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• Confirm the diagnosis by find combing wet hair, with conditioner until you find a living, moving louse.
• Check all household contacts and all best friends for a living, moving louse.
• Anybody with a living, moving louse should be treated with a head lice lotion, cream or foam (not a shampoo).
• Read the manufacturers instructions as to how long the lotion, cream or foam should be left on, before washing out. (Lyclear cream rinse – 10 minutes, Derbac M – 12 hours).
• You will need about 50mls of lotion per scalp per adult per application and less for smaller children (see manufacturers instructions).
• Re-treat after seven days to clear any new lice that have hatched out from eggs that survived the first treatment.
• Re-check all treated scalps two days after the second treatment, to confirm there are no living, moving lice.
• The itch may take two weeks to subside and the “nits” (empty egg shells) can last a lot longer. Do not retreat unless you find a living, moving louse.
• “Nits” can be removed by fine-combing or will fall out themselves in time.
• In resistant cases, fine comb for thirty minutes, once every four days, for two weeks, to physically remove the lice.

Copyright © Dr. David Buckley