Head Lice Elimination Information (2024)

FAQs

How can head lice be eliminated? ›

Your first line of defense against head lice is an over-the-counter (OTC) head lice treatment that typically comes in the form of shampoo. The main difference between various products is the active ingredient and which stages of head lice it kills.

Washing, soaking, or drying items at a temperature greater than 130°F can kill both head lice and nits. Dry cleaning also kills head lice and nits.

Overview. Head lice, or Pediculus humanus capitis, are parasitic insects that feed on human blood. You can find them mostly on your head, but also on your eyebrows and eyelashes. Adult head lice are roughly 2 – 3 mm long (about the size of a sesame seed).

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.

Traditional treatment for lice involves products containing pyrethrin and permethrin insecticides. Since super lice have become more resistant, doctors recommend stronger medications. Common drugs prescribed to treat resistant lice infestations include: Natroba.

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. A tea tree oil-scented spray or shampoo may be useful in preventing reinfestation.

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.

Lice treatment shampoos (called pediculicides) are available over the counter or with a prescription. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your doctor to recommend a product that's safe to use. Both over-the-counter (OTC) products and prescription treatments may kill live lice and their eggs (nits).

So, How Long Do Lice Live on a Mattress? Head lice can only survive for 1-2 days once they have fallen off their host. That is because they rely on the blood of their host as food several times per day.

In actuality, untreated head lice may degrade the scalp and affect its health. It will also affect your hair's health as well. If the hair follicles become blocked, then hair loss may occur. It is hard to have well-conditioned hair if it is covered in head lice, lice eggs, and bacteria.

How long can lice live on a hairbrush? ›

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.

Lice can be tricky to get rid of because nits can remain unhatched on your head or you might pick up lice that are still on bedding or other items. Here's what to do if you've had lice — or someone in your family has: Wash bed linens and clothing that anyone with lice has used recently.

Research doesn't support the use of apple cider vinegar to treat or prevent head lice. You may be able to treat lice with over-the-counter medications and combing to remove them. Head lice are small, wingless insects that feed on human blood. They're only found as parasites on humans.

Use the nit comb to remove dead lice and nits. If some are still present but moving slowly, do not shampoo again. If lice are still active and no dead lice are found, call your health care provider. These lice may be resistant to the medicine.

Help Your Family Prevent Head Lice

Teach children not to share clothing and supplies, such as hats, scarves, helmets, sports uniforms, towels, combs, brushes, bandanas, hair ties, and headphones.

Anise oil

Anise oil may coat and suffocate lice. A 2018 study of natural remedies for lice in children suggests that anise oil was one of the most effective natural remedies. Although other natural remedies were frequently effective, anise oil was one of just two that permanently eliminated lice.

"Without intervention, lice can reproduce and persist," says Dr. Jason Nagata, a pediatrician at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital in San Francisco. One reason for this is that lice feed on human blood and don't survive more than a day or two once they fall off the scalp.

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.