Do's and Don'ts

What to do

If headlice have infested your family here's what you should try:

Use a conditioner and nit comb

The easiest way to find lice is to put lots of conditioner - at least three times as much as usual - on dry hair. Conditioner stuns the insects for about 20 minutes and makes them easier to comb out. Nit combs come in plastic or metal and range in price from $4 to over $20. Some have much finer teeth than others. You may need to experiment to find one that works well in your children's hair.

With the conditioner in, comb all over the scalp, especially around the hairline at the back of the neck, behind the ears and on the crown. Work through the hair one section at a time, from the roots out. Wipe the teeth of the comb on a clean tissue to see what lice and nits are being removed. Keep going until you can't find any more live lice. Sadly, even if you're very thorough, nit-combing may not work on its own.

Buy an insecticide-based treatment

The next step is a treatment based on an insecticide: either permethrin (or its variants phenothrin or d-phenothrin) or malathion (also called maldison). These treatments come as shampoos, lotions and sprays. There is no reliable evidence we know of that one product is more effective than any other. However, they are all likely to be more effective than just nit-combing.

Use the treatment exactly as stated

Follow the warnings and instructions carefully. Insecticides should kill the lice pretty quickly, but they won't kill live eggs, which will hatch over the next seven or so days. Most products suggest at least one repeat treatment up to a week or 10 days later, to get rid of any newly hatched lice. If the infestation is severe, you may even need a third application.

If there seems to be no significant reduction in the live lice numbers, and you're sure you've followed the instructions properly, don't use the treatment again. Try one with a different active ingredient.

Comb with conditioner

After you've used the treatment, repeat the combing/conditioner process as explained above. A combination of correctly applied insecticide and very thorough nit combing is your best bet for getting rid of headlice.

Treat everyone together

Treat every infected person in the house at the same time - and if your kids play with others who are infected, get them treated as well.

Try an electronic comb

A Robi electronic comb "zaps" lice with an electric current as it strikes them, injuring or killing some and making it easier to comb them out. Robi combs are expensive - you could suggest your school or pre-school group buys one to share.

Hot wash/hot dry

Lice will die quite quickly when not on a human head. But if you're worried about brushes and combs, hats and pillowcases, heat will also kill them. Wash the items in water at least 60°C, or spin them in the dryer set to hot. Do not apply hot water to a child's head: it will scald!

What not to do

• Do not treat unless the child is infected. These are not preventive products. They should only be used if you know there are insects to kill.
• You shouldn't need to cut or shave off the hair. Lice in short hair are easier to control, but it can be done with long hair.
• Do not use shampoo, conditioner or hair dryer on hair within 24 hours of using a chemical treatment. Each of these can make the treatment less effective or cause it to fail.
• Do not use ordinary insecticides, pet shampoo or flammable petroleum products.
• Do not use chemical products if the person applying the treatment or the person being treated is pregnant.
• Keep headlice treatments out of reach of children.