As soon as you have identified that head lice are present, it is important to take immediate action.  It will unfortunately be uncomfortable and unpleasant for everyone concerned, and will usually result in children in tears during hair washing.

The life cycle of a louse can last up to 35 days.  One female can lay up to 150 eggs that will hatch within 7 days, and will very quickly start laying eggs in their turn.  Infestations can become serious within a very short time.

You need a sharp, metal comb.  Wash the infested hair thoroughly then comb through the wet hair. Lean over a basin or the bath so that head lice can fall into it, rather than onto the floor.  Start at the very top of the hair by the scalp, and pull the comb right through the hair until you reach the bottom.  Lice will be trapped in the teeth of the comb, and the sharp edges will help release eggs from the scalp. 

This process will take a long time.  You need to make sure that every hair shaft is combed thoroughly, several times.

Wash the lice and eggs off the comb in water.  Do this every time you comb a section of hair from top to bottom.  You may see head lice moving around in the water or on the sides of sink.  Kill them quickly by squashing or drowning them. 

Do not dry the hair using a hairdryer.  The heat from the hairdryer will encourage eggs to hatch!

This type of washing needs to be repeated every day four days to remove adult lice.  Leave for three to seven days, and then repeat the process for another four days to get rid of emerging lice.  You may need several sessions to get rid of them.

Specialist shampoos are available from the pharmacy. These are usually chemically based.  Many people prefer non-chemical alternatives.  Ask a herbalist or a natural heath specialist for advice.  Frequently used alternatives include tincture of larkspur and cold infusions of quassia chips poured over the hair on a daily basis, or shampoos made of quassia, neem, eucalyptus, mint or tea tree. 

 If you have just found head lice in your child’s hair and it is too late to go to a pharmacy; you can try using household items. Look for something oily, which will loosen the head lice's hold on the hair, such as mayonnaise, whipped eggs, or almond oil mixed with eucalyptus or tea tree oil.  Leave on the hair for at least half an hour, comb through then wash thoroughly.  Cider vinegar can be added to the final rinse as a natural repellent.

As a precaution, everyone in the family should treat their hair as if they have head lice.  This will prevent infestations spreading.  Don’t share towels, and wash towels and bedding regularly.

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