Surefire ways to get rid of head lice

Lice are blood sucking critters that are not painful or dangerous, but they do require immediate attention to eliminate. Here are some surefire ways to get rid of your child's head lice.

Lice are tiny, wingless, six-legged parasites about the size of a sesame seed. They live on the human head and the females attach or “glue” their eggs to strands of hair close to the scalp. Since they can’t fly or hop, they are usually transferred by head to head contact or by sharing combs or brushes.

Lice are not a sign of poor hygiene, and they are not known to spread disease. Parents are still mortified when they discover their child has lice. Due to their size, lice are difficult to spot, which is why they are often not found until it’s too late. They leave behind empty eggshells or “nits” that you will need to get rid of along with the lice and eggs. Schools sometimes have strict policies on lice, requiring a “no nit” policy. If your child is infected, you will need to know your school’s guidelines.

These are hardy bugs and can survive the suffocating effects of swimming pools or homemade treatments like thick coats of mayonnaise or hair gel. There are different ways to get rid of lice, but it requires a combination of patience, over-the-counter medicated shampoo and combing with a special comb to remove the eggs and nits.

Lice can live up to two days off the scalp, so it’s important to wash any items that have touched the infected head including pillowcases, hats and towels. Don’t worry about the family pets – they aren’t carriers of lice. But if lice has infected one person in your house, check every head thoroughly and treat everyone at the same time. Ask your pharmacist for the best medicated shampoo available to treat lice.

• Apply the medicated shampoo per product instructions. It is usually applied to dry hair.
• Follow the instructions for the amount of time to let sit for, before rinsing.
• Work the medicated gel through small sections of hair, no more than two inches, with a special lice comb.
• Get the comb as close to the scalp as possible to remove the lice eggs.
• Once the entire head has been combed, rinse and repeat with the lice shampoo.

Some lice are resistant to medicated shampoos, so it’s recommended to repeat treatment after ten days to kill any lice that may have survived. Don't use medicated lice treatments on children under two. In those cases, you will have to remove lice and nits by hand.

Getting rid of head lice is annoying but not impossible. The best solution is prevention. Tell your kids about lice. Teach them not to share hairbrushes, combs, headphones, hats or bike helmets and not to touch heads with others who have lice. If there is a lice outbreak in the school, be proactive in checking for evidence of lice on items that have touched your child’s head. It’s easier to prevent lice than to get rid of them.