuuming carpets and fabric-covered furniture) is plenty, to pick up lice that have fallen off the head of an infested person. “Fumigating” with insecticide sprays or fogs, either individually or professionally, is NOT necessary and will expose your household members to toxins.
Other household members
Check other household members for lice as well. Everyone who has it in any household in which your child spends significant time should be treated simultaneously. But pets do NOT need to be treated, since the lice only live on humans.
If following the above recommendations with the appropriate timing of any repeat treatments fails to resolve the infestation, then you’ll want to reach out to Pediatrics Northwest. There are prescription medications that can be used if over-the-counter medications fail.
FAQs
Ivermectin (Sklice). This lotion kills most head lice, even newly hatched ones, with just one use. You don't need to comb out lice eggs (nits). Children aged 6 months and older can use this product.
What kills lice and eggs instantly? ›
Ivermectin (Sklice). This lotion kills most head lice, even newly hatched ones, with just one use. You don't need to comb out lice eggs (nits). Children aged 6 months and older can use this product.
Should kids with head lice stay at school? ›
In the past, kids with head lice were kept home from school. But now doctors don't recommend these "no-nit" policies. In most cases, a child who has lice should stay at school until the end of the day, go home and get treatment, and return to school the next day.
How long can lice live on a hairbrush? ›
The CDC also advises against sharing hairbrushes. Adult head lice can survive for 2 days and nits for around 1 week on a hairbrush. Soaking combs or hairbrushes in hot water of at least 130°F (54.4°C) for 5–10 minutes will kill any lice and nits.
How to remove lice from hair permanently? ›
Start by wetting the hair and lubricating it with hair conditioner or olive oil. Comb the entire head from the scalp to the end of the hair at least twice during a session. The process typically should be repeated every 3 to 4 days for several weeks — at least two weeks after no more lice are found.
Can head lice live in pillows? ›
Since head lice must feed on the scalp of a host to thrive, they cannot dwell on pillows or linens. Lice can only live for 48 hours after dropping off a host scalp. While lice can spread from one person to another's head if they share bedding, the odds of them doing so is unlikely.
What melts lice eggs? ›
Does anything dissolve nits in hair? Permethrin may be effective at dissolving nits in your hair. Researchers in a small 2019 study tested several treatments and found that compounds like isononyl isononanoate in a watery gel application were effective at dissolving nits, too.
How far can head lice jump? ›
Head lice do not have wings or jumping legs, so they cannot fly or jump from head to head. They can only crawl. People catch head lice from direct head-to-head contact with another person who has head lice.
What's the difference between nits and lice? ›
Head lice are tiny insects that live in hair. Nits are the empty egg cases attached to hair that head lice hatch from. Head lice are a common problem, particularly in school children aged 4 to 11.
What's the best head lice treatment? ›
Nitrid Ultra Once All-in-One Head Lice Treatment Spray & Comb. Only taking about 2 minutes for effectiveness, this lice treatment works as a spray killing 100% of lice and their eggs. It comes with a fine tooth comb that you can use to remove all lice and eggs once you've applied the spray.
Research suggests that bed linen, hats, clothing and furniture do not harbour or transmit lice or nits and that there is no benefit in washing them as a treatment option. Nits and lice only live on the human head. They quickly dehydrate and die if removed from the head.
Can I sleep in my bed if I have lice? ›
Lice are most often spread by head-to-head contact with another person who has lice, such as sleeping in the same bed. Although they do not survive long away from a human host, lice may also be spread by wearing another person's hat or clothing, or by using another person's comb, brush, or bedding.
How to tell if nits are dead? ›
Living lice eggs, or nits, range in color from white to light brown. Dead lice eggs are darker and can appear brown or black. The casings left behind by nits that hatch are typically translucent. You can use a lice comb to get rid of lice eggs that are either living or dead.
What kills 100% of lice? ›
Tea Tree Oil. Though many people are sensitive to tea tree oil, it has been shown to be effective at killing lice. One study showed a 100% mortality rate after 30 minutes of treatment.
What does hair lice hate? ›
What repels head lice? Coconut, tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon grass, and peppermint are scents popularly believed to repel lice. Using any coconut scented shampoo and conditioner is an easy way to increase your defense. At 1% concentration, tea tree oil killed 100% of head lice after 30 minutes.
Can lice naturally go away? ›
Head lice will not go away on their own. If you think your child has an infestation, there are several steps you should take right away. Call your doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Notify your child's day care or school so other students can be checked.
What suffocates lice eggs? ›
Apply Olive Oil treatment- Apply oil on days 1, 2, 5, 9, 13, 17, and 21. These treatment days have been carefully timed to coincide with the life cycle of the louse. Olive Oil smothers and kills active head lice, making nit removal easier and moisturizing the hair and scalp.
Does vinegar release lice eggs? ›
Vinegar is one of the classic home remedies for lice. However, if you are trying to find out how to get rid of nits using vinegar, you should know that using vinegar to kill nits or lice eggs is totally ineffective. Vinegar has no negative effect on the lice eggs.
What is the fastest way to get rid of body lice? ›
A person that has body lice should shower and regularly change into clean clothes to get rid of body lice and keep them from coming back. Infested clothing, bedding, and towels should be washed in hot water (at least 130°F) and then placed in a clothes dryer on the hot cycle to kill any lice and nits.
How long can dead nits stay in hair? ›
How long can dead nits stay in hair? Nits stick to the hair shaft. Hatched casings and dead nits can stay on the hair shaft for months, even after curing the lice infestation, unless you remove them manually. Because of this, finding nits alone doesn't always mean there's an active lice infestation.
