Quick Guide: Head Lice Removal

Facts and general information about head lice removal: diagnosis, treatment methods, and cost.

I.     Introduction

Head lice are small insects that live on people’s heads and feed on human blood. Head lice infestation is a widespread problem in children and causes concern among parents and childcare workers. However, they don’t transmit infectious diseases.

II.   Symptoms and spreading

You may get a tickling feeling on your head with itching and sometimes redness. Itchiness does not mean that a person has head lice and head lice don’t always produce symptoms.

Head lice spread through direct contact among children (head-to-head), or indirectly on items such as hats, combs, hairbrushes, headbands, and helmets. The head lice that live on people cannot live on pets or other animals and vice versa.

III. Diagnosis

Carefully inspect each person’s hair and scalp. Look for head lice eggs (called nits), which are oval and about the size of a pinhead. You will find them firmly attached to the hair shaft and they cannot be brushed off easily.

A female louse may lay about three to eight nits per day. The louse attaches the nits to the hair fibers within 1.5 cm of the scalp and needs the warmth from the head to hatch. Head lice do not have wings or jumping legs, so they cannot fly or jump from head to head. They can only crawl.

The most effective way to find them is to use the conditioner and remove them with a comb weekly:

Step 1: Comb hair conditioner onto dry, brushed hair to make it easier to comb and slow the lice’s movement.

Step 2: Section the hair and go from root to ends with a fine-tooth head lice comb.

Step 3: Squeeze tightly around the comb and wipe it onto a paper towel.

Step 4: Look through the towel and comb for lice and nits.

Step 5: Comb through every part of the head at least four or five times in different directions.

Step 6: You must treat every person that shows signs infestation to eliminate head lice.

IV. Treatment

There are three basic self-treatment options for head lice:

• topical pediculicides

• wet combing, and

• oral medication.

Some salons offer head lice removal services. The only downside is the price. This services will cost you good money (it can cost a few hundred dollars per children), and you’ll have to go there more than once. Rates aren’t fixed, but the price for this service is about $100 per hour.

Another alternative is a head lice treatment specialist, found in some areas of the country.

Topical pediculicides

Head lice products can be divided into four groups based on the active compound:

• pyrethrins

• synthetic pyrethroids

• organophosphates, and

• herbal products.

Effective pediculicides kill both lice and eggs. The pediculicide should be applied to dry or wet hair, left for the advised time, then rinsed thoroughly with warm water. No treatment kills 100% of eggs. Therefore, the procedure must be repeated 7–10 days after the first treatment to kill any nymphs that have hatched from remaining eggs.

If over-the-counter products containing pyrethroids do not work, it is unlikely that prescription strength (5%) permethrin will either. For children 2–12 years of age, preparations containing permethrin or pyrethrins are safe. All infected members of the patient’s family should be treated simultaneously.

Wet combing

Pediculicides are not recommended for children under two years of age. Therefore, mechanical removal of lice on wet hair with a hair conditioner and a fine-tooth comb is an alternative.

Oral Therapy

 A recent trial of oral trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim) in addition to permethrin rinses, only increased the cure rate marginally (89–95%).

Ivermectin has also been investigated for the treatment of lice resistant to conventional pediculicides but is not approved for the treatment of head lice.

Post Treatment

The scalp might become itchy after the lice treatment. This does not mean that the treatment didn’t work. Anti-itch medicine, such as Benadryl or another antihistamine, may help.

Head Lice Removal options for families in need.

Lice Treatment that is fast efficient and guaranteed.

Lice Clinic for professional treatment of lice, super lice, and nits in a single appointment.

