How to get rid of lice and nits fast!
Feel free to research the advice here on this page. Check product ingredients as well. Only you know what you are allergic to or not. We are not using Nix or Rid on this page since it can create super lice if not all of the eggs and lice are removed with the first or second treatment.
Information updated on January 18, 2024
How to check for headlice:
I recommend covering your own hair with a processing cap when combing out another person. Lice don't fly or jump but flicking the comb can make them land on your hair.
Items you will need:
- A dimethicone treatment product. Depending on where you live the product will have a different brand name but this is available on amazon under the name dimethicone, KaPow!, as well as available at Lice Clinics of America. Use this every FOUR days for 30-60 minutes to suffocate the lice as they hatch in big infestations. Even if you have a small infestation do it again on day four because by day five the louse is trying to lay eggs. Nits are very difficult to find! (I was recently told that using dimethicone oil every day vs every 5 days is drying to the scalp. Watch for allergic reactions such as hives or scalp rash if you've never used the product before. 100% pure clear aloe vera gel will help you heal and its moisturizing.) Make sure you are buying 100% dimethicone oil with a viscosity of 350.
- Also buy one of the applicators when you purchase the dimethicone product linked. It will make it easier to apply. Once applied, comb through the entire hair with a comb/rattail comb to distribute the oil evenly across the scalp and full length of the hair.
(Yes, I will receive a small commission from Amazon when you shop through my link. I have spent an excess amount of money trying to figure out the proper way to get rid of this problem. Please use my links. Thank you!)
- Wrap and tie the hairline with cotton coil at the top of the forehead. This will keep the oil from dripping everywhere. Then cover the hair with a processing cap and tuck the ends under the cotton coil to keep it in place. Both are available at beauty supply stores or in my Amazon link.
- (Yes, I will receive a small commission from Amazon when you shop through my link. I have spent an excess amount of money trying to figure out the proper way to get rid of this problem. Please use my links. Thank you!)
You have two options:
1. Wash out the oil with the blue dawn soap so the bugs wash away and you can focus on removing the eggs only. Follow Pete's video that comes with the Simplicety spray kit. This spray will help dissolve the glue that holds the eggs in place. He includes the video when you purchase the full kit and the mini kit. Simplicety options are linked in my amazon link. Pete does not use dimethicone oil so he does remove live lice. Its up to you how you would like to remove them. You can ask him questions in the Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1089544597753837 He is also on Instagram.
2. Don't wash out the oil and follow Nurse Theresa's video. This option will take several hours to complete. You will be covering the oil with conditioner. Follow Nurse Theresa's video tutorial on My Lice Advice for proper combing techniques.
- Comb the hair with a good metal lice comb (Terminator Nit Comb) and follow along to the videos on MyLiceAdvice. The service is $49 for a lifetime of help. It is so worth it to learn how to comb out lice on your family and not constantly be relying on expensive one time services that may or may not work. This is definitely a tool everyone should have just like learning to cook or learning about proper hygiene. She says its one and done but for huge infestations, keep combing daily.
- (Yes, I will receive a small commission from My Lice Advice when you shop through my link. I have spent an excess amount of money trying to figure out the proper way to get rid of this problem. Please use my links. Thank you!)
- Blue Dawn Dish Soap or any highly concentrated dish soap is good at removing oil. You'll be using this to wash the oil out of your hair.
- Dandruff Shampoo - Adds moisture back on to your scalp. Lice create more dandruff since they're living on the head. You may want to use a Ketoconazole shampoo or T-gel. You can email Nurse Theresa to ask questions when you purchase her service.
- Terminator Nit Comb. This comb has 4 stripes on it. Do not get the generic version with 3 stripes because it doesn't work that well. Also stay away from the plastic nit combs. Be sure to sanitize the comb by boiling it in water for 10-15 minutes between treatments and people. You may want to buy a couple of them.
- Detangling spray conditioner. You'll want help pulling the nit comb through and a spray conditioner helps a lot to break through hair stuck with lice "glue." I used the gallon sized Ginger Lily Farms detangling spray in my Amazon link.
- (Yes, I will receive a small commission from Amazon when you shop through my link. I have spent an excess amount of money trying to figure out the proper way to get rid of this problem. Please use my links. Thank you!)
- Nexxus Humectress Conditioner or Generic Value Products Moisturizing Conditioner:
- These are brand and generic products that recently helped me remove a ton of pin size nits from the hair strands. I used the generic since I found it at Sally Beauty and its more cost effective. The products contain dimethicone oil which must be why it was so helpful! Apply it to your hair and scalp and allow to dry. Do not wash it out. You can also do the treatment before bed and dry comb the hair in the morning. Rinse the comb in the faucet between combing and dry with a towel before combing through again.
- Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum - another great dimethicone product! I mixed this with the Nexxus Humectress, applied it to my kids in the morning, and sent them to school. Then spray with a mint, rosemary, or eucalyptus spray. Be careful applying or using too many lavender products on boys. Too much affects their hormones. (Sally Beauty supply also carries the generic for this one.)
Don't forget to remove ALL the eggs! Yes, even the dead ones because you don't know which are viable and which are not. Also, eggs and lice poop are itchy! Sometimes the eggs are attached to the scalp so if you feel a hard spot or your skin hurts there then check very carefully for eggs. Some people have tried:
- Soaking the hair in vinegar for 10 minutes, then covering with conditioner for an hour to remove the eggs.
