Head Lice Help: Checklist For Recovery

When it comes to head lice, you can use all the help you can get. Eliminating a case of head lice, or even worse, an infestation in your home can be extremely difficult.  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show us that this year in the US up to 12 million children ages 3-10 will contract head lice. Think of all the adults, elderly and teens that are also living in households where those children reside. Those that do are much more at risk for contracting head lice themselves. Not to mention, super lice and ineffective over the counter shampoos are creating a huge head lice problem in school districts across the nation.

If you have found yourself with a head lice problem, take a second to look over this checklist for recovery. Remember, Lice Clinics of America is your best source for all head lice questions or concerns.

Head Lice Checklist For Recovery:

1) Determine Who is Infected. Remember, young children are most likely to bring head lice into the home, but anyone who is in direct contact with them is also at risk. Pets pose no threat to the transfer of head lice.

2) Which Treatment Should I Choose? Lice Clinics of America offer several viable options for killing head lice and their eggs. Our treatments range from in-clinic treatments to solutions for you at home. The AirAllé is an FDA-cleared medical device process that leaves you head lice free after a 90 minutes treatment that dehydrates the head lice and eggs. Our at home head lice kits you can use yourself provide you will all the tools necessary to thoroughly eliminate the problem.  The best approach is to talk with our experts and determine which option will be most effective for your family and lifestyle.

3) Deep Clean Hair Brushes, Etc. Any items that have been used on the scalp of an infected person should be soaked in bleach water for half an hour. After soaking them, rinse items and they are fine for use. Do not forget to check purses, backpacks or lockers for such items that also need to be cleaned to prevent reinfection.

4) Thoroughly Clean Clothing and Bedding. Any items that have been used that come into direct contact with the hair or scalp need to be deep cleaned. Place pillows, bedding, stuffed animals, hoodies, beanies, winter coats, etc in a washing machine. If items cannot be washed, try placing them in the dryer for 30 minutes on a high heat setting. Another option is to bag items for up to a week. Head lice and nits will die if not supported by a human host for 48 hours.

5) Clean Household Items. Don’t overlook the couches, carpets or other items that could be harboring head lice. Things like bean bags, recliners or places that head lice could’ve been knocked off onto need to be thoroughly vacuumed or wiped down with a cloth.

6) Keep Checking Scalp for Several Weeks. One of the biggest mistakes people make is to assume that head lice are gone after a one-time application. Check scalps often for symptoms or signs of head lice. It can be tricky to eliminate and sometimes weeks of applications can be necessary to truly eliminate head lice.