How to Stop Nits

Head lice are parasitic insects that infest your scalp and hair. These tiny, flightless bugs feed off the blood from your scalp, which causes itching and discomfort. Head lice is very contagious and are "second only to the common cold among communicable diseases affecting schoolchildren," according to the Mayo Clinic. Nits are the small eggs that head lice lay along strands of hair. These eggs need to be removed in order to end the lice infestation.

Things You'll Need

• Lice-treatment shampoo
• Bowl
• Hair clips
• Fine-toothed nit comb
• Tissues

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Instructions

• 1

  Wash your child's hair with lice-treatment shampoo to kill the adult lice and loosen the nits from the strands of hair. Follow the treatment directions closely to guarantee effectiveness. Wash hair over the sink.

• 2

  Wring the excess moisture out of her hair and then lean her head over the bowl. The bowl will catch any dead lice or nits that may fall from her head while combing.

• 3

  Divide the hair into sections. Separate the front into two sections and the back into two. Clip all but one of the sections out of your way. You will work on one at a time.

• 4

  Separate a 1-inch piece of hair from your first section. Place the lice comb as close to the scalp as possible and then pull it through the hair.

• 5

  Comb through the small section of hair, from scalp to tip, several times to remove the nits. Ensure your child is still holding her head right over the bowl to catch the nits.

• 6

  Clip the combed section of hair away from the rest with a clean hair clip. Wipe the teeth of the comb with a tissue to remove the nits and discard immediately.

• 7

  Repeat Steps 4 to 6 for her entire head. Once complete, wash the bowl in hot, boiling water. Soak the nit comb in hot, boiling water for 10 minutes before using again.

• 8

  Remove your child's clothing and wash them in the washing machine set on the hot-water cycle. Dry the clothes on high for at least 20 minutes.

• 9

  Inspect and comb your child's hair every day for the next seven to 10 days.