Tackling Head Lice

How to Treat Head Lice in Children

So you’ve done it, you have survived the school holidays, take a bow! You’ve made the lunches, wrestled the school ties, shined the shoes and just like that they are back at school. Phew!
 
Stick the kettle on and relax. Three weeks later it begins when the official text arrives from the school. Head lice alert! Nits. Nooo!
 
We all remember the dreaded endless combing from our own childhoods.  And the sting and stench of chemical treatments! These days times have moved and more gentle treatments are widely available in Ireland to save your little ones the trauma. 
 

What are Head Lice?

Head lice are tiny, six-legged, wingless insects about half the size of a pinhead. They live in human hair and feed on blood sucked out through the scalp. Eeew! They live for about 28 days and have 3 development phases: egg (more commonly known as ‘nit’), nymph, and adult louse. The fully-developed adult lice grow to about the size of a sesame seed. The female lays about 10 eggs or nits per day. They cannot fly, jump or swim.
 

How to treat a Head Lice infection.

Don’t worry too much if your child is scratching. Head lice are actually quite common and most kids get them at least once. The itching is caused by a sensitivity to the saliva the lice leave on the scalp. It may take 4 to 6 weeks after the lice get on the scalp before itching occurs. So regular checking with a fine-tooth comb is recommended. Be sure to check behind the ears and around the nape of the neck as lice are often found there. 
 

How to Treat Head Lice Fast

If you discover head lice, you will need to treat the head with an anti-lice shampoo. Licener Anti-lice Shampoo contains natural Neem-extract that kills lice and their eggs in one treatment. Licener has proven its effectiveness through clinical studies done on children suffering from head lice. The shampoo is gentle on the skin and soft on hair, it does not sting and has a neutral odour. Licener is easy to use and works in just 10 minutes. 
 Licener is a non-toxic head lice shampoo, free from insectides. It is made from natural active ingredients and it does not contain any chemical substances that are dangerous. No combing is required, simply massage the shampoo into the hair and leave on the hair for 10 minutes and rinse way the culprits and that is it. 
 

How to Prevent Head Lice

1. Check the hair often. Do this by parting the hair into sections and combing it through with a fine-tooth comb. Wipe the comb with kitchen paper after each comb to see any lice.
 
2. After treatment, be sure to wash your child’s clothes, towels, hats, and bed linens in hot water and dry on high heat.
 
3. Check all household members and treated them if necessary to prevent re-infection.
 
4. Get in the habit of checking once a month with a comb to detect a possible infection and avoid getting caught out.
 
5. Tie back long hair. 
 
6. Act immediately if your child’s school has notified you of a possible infection.
 
7. If you find lice, notify your child’s school immediately.
 
8. Discourage your child from sharing hats, combs, brushes, towels, hair slides, or hair combs with each other.

Clare, Swords Co. Dublin

“This head lice treatment worked!  It saved us hours of combing, upset and tears. There is no stinky odour, so I would definitely buy it again”