Lice Checks
Lice Charmers does head lice checks at all of our lice clinics. If you are unsure if you have an active head lice infestation, we can do a lice check and show you what evidence we find. This is a great option for people trying to treat head lice on their own and want peace of mind that the lice are gone, or if they need to continue treating, or need to know exactly who has it and who doesn’t.
How We Do Lice Checks
We only do wet checks. This is when the hair is oiled and a trained lice tech uses our screening process to diagnose an active case of head lice. If there is one bug or a nit, we will find it. This process may take from 10-30+ minutes depending on the amount of hair.
A wet check is the only way to know with 99% confidence that you do not have head lice.
A dry check, where someone pokes through the hair for a little while, does not cut it. It doesn’t matter who does the check: pediatrician, nurse, hair stylist, your friend who does it herself, dad, mom, a lice professional. If they are not doing a wet check, you are rolling the dice on knowing if head lice are truly gone or just hard to find.
Before deciding where to go to get checked, ask about their checking process:
- How do you do your lice checks? They must oil the entire head.
- How long does it take? Ten minutes minimum for three inch or shorter hair and 20+ for anything longer.
- How do you check the comb for evidence? Papertowel or similar. Anything except using water or just looking at the comb because it is too easy for evidence to get trapped or hidden in the comb teeth or where the teeth connect to the handle.
It takes just one fertilized female or two nits to keep an infestation going. Don’t make the mistake of skimping on a lice check.
Need a Lice Check Nearby?
We have locations in the Portland metro and Seattle metro service areas. Call to schedule.