Removal
Once dead, head lice wash out of hair very easily. However, most treatments leave dead eggs or empty egg shells (also known as ‘nits’) attached to hair. These eggs won’t hatch – or cause any harm – but that doesn’t stop most of us wanting to get rid of them, anyway!
The easiest way to do this is with the Full Marks Removal Comb – which catches the eggs between its very fine teeth.
Here’s what you’ll need –
- A Full Marks Removal Comb
- An ordinary comb
- White tissue paper
- Shampoo and Conditioner
- Good lighting
- About 15 minutes for normal length hair
Insecticides
- Wash the hair thoroughly with normal shampoo.
- Apply enough conditioner to thoroughly cover the hair.
- Remove any tangles by combing the hair with an ordinary comb.
- If the hair is long, separate into sections to make combing easier.
- Take the Removal Comb, and with its teeth touching the scalp, slowly draw it out to the tips of the hair.
- After each stroke, check the teeth of the comb in good light for any lice. It may be useful to wipe the teeth of the comb on tissue and check for any lice on that.
- Continue to comb each section thoroughly until the whole head is done. This can take around an hour for long hair.
What happens if you spot live lice after treating your child
If it appears that a treatment has failed, it could be due to a number of reasons:
Re-infestation
Head lice treatments will not prevent an individual from catching head lice again. Therefore, if a friend or family member has lice without knowing, it’s likely they’ll be passed around again and again. That’s why contact tracing is important.
Insufficient application or use
Whatever treatment you choose, it is essential to apply enough of the product. Make sure all the hair is saturated, as the product must cover the entire head to be effective. Some standard size bottles may not contain enough product for long and/or thick hair.
Always follow the manufacture guidelines as, if the treatment is incorrectly applied or not followed up with a second treatment after 7 days when necessary, treatment failure can occur.
Resistance
Resistance has been found in traditional insecticides as they work by poisoning the lice, rather than by a physical action. If this is the case, you should speak to your local healthcare professional who can advise on a non-traditional insecticide treatment (such as Full Marks Solution) which has no known resistance.
If treatment failure reoccurs, it’s best to speak to your pharmacist, nurse or doctor about what to do next.
