Head lice prevention and treatment
Head lice prevention and treatment
According to NHS UK NHS UK Head Lice "Head lice and nits are very common in young children and their families. They do not have anything to do with dirty hair and are picked up by head-to-head contact.
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Head lice can make the head feel:
- Itchy
- Like something is moving in the hair
How to get rid of head lice
Advise them to treat head lice as soon as they spot them. They can treat head lice without seeing a GP. They should check everyone in their house and start treating anyone who has head lice on the same day. There's no need to keep their child off school if they have head lice.
Wet combing
Lice and nits can be removed by wet combing. They can buy a special fine-toothed comb (detection comb) online or from pharmacies to remove head lice and nits. There are many examples available including those available on NumarknetThere are instructions on the pack and they should:
- Wash hair with ordinary shampoo
- Apply lots of conditioner (any conditioner will do)
- Comb the whole head of hair, from the roots to the ends
It usually takes about 10 minutes to comb short hair, and 20 to 30 minutes for long, frizzy or curly hair. Do wet combing on days 1, 5, 9 and 13 to catch any newly hatched head lice. Check again that everyone's hair is free of lice on day 17. "Which" has a method video on wet combing shown below:
Medicated lotions and sprays
If wet combing has not worked or is not suitable refer them to the pharmacist. The pharmacist might suggest a medicated lotion or spray. These kill head lice in all types of hair, and they can buy them from pharmacies, supermarkets or online. Head lice should die within a day. Some lotions and sprays come with a comb to remove dead lice and eggs. Some treatments need to be repeated after a week to kill any newly hatched lice. Advise customers to check the pack to see if they're OK for them or their child and how to use them. If lotions or sprays do not work, again, speak to a pharmacist about other treatments.
You cannot prevent head lice
There's nothing they can do to prevent head lice. They can help stop them spreading by wet or dry combing regularly to catch them early. Do not use medicated lotions and sprays to prevent head lice. They can irritate the scalp. There's no need for children to stay off school or to wash laundry on a hot wash.