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What head lice treatment options are available for children?
Answered on 11th January 2016
Many people prefer to try natural methods, rather than medication, to treat head lice. This is advisable, as there is evidence that lice are becoming more resistant to certain treatment options that were frequently used in the past. The most effective treatment to rid hair of nits and lice is wet combing, although this takes a long time to do thoroughly and is not a guarantee against re-infestation.
Wet combing doesn’t require any particular lotions or sprays, but it does need to be carried out regularly in order to be effective. It has a set method which needs to be followed carefully:
Wash your little one’s hair using shampoo and then apply lots of conditioner, leaving it in the hair
Use a wide-toothed comb to untangle and straighten all hair
Once the comb moves freely through the hair, switch to a louse detection comb
Comb your little one’s hair over a piece of paper so that you can see all the lice drop out (this will probably take around 30 minutes). The hair should be combed in small sections and the comb cleaned with tissue between each stroke. It should be continued until no lice can be seen dropping out of the hair. This should take around 30 minutes
Repeat every 3-4 days for a fortnight to remove any lice before they have a chance to lay new eggs
Only lice can be removed by combing, not eggs.
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What are head lice?
Answered on 11th January 2016
What are the symptoms of head lice?
Answered on 11th January 2016
How are head lice diagnosed?
Answered on 11th January 2016
What is the difference between head lice and nits?
Answered on 11th January 2016
What is the head lice life cycle?
Answered on 11th January 2016
If my child has head lice, do they need to be kept off school?
Answered on 11th January 2016
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