How to Get Rid of Hair Lice

Having lice is embarrassing, so infected people want to get rid of them as soon as possible. The process takes some time and requires strict attention to treatment instructions and a deep household cleaning. There are certain steps that will boost the chance of getting rid of the lice once and for all.

Things You'll Need

• Over-the-counter lice treatment Nit comb

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Instructions

• 1

  Purchase a commercial lice treatment, which you can find at any large drug store, and a nit comb. You won't need a prescription for the treatment, although the druggist can help you if you need a recommendation on which treatment to select. Be sure to get an actual nit comb because regular combs are not fine enough to be effective and they won't get all the lice and nits out of your hair.

• 2

  Put the lice treatment on your hair, following the specific instructions that come with it, and make sure you leave it on for the full time it directs. If you remove it too quickly, it might not be fully effective. Once your hair is treated, you must not wash it with regular shampoo for a day or two, depending on the treatment instructions.

• 3

  After the period of time recommended by the treatment (usually up to 12 hours), have a helper remove the dead lice from your hair with the nit comb. You may find some that are still alive and those should be removed with the comb too. There shouldn't be many living lice. If you find more than a few, you may need to use a stronger treatment.

• 4

  Every two to three days after the treatment, have your helper check your scalp and comb out your hair with the nit comb. This needs to continue for two to three weeks to ensure that all of the lice have been removed. Depending on the type of treatment you used, you may also have to reapply it after 10 days to destroy any lice that were hatched from eggs after the first treatment.

• 5

  Use heat to decontaminate all of your clothing, bedding, linens, and towels to prevent a reinfestation. Wash everything in the hottest water possible, then run it through the dryer at a hot setting for the longest possible cycle you can use without causing damage to the items. For things that cannot be put into a dryer, seal them up in large plastic garbage bags and leave them out in the sun for an entire day. The interior of the bag should get hot enough to kill any lice. Thoroughly vacuum your house, including your furniture and mattress, and dispose of the bag outside of your house when you are done.