Head Lice
Head lice are insects that live in your hair. They are a brownish-grey colour, measure just a few millimetres long and have six legs with claws to hold onto hairs. Head lice feed on blood from your scalp and are most commonly seen in children, but can also spread to adults.
Lice cannot fly or jump. They crawl very quickly from person to person when there is close contact between heads. They only live on humans and cannot be caught from pets.
An itchy scalp is the most common symptom of head lice, caused by a delayed allergic reaction to the louse's saliva and faeces (poo). This reaction may take between a week and three months to develop which means that you may have been infested for some time without knowing. Some people may not itch at all.
Female lice lay eggs called nits, which are the size of a grain of salt and white-grey in colour and may be easier to spot than live lice. The egg is laid close to the scalp and is stuck tightly to the hair shaft with a strong cement-like substance. This makes it hard to get off but easy to distinguish from flakey bits of skin, dried hairspray or dandruff.
Nits are more commonly laid behind the ears, under the fringe and at the nape of the neck. Female lice may lay between 50 and 100 eggs during their lifespan of around 30 to 40 days.
A moderate temperature and humidity are required for hatching which explains why head lice are more prevalent over summer. Most eggs hatch after seven to 10 days and it takes eight to 10 days for the head lice to mature and be able to mate.
Head lice are not a sign of dirty hair or poor hygiene. They are just as likely to be found in clean hair. Girls with long hair are more likely to get head lice if their hair is not tied back.
Detecting head lice
The best way to detect lice is by using a white hair conditioner and a fine-tooth nit comb. Check ALL family members!
Apply three times the normal amount of conditioner to wet hair and leave on for 10-20 minutes (this “stuns” the lice but does not kill them)
Comb through every section of the hair, from the roots to the ends, wiping the results on a white paper towel
If live lice are present, then one or more will be visible on the paper towel
Once each section of the hair has been checked, wash the conditioner out
If lice are found, treat (see treatment options below)
If no lice are found, repeat this method in a couple of days if you suspect lice may be present.
Periodic inspections using this method will help find head lice early!
See Your Pharmacist or Medical Professional
If you have a weakened immune system, serious medical condition, or if the infestation of head lice is really bad, always talk to a pharmacist. Also talk to a pharmacist if:
You have broken skin or sores on your scalp
You are unsure of the problem – skin conditions such as dandruff and psoriasis can be confused with head lice
The person with head lice is a child under six months old
You are pregnant, breastfeeding or have eczema or asthma
You still have head lice after treatment – check you have repeated the treatment according to the product directions.
Treatment Tips
Apply products exactly as directed on the label. Do not overuse. Some products may need to be reapplied after seven to 10 days to kill lice that have hatched from nits missed by the first treatment.
Only treat family members that were found to have lice in their hair
Treat everybody at the same time
Only use products intended for human use (DO NOT use fly spray, pet shampoo, or flea products)
Avoid getting the products in your eye
Some products may affect permed, coloured or bleached hair
Wash all hairbrushes and combs
Head lice do not survive long once away from the body
Use of lice sprays to treat objects such as toys, furniture, bedding, and carpet is not recommended since head lice are rarely present off the body
Presence of empty egg cases does not mean that the treatment has not worked since most products will not remove the egg cases from the hair
All products should be used with a fine-tooth nit comb to remove dead lice and eggs
Tell your child’s school or preschool.
Advice for preventing head lice
Avoid sharing hairbrushes, combs and hats
Avoid touching heads together
Keep long hair tied back
Check your child’s scalp and hair each week
Using head lice products to stop you from getting head lice is not recommended because it can make head lice resistant to treatment
Do not use products on humans that are intended for mite infestations in animals.
Treatment Options
Always discuss treatment options with your pharmacist to ensure the best outcome.
Pesticide-free treatment products
[GENERAL SALE]
e.g., NeutraLice Advance Lotion
Contains benzyl alcohol which stuns and blocks the louse's breathing parts, smothering it and causing it to die from dehydration
Use in conjunction with a nit comb
Works within 10 minutes
Safe to use in children as young as six months old.
Anti-lice (anti-parasite) products
[GENERAL SALE]
e.g., A-Lices
This product contains malathion which kills head lice and nits
Follow instructions on packet and repeat treatment
Do not use a hair dryer after treatment – heat reduces the product’s effect.
[GENERAL SALE]
e.g., Quellada, Parasidose Shampoo, Pyrifoam Lice Breaker
These products contain phenothrin or a man-made form of this substance which kills head lice and nits
Follow instructions on packet and repeat treatment
Some of these products may not be recommended for children under 30 months or for people with epilepsy, asthma or eczema.
Combination anti-lice products
[GENERAL SALE]
e.g., Para Plus
This product kills head lice and nits
Before using, check for sensitivity on a small part of the head
If irritation occurs, immediately rinse hair with water and stop using
Spray onto the scalp in a well-ventilated room
Do not spray near eyes, nose or mouth, or near flames or lit cigarettes
Do not use a hair dryer
Leave in for 10 minutes, then rinse and shampoo
It is not suitable for children under two years old, or for people with asthma or eczema.
Natural/herbal products or essential oils
[GENERAL SALE]
e.g., Lice Blaster, Mr Nits, Moov Head Lice range, NeutraLice Natural Spray, lavender oil, tea tree oil
Lice Blaster contains herbal extracts and essentials oils for the treatment of headlice in adults and children over 6 months of age
Mr Nits contains natural botanical oils
Moov contains a mixture of essential oils, including eucalyptus oil, which kills head lice and eggs
Moov should be applied as directed and the treatment repeated after seven and 14 days
a couple of drops of lavender or tea tree oil added to conditioner or on a hair brush before brushing may deter lice from settling on the hair.
Combs and egg-removal products
[GENERAL SALE]
e.g., Lice Blaster Comb, Moov Head Lice Combing Conditioner and Nit Comb, NeutraLice Conditioner Shampoo Lice Egg Remover, Parasidose Long Tooth Comb, Zaptec Lice Comb, Full Marks Removal Comb
These can be used to remove dead lice and nits after treatment
They can also be used for ‘wet combing’ to remove live lice and eggs
Egg-removal products can be used to aid combing.
Other products
e.g., LouseBuster (www.nitcrew.co.nz)
This method uses controlled heated air to kill head lice and nits
Must be performed by a trained operator and used in conjunction with a fine-toothed nit comb.
More Information
Availability of medicines
GENERAL SALE available through pharmacies and possibly other retail outlets.
PHARMACY ONLY available for sale through pharmacies only.
PHARMACIST ONLY may only be sold by a pharmacist.
Consumer Medicine Information on some medicines is available at the government website www.medsafe.govt.nz
