Lice are wingless insects, between 1 and 3 mm in size, which live on human beings and feed on blood. They spread easily from person to person by body contact and shared clothing and other personal items.
Every four hours or so, a louse bites into a tiny blood vessel for a meal. Because the saliva of the head louse contains an anaesthetic, you won’t feel the initial bite. However, as its saliva gets under your skin, bites begin to itch. This may lead to intense scratching often breaks the skin, and can lead to infections.
What are nits?
Nits are the eggs before they have hatched. The lice that emerge are called nymphs. Nymphs grow and molt 3 times before they become adult lice after 16 to 18 days. For this reason, re-treatment should be carried out about 7 days after the first treatment to kill off any juvenile head lice (nymphs) that have hatched since the first treatment. A third treatment may be required at 14 days to kill off any head lice that are late in hatching. By killing nymphs before they grow to adulthood, the life cycle can be broken.
What causes Head Lice?
Contracting lice is not related to poor hygiene. Head lice are thought to prefer clean hair to dirty hair. However, good hygiene can combat body lice. Head lice are spread by personal contact and by shared brushes, combs, hats and other personal items. Head lice are common in school children and do not discriminate.
What are the signs of head lice?
Signs of head lice include a tickling feeling of something moving in the hair. Irritability and lack of concentration. Head lice droppings - these show as black specs on pillow cases or collars.
What does head lice look like?
They are the size of a sesame seed. Nits are the eggs and are yellowish white in colour. The eggs are sometimes mistaken for dandruff. Head lice can be anything from greyish white to white in colour.
How can eggs survive the treatment?
They can escape the treatment by lodging in an air bubble. Therefore, the product needs to be massaged in well in order to overcome this problem.
I have left it on for the required time as per your packaging but it still hasn’t worked?
When the hair becomes wet the insect's reaction is to close down holes in its body surface used for breathing and this can make it more difficult for the product to penetrate. They can close down for around 20 minutes. So for better results apply the product to dry hair and re-treat after 7-10 days.
Should I retreat the lice again?
Retreatment after 7-10 days is highly recommended, to kill any nymphs that have survived and hatched after the first treatment.
If I am pregnant or breast feeding which product can I use to treat head lice?
The safety of maldison or pyrethrins during periods of pregnancy and breast feeding has not been shown. It is recommended that you seek medical advice before using this product.
How does head lice spread?
Contrary to popular belief, contracting lice is not related to poor hygiene – in fact, head lice are thought to prefer clean hair to dirty hair. However, good hygiene can combat body lice.
Head lice are spread by personal contact and by shared brushes, combs, hats and other personal items. Head lice are common in school children and do not discriminate.
Should I take my child to school if they have head lice?
Consult your school for their policy relating to this. It is best if they wear their hair up and avoid close contact with other children or adults. We recommend infected children at kept at home and treated as soon as possible. It's also best to prevent sharing hats, head bands, hooded coats, scarves, combs, pillows and brushes.
How long does it take to get rid of head lice?
After each treatment, check the hair and combing with a nit comb to remove nits and lice every 2–3 days may decrease the chance of reinfestation. Continue to check for 2–3 weeks to be sure all lice and nits are gone.
How do I treat head lice?
KP24 offer a range of head lice treatments to suit your family's needs. Our heritage Medicated range are suitable for more severe head lice cases and effectively treat and kills head lice. Our KP24 RAPID range works in 10-15 minutes to effectively kill lice and their eggs. Pesticide free our RAPID range is available in 150 mL or 250 mL bottle, or 300 mL Trigger application to treat head lice. It is best to follow up again with re-treatment 7 days later to ensure all the lice and eggs are dead. Follow up with our Lice Egg Remover Solution.
