When do i know lice is gone

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Medically reviewed by Alana Biggers, M. Determining length of infestation Home treatments When to see a doctor Medical treatments Prevention About lice Takeaway Head lice are parasitic insects that commonly live close to the scalp.

How to treat lice at home. When to see a doctor. Medical treatments for lice. Steps you can take to prevent lice. A little more about lice. The takeaway. Super Lice. Lice Emergency? Read this next. Medically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M. Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph. Medically reviewed by Debra Sullivan, Ph. Applying too much can be harmful.

Applying too little won't work. It is also an option for anyone who doesn't want to use an insecticide. And it is the only option for children 2 months old or younger, who should not use medicated lice treatment.

To do this, use a fine-tooth comb on wet, conditioned hair every 3—4 days for 3 weeks after the last live louse was seen. Wetting the hair temporarily stops the lice from moving, and the conditioner makes it easier to get a comb through the hair.

There's no need to buy electronic combs that claim to kill lice or make nits easier to remove. No studies have been done to back up these claims.

You also don't need to buy special vinegar solutions to apply to the scalp before picking nits. Water and conditioner works fine. Though petroleum jelly, mayonnaise, or olive oil are sometimes used to try to suffocate head lice, these treatments may not work. If medicine doesn't work and you want to try these methods, talk to your doctor first.

A few important things to NOT do: Don't use a hairdryer after applying scalp treatments. Some treatments for lice use flammable ingredients and can catch on fire. Don't use pesticide sprays or hire a pest control company to try to get rid of the lice; these can be harmful.

Don't use essential oils such as ylang ylang oil or tea tree oil to treat lice on the scalp. They can cause allergic skin reactions and aren't approved by the U.

Don't ever use highly flammable chemicals such as gasoline or kerosene on anyone. Head lice spread quickly from person to person, especially in group settings like schools, childcare centers, slumber parties, sports activities, and camps. They can't fly or jump, but they have claws that let them crawl and cling to hair.

They spread through head-to-head contact, and sharing clothing, bed linens, combs, brushes, and hats. In the past, kids with head lice were kept home from school. But now doctors don't recommend these "no-nit" policies. In most cases, a child who has lice should stay at school until the end of the day, go home and get treatment, and return to school the next day.

While they are at school, kids should avoid head-to-head contact with other kids. It can help to put long hair up in a bun, braid, or ponytail.

As many parents know, fighting head lice can be an ongoing battle. There's no doubt that they can be hard bugs to get rid of. As Dr. Parents may split one dose into several applications or otherwise deviate from the directions.

If you are still seeing live crawlers, then you may have missed a step or the treatment is not effective against the type of lice your child has. Some parents turn to home remedies for head lice, such as tea tree oil, mayonnaise, neem oil, vinegar, saline spray and many others. These treatments are messy, time consuming and not supported by scientific evidence.

Consult with your pediatrician or contact a pediatric dermatologist for a prescription head lice treatment. If nits were alive, they would have hatched by now. Many prescription head lice treatments target nits along with adult head lice. Unfortunately, there is no proven head lice deterrent that will prevent your child from getting head lice again. The best you can do is stay alert for suspicious head scratching.

Not all kids will experience itching right away, but if they have had head lice before, they are more likely to start itching sooner. Catching this behavior early and treating it will help you stop a head lice problem at its roots. Turn on Animations. Our Sponsors Log in Register. Log in Register. Ages and Stages. Healthy Living. Safety and Prevention. Family Life. Health Issues. Tips and Tools. Our Mission. Find a Pediatrician.

Text Size. Page Content. What are head lice? This cycle can repeat itself every 3 weeks if head lice are left untreated. How common are head lice? How do head lice spread?

What are symptoms of head lice? How do you check for head lice? Seat your child in a brightly lit room. Part the hair. Look for crawling lice and for nits on your child's scalp a section at a time. Live lice are hard to find. They avoid light and move quickly. Use a fine-tooth comb to help you search the scalp section by section. What is the comb-out method? Here is how you use the comb-out method: Step 1: Wet your child's hair. How do you treat head lice?

Here are some safety guidelines: Follow the directions on the package exactly as written. Never let children apply the medicine. Medicine should be applied by an adult. Never place a plastic bag on a child's head.

Do not leave a child alone with medicine in his or her hair. Store medicine in a locked cabinet, out of sight and reach of children. What head lice medicines are available? Apply to dry hair and rinse off after 10 minutes. Kills lice; does not kill lice eggs.