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The best home remedies for head lice

Photo credit: Steve Debenport - Getty Images
Photo credit: Steve Debenport - Getty Images

From Netdoctor

As the start of a new academic year looms and children return from a summer full of play dates, each pupil will be going to class with an increased chance of carrying head lice.

We speak to head lice expert Dr Ian Burgess to find out what nits are, how to prevent them and what to do if your children have head lice:

What are head lice?

Head lice hatch from 'nits' – egg cases attached to the hair. Nits are very common but completely harmless. They can be removed with fingers, a fine-tooth comb or egg removal lotion. Head lice, on the other hand, are small wingless insects that live on the scalp, feeding from the blood.

'Baby lice are extremely small but mature within 10 days and only after that are they able to reproduce, with numbers growing more slowly than most people think,' says DR Burgess. 'Females lay several viable eggs a day and adult lice can live for as long as a month.

Lice are spread only by head-to-head contact, so sleepovers, after-school activities, playing with friends and visiting family are the most common places for children to pick them up and pass them on.



Back-to-school season

Primary school children are at the prime age for catching head lice, as they tend to play closely together with greater head-to-head contact. This is especially true for girls, although boys are not immune.

'The back-to-school season is a common time for parents to worry about head lice, as regular head-to-head contact makes them easy to pass on when children meet their friends again after the summer break,' says Dr Burgess .

'I know it can feel stressful for parents when they're getting ready for the new school term but I would recommend being prepared before school starts when it comes to lice as they're pesky things that are often forgotten!' he adds.

'Head lice infestations do not solely happen at school, spreading just as easily in holiday clubs and when meeting new friends outside school, so make sure you check your children before the start of term. If you find live lice make sure you use a clinically proven head lice product to eradicate the infestation and speak to your pharmacist for advice.'



Do my kids have head lice?

Although the best-known symptom is the itching, only about 30 per cent of people itch when they have lice. The only way of truly identifying lice, says Dr Burgess, is to conduct regular checks with a specialised comb.

'Head lice can be uncomfortable, prevent sleep, hinder concentration, and even cause bullying,' says Dr Burgess.

'The best way to stop infestation is for families to check regularly, and that includes during the holidays, and then to use a treatment that lice can't build up a resistance to if they are found.'



How do I treat nits and head lice?

To keep your family lice-free, follow the simple three-strep process below:

✔️ Check

  • Comb your children's hair once a week.

  • Use a proper detection comb, with teeth no more than 0.3mm apart to trap head lice and white in colour so they can be easily seen.

  • If live lice are found, consult a pharmacist for treatment advice. Take a close look at all the family, and ask close family and friends to check as well.

✔️ Treat

  • Use treatment if live lice are identified.

  • Use a clinically proven treatment, ideally with a physical mode of action to which lice are very unlikely to build up resistance.

  • Follow treatment instructions carefully, making sure you complete each step as instructed.

✔️ Complete

  • Keep going until all head lice are gone.

  • Repeat the treatment for a second time seven days after the first to kill any lice that may hatch from eggs during that time, if the pack instructions specify that a second application is required.

  • Check that all head lice have gone about a week after the final application of head lice treatment to complete the process.



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