HEAD LICE AFFECT EVERYONE

Simple guidelines for the prevention, detection and treatment for you and your family.

Head lice

Head lice are very small six-legged insects. The adults are a bit bigger than a pin head and they cling to the hair very firmly when necessary. They may be flesh coloured, or darker after biting the scalp and sucking the blood.

They like the warmth close to the scalp and need warmth to hatch. Once hatched the empty egg shells (nits), stay on the hair for some time and are more noticeable as the hair grows. The nits are white and shiny and harmless. Head lice have adapted to our way of life. They do not mind shampoo, water, short hair, long hair, gel, mousse or hairspray. They can only be killed by an insecticide.

Ask your pharmacist or your doctor about the recommended product.

Prevention and detection

Inspect hair weekly, after washing (with conditioner if preferred). Look for lice by combing wet hair with a fine-toothed detection comb (available from a pharmacy), over a sheet of white paper or white sink. Watch for lice in rinsing water when washing your child's hair. Lice droppings may show as black specks on a pillow or a collar.

Comb the hair night and morning. Head lice are very vulnerable to regular combing with a fine-toothed comb. The lice are lifted out of the hair on the comb, away from food and warmth, and are unable to lay eggs. If all members of the family comb thoroughly every night and morning it will stop the spread of lice.

Always inform relatives, close friends, and the school if you catch head lice.

Treatment

Ask your pharmacist or your doctor about the recommended product. See your doctor first before treating babies under six months. Breast-feeding or pregnant mothers should consult their doctor or a pharmacist.

Children under 3 years of age, and people with asthma or sore skin must use a water based product. Insecticidal shampoos are not recommended, because they are much less effective than lotions.

Treat everybody showing signs of live lice or eggs at the same time (use a detection comb), to prevent re-infection within the family or friends. If anybody has been swimming, wash and dry the hair before using the lotion.

Keep all head lice treatments out of the reach of the children. Protect the eyes with a cloth or towel, before using the lotion. Put the lotion on dry hair, follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully.

Check the head again for signs of live lice or live eggs 7 days after treatment, only repeat the treatment if they are found. A lotion should not be used more than once a week for 3 weeks at a time.

If the treatment is not successful, check whether all close family and friends been treated. Consider whether enough lotion was used, and whther or not it was used on dry hair. Perhaps it was not left on for long enough. If in doubt, contact your pharmacist, school nurse, health visitor, or doctor for further help.

Repellents

A head lice repellent is available from pharmacists. It does not kill head lice, but may prevent you catching head lice during an outbreak. Check there are no live lice or eggs on the head before using a repellent. It should not be used by people with asthma or sore skin.

Do not use a treatment to try to prevent infection, only use it when live lice or eggs are detected.

Incidence

All adults and children can get head lice. Children may initially get them from adult carriers who are unaware that they have head lice. Children of playgroup or nursery age and young primary school children are in close contact during work and play, and their heads often meet. Families are in close contact; they cuddle and hug each other and may pass on head lice.

Head lice will travel from one warm head to another when in close contact. They do not jump or hop, and are not passed on in clothing or hats. Any head lice that come off the head may survive for a time, but cannot function again because of the drop in temperature.

Head lice are spread by embarrassment, but the real shame is not telling your family or friends. You are doing them a favour if you warn them you have head lice.