How Important is Combing Out Head Lice?

Does another head lice outbreak at school or daycare make you want to tear your hair out?

With the wide array of head lice treatment options now available, from traditional remedies to over-the-counter lotions and foams, it can be easy to look for ways to skimp out on combing. 

The reality is that combing is the traditional head lice and nit removal technique for a reason. It works really well, especially when combined with other effective treatments.

Combing shouldn’t really be looked at as an optional step, rather an indispensable one, when it comes to effectively wiping out a head lice infestation. 

To win the war against head lice, it’s important to know your enemy. Understanding their lifestyle is essential to know how to effectively time treatments and combing sessions to wipe out an infestation and prevent reinfestation.  The cycle all starts with the nits, or eggs, which are laid close to the scalp and glued to the hair shafts. It’s primarily nits that are removed during combing sessions.  Over time, these nits hatch into nymphs, immature lice that require blood meals to survive and eventually become adult lice. Once mature, adult lice continue the cycle by reproducing and laying more eggs.  Disrupting this lifecycle is essential for successful treatment, as it prevents ongoing reinfestation of the scalp. To successfully disrupt the lifecycle, it’s important to not only prevent the laying of eggs by live head lice, but also to prevent the nits from hatching in the hair.  Combing is the key to effectively removing nits that may be left behind after foam and lotion treatments, even if they can kill both lice and nits. After all, it can be easy to miss a spot during the treatment application. Combing provides another opportunity to catch and remove any would-be survivors. By physically removing lice and nits from the hair, you deny them the chance to lay eggs or hatch. Learn more about head lice and get into the Nitty Gritty!

Patience is a virtue when it comes to treating a head lice infestation. As stated previously, combing is a tedious, but necessary piece of the puzzle.  Combing manually removes potentially leftover nits from the hair, breaking their lifecycle and making reinfestation as unlikely as possible. To remove head lice and nits with a comb, start by being prepared. Make sure you have everything you need on hand for lice removal, including a metal lice comb, patience, and a well-lit room.  Be sure to use a fine-toothed metal comb designed for lice removal, and set aside adequate time for a thorough job, as rushed combing sessions may leave behind potential survivors and are a common cause of reinfestation.

Step 1: Treat Hair with a Head Lice Treatment

Begin by treating the hair with a head lice treatment according to the instructions on the package. Follow the directions on the package carefully. The treatment will kill head lice and nits, and surviving lice could be stunned or immobilised and need to be combed out.

Step 2: Detangle & Separate Hair into Sections

Before starting to comb, use a regular comb or your fingers to detangle the hair and separate it into manageable sections. This will ensure thorough coverage and make it easier to comb through each section.

Step 3: Start Combing

Starting from the scalp, carefully comb through each section of hair, working your way down to the ends. Be sure to comb through all areas of the head, including behind the ears and at the nape of the neck. Comb in a slow, methodical motion to ensure that you capture any lice or nits.

Step 4: Clean the Comb After Each Section

After combing through each section, carefully wipe the comb with a tissue or paper towel to remove any lice or nits caught in the teeth. This will prevent reinfestation and ensure that the comb remains effective. 

Step 5: Repeat, then Rinse

Continue combing through each section of hair until you have covered the entire head. Once complete, rinse the hair thoroughly to remove any remaining solution or conditioner.

Step 6: Follow Up with A Head Lice Prevention Spray

To help prevent reinfestation, consider using a head lice prevention spray like KP24 Rapid Defence Spray on the hair and scalp. It is fast and easy to use and repels lice with a combination of natural ingredients including eucalyptus oil, tea tree oil, cinnamon oil, orange oil and lavender oil. 

If you’ve got to sit around painstakingly combing out nits, you might as well do everything in your power to make the process as easy as possible.

One useful strategy is to keep children’s minds occupied during the process so that they’ve got a more positive or engaging activity to focus on. This could mean playing music, watching a favourite TV show, or having your child read out loud from a book (as your hands will be busy combing). 

If your child gets bored or fidgety, consider providing small rewards or incentives for cooperation during the combing process, such as stickers or special treats. 

Try to detangle the hair before you start. A special lice removal comb like the KP24 Dual Action Lice Comb can not only catch both the lice and their eggs (nits) more efficiently, it also has a wide-toothed end used to detangle hair so that the fine metal tooth end can glide through hair without snagging or pulling.  

Soft, conditioned hair is easier to comb through! You can apply a combing solution or a conditioner to tangle-free hair. You should apply a generous amount of head lice solution or conditioner to the hair to lubricate it and facilitate the combing process.

Did you know that nits are attached to hair with a strong, glue-like substance? It’s part of the reason why nits can be hard to remove from hair. Products like KP24 Lice Egg Remover are formulated to break down the connective glue between the egg and the hair, making the combing process easier.

KP24 has a range of head lice removal products designed to make combing out head lice as painless as possible. With the right strategies and tools, the head lice removal process can become less daunting and more tolerable for both parents and children alike.

Combing alone may not completely eliminate nits, as they can be quite resilient and firmly attached to the hair shaft. However, combining combing with treatments can significantly increase effectiveness. 

Treatments can help kill live lice and nits, making them easier to comb out. And if you happen to miss a nit while combing, a dead nit will not hatch.

By combining these methods, you not only address the current infestation but also disrupt the lifecycle of head lice, reducing the chances of reinfestation.

Check out KP24's range of fast-acting and effective head lice treatments!