WITH the kids back at school, chances are it won’t be long until parents get the dreaded letter from the nurse about head lice doing the rounds again.
But if you’re left scratching your heads over head lice treatments, then no fear.
Dr Chris George has explained what to do if your child has head lice
Dr Chris also recommended a £2 bargain buy to help prevent head lice
Dr Chris George has explained what to do if your child has head lice, why your treatment might not be working and why the head lice keep coming back.
And perhaps best of all?
He’s even shared how to break the cycle thanks to a head lice prevention hack that can be found in supermarkets for just £2.
What to do if your child has head lice
According to Dr Chris, it’s advised to treat head lice as soon as you spot them.
“There is no need to keep children off school and laundry does not need to be washed on a hot wash,” he explains.
“It is generally advised that overs or close contact activities are avoided until clear of head lice.”
He goes on to say that head lice can be removed by wet combing.
“Usually, the is washed with ordinary shampoo, lots of conditioner and comb the whole head of hair form the roots to the ends,” he continues.
“It is recommended to do wet combing on days 1, 5, 9 and 13 to remove any newly hatched head lice.”
He notes how a check on day 17 allows you to ensure that everyone’s hair is free of lice.
“Treatment can include a medicated lotion or spray, a repeat application after 7 days and a thorough daily comb using a lice detection comb for at least two weeks,” he adds.
Vosene Kids 3in1 Shampoo costs £2 and is available at Amazon, Asda, b&m, Boots, Home Bargains, Morrisons, Savers and Tesco
Vosene Kids Head Lice Defence Spray is priced at £2 and available at Amazon, Asda and Morrisons
Head lice treatment not working? This might be why:
Dr Chris explains how there are several common reasons as to why your head lice treatment might not be working.
“This includes the incorrect use of the treatment product (such as not leaving it on long enough or not repeating the treatment),” he begins.
“It could also be because of re-infestation (commonly from other school kids during an outbreak or household members) and some head lice developing resistance to the treatments that were previously very effective.”
Why do head lice keep coming back, what’s the best way to break the cycle?
Dr Chris goes on to discuss the common pitfalls in the treatment of headlice.
“These include eggs hatching after the initial treatment and therefore causing a continued infestation, reinfection from close contacts/school outbreaks, not fully removing all lice during the treatment process, not repeating the treatment after 7 days, not following good hygiene measures (washing hats, pillowcases, brushes etc) and not treating everyone in the household who have lice,” he says.
How to spot head lice
As lice often appear on the scalp, one of the biggest signs of head lice is itching
Itchiness can occur on the scalp, neck and ears and is the most common sign that lice are present, said Dr Grant.
He added: “Additionally other telltale signs of head lice include; a tickling or crawling sensation, visible lice on the hair and red bumps on the scalp or neck.
“Head lice can also impact sleep, as the lice become more active in the dark, making rest uncomfortable for individuals.”
The £2 head lice prevention hack you can pick up with your weekly shop
New survey findings from Vosene Kids show that while head lice is a very common problem, only around 42% of parents use a preventative shampoo or spray.
According to Dr Chris, this suggests that children are not being treated and the issue of head lice is not being managed as effectively as it could be.
“Using a daily head lice preventing product can be a simple and proactive step against head lice,” he says.
Dr Chris explains how Vosene Kids everyday range is formulated with natural, head lice repelling actives to help keep head lice at bay.
“The 3in1 Shampoo and Defence Spray and Vosene Kids Preventative Shampoo are just £2 each and have won awards for their clever, multi-tasking formulas that can fit seamlessly into everyday haircare routines to keep hair clean and conditioned and help prevent head lice,” he notes.
“Using these products can help reduce the risk of an infestation especially during outbreaks at school.”