- Mixing half baking soda and half conditioner into a cup or small bowl to create "grit" while combing out the eggs. Or mixing 1/3 baking soda and 2/3 conditioner. See what works for you.
- Dimethicone oil with an enzyme product soaked on the hair for 30 minutes.
I personally tried the first two one after the other. You can also try dry combing the eggs out but you will still need to try some type of wet combing at some point. Comb over a section the size of your Terminator comb or a bit smaller many, many times until the hair no longer feels rough. The hair should feel smooth and soft without the micro eggs. Keep combing until all eggs are gone.
Sores might be infected with lice or eggs that have penetrated the scalp. Take a look with a really good magnifier. Some people need them lanced out by a medical professional.
You can stop treatment once you stop finding nits and live lice in hair or scalp after 3-4 weeks. Some great advice I was given was to carry a Terminator Nit comb in your luggage when ever you travel. One never knows when or where one will catch lice. You can even get them from a public swimming pool since chlorine doesn't kill these bugs.
Some adults can sleep with conditioner and a processing cap wrapped in a towel to keep it in place over night as well. I recommend extra blankets since this might lower your body temperature. Children can have conditioner applied to their hair and allow to dry before going to bed. Do not cover your child's hair with plastic caps since its a hazard.
Some people believe lavender and tea tree oil is a lice repellent but these oils don't actually do anything other than become hormone disruptors in children if over used. Please be careful about what you are putting on your children. About 5-7 drops of mint or peppermint oil mixed with water in a spray bottle is a much better option.
According to Lice Clinics of America:
According to Lice Clinics of America:
Is dimethicone oil pregnancy or nursing safe? Yes!
Is dimethicone oil safe to use on infants? Yes!
Is dimethicone oil safe to use on infants? Yes!
Let me know below if this was helpful to you! I wrote a blog post because after hours of research on how to get rid of this problem I was still struggling. It wasn't until I found a Facebook group that I finally understood why the doctor recommended products were not working.
I also purchased a salon dryer to use in the garage after the pediatrician told me to do the Cetaphil treatment on my now 5 year old. I did it several times and it didn't work for us. It was difficult to comb through his hair and it hurt him when the comb would get stuck. Please use dimethicone oil instead. It is so helpful and way less damaging! Also, you won't waste a whole day drying out soap on your little's head.
2/27/2020
BONUS Tip:
Add 5-10 drops of 100% pure peppermint oil to grapeseed oil or a dandruff shampoo and leave it on for one hour once the lice and nits are gone (or maybe even during the process) to relieve yourself of some itching. Apparently lice can cause the scalp to get increased dandruff which will add to your itching. The bonus part is if you have a mites infestation as well the peppermint oil will kill the mites. (Also, stop using feather pillows. They can cause dust mite infestations.)
https://www.longdom.org/open-access/impact-of-salvia-and-peppermint-oil-on-the-in-vitro-survival-of-demodex-mites-2155-9597-1000227.pdf
I also purchased a salon dryer to use in the garage after the pediatrician told me to do the Cetaphil treatment on my now 5 year old. I did it several times and it didn't work for us. It was difficult to comb through his hair and it hurt him when the comb would get stuck. Please use dimethicone oil instead. It is so helpful and way less damaging! Also, you won't waste a whole day drying out soap on your little's head.
2/27/2020
BONUS Tip:
Add 5-10 drops of 100% pure peppermint oil to grapeseed oil or a dandruff shampoo and leave it on for one hour once the lice and nits are gone (or maybe even during the process) to relieve yourself of some itching. Apparently lice can cause the scalp to get increased dandruff which will add to your itching. The bonus part is if you have a mites infestation as well the peppermint oil will kill the mites. (Also, stop using feather pillows. They can cause dust mite infestations.)
https://www.longdom.org/open-access/impact-of-salvia-and-peppermint-oil-on-the-in-vitro-survival-of-demodex-mites-2155-9597-1000227.pdf
1/5/2024
Other reasons you may have an itchy scalp: hair force clinics blog
(I am not affiliated with this website.)
Need a house cleaning check list?
- (Yes, I will receive a small commission from My Lice Advice when you shop through my link. I have spent an excess amount of money trying to figure out the proper way to get rid of this problem. Please use my links. Thank you!)
(I am not affiliated with this website. It does have useful information though. Nits can actually be squeezed open with tweezers when they are soft.)
Medical Concerns:
Lice can be contributing factors to your mental health decline. They can cause skin allergy which can affect your ears and create itching all over your body. In my case, I didn't know I had lice, so it started off as an ear infection in the right ear. The nurse insisted I didn't have an infected left ear and I insisted that my left ear was ALSO bothering me. Antibiotics didn't fix both issues because it was a parasitic problem. Anti-allergy medication can help relieve the itching as well as hydrocortisone ointment.
(Important: Not everyone feels lice or reacts to them the same way. Some people can't feel bugs on their heads at all and don't have allergies to them. This is another reason to do head checks. You may feel them the first time you get them and not the second time until its a huge problem 4-6 weeks later.)
Lice DO crawl all over the body and not just on the head. They are also able to crawl short distances on fabrics as well as other areas not on the head. It