Excellent5.0 Based on 315 reviews fromKarin CunninghamKarin Cunningham ★★★★★ Getting lice was a less than ideal situation, but Lice Charmers in Beaverton really saved the day. Their quick, professional team, and in-home service are highly commendable. Thank you a million times!Cheryl M.Cheryl M. ★★★★★ Lice Charmers deserves a 5+ review. Noticing a family member had lice we ran down to Lice Charmers. Melanie, was calm, professional and very thorough....Lori EhleLori Ehle ★★★★★ I can't even begin to tell you how nice it was to find this amazing company and know they dealt with the entire issue! Not to wonder if I got it all myself and for the reassurance they did was a comfort. As much as I hope to never have this issue again, it's great to know they are there if needed!Heather FriedmanHeather Friedman ★★★★★ I highly recommend Lice Charmers in Portland for lice removal. We had a home visit and Lexi was thorough with checking and treating. I was given a lot of information and was able to purchase medical -grade lice tools should we have to deal with this in the future.Megan CrownMegan Crown ★★★★★ Amazing experience visiting Lice Charmers. I found a louse in my hair late Friday afternoon and was able to make an appointment with Lex the next morning. She was extremely patient and gracious as I asked a million questions. Thank you SO MUCH!Anne MaddenAnne Madden ★★★★★ Lex is wonderful! I don’t recommend getting lice, but if you do, I recommend getting rid of them at Lice Charmers.Lex is thorough and great with kids. She made the process easy and as pleasant as it could be.Sarah ReuberSarah Reuber ★★★★★ Lex is thorough and kind. This was the second time we had to use the Lice Charmers service and I'm so grateful there is a service like this! It may be expensive but worth every penny to be lice free!!! Highly recommend.Amy BentonAmy Benton ★★★★★ Organized, timely, informative care. She was thorough and complete. Lice free after 1 visit! Thank you.Naomi BergNaomi Berg ★★★★★ My 16-year old & I needed a check and were able to schedule the same day we called. Lex & Melanie were very thorough, compassionate, and helped put our minds at ease! I am so grateful for their service & care—especially as a single parent!Destinie LachicaDestinie Lachica ★★★★★ This place is so amazing. I was stressed when my daughter had lice and they were so calm and answered all my questions. We called on a Saturday afternoon and she squeezed us in that same day around 5. My daughter went home lice free and with oil to take home. Would defiantly recommend.Colette NevaColette Neva ★★★★★ Fast, kind and fantastic service! I wouldn’t go anywhere else.Tamara WicklundTamara Wicklund ★★★★★ Lex was great! This is the second time we have used her service and very happy! She did great with my two boys and was able to adjust when one needed a break. Highly recommend her!Noelle DiazNoelle Diaz ★★★★★ Has a great experience here! Called on a weekday about 3:30 hoping to get checks for my family of 5 (including school age and toddler children) and we were able to all be fit in that afternoon/evening. It was our first experience with lice and it was helpful and informative- I feel more confident in the future now knowing what I’m looking for! Would definitely return here for swift, informative service.Alicia WellerAlicia Weller ★★★★★ Had been dealing with lice issues for months and finally decided to look into some professionals. Lice charmers got my daughters booked within 24 hours of calling. The gal who helped us, Lex, was AMAZING! She was thorough with every step and super patient with us. Would 10 out of 10 recommend!!Kathryn ReevesKathryn Reeves ★★★★★ My daughter is boarding in Oregon and discovered she had gotten lice from somewhere. She went to Lice Charmers and Lex took AMAZING care of her. Despite my daughter having incredibly long hair thick hair, Lex really took the time for a thorough treatment. And despite the fact that I am in another state, I was able to talk with Lex about care and follow up and any and all questions I had about lice. She was so nice and gave amazing tips and advice on the matter. She didn't brush me off or try to get off the phone. I talked with her for at least 20 minutes and she even helped me with questions on what to do and check for in our home and with my other kids, despite the fact that we are all on the other side of the USA. I'm so relieved that we had someone like her to care for my daughter away-from-home.js_loader

In-Home Lice Removal

One appointment and you’re lice free!

No devices, chemicals, products, or aftercare required.

Make An Appointment

Effective, private, and affordable treatment in the comfort of home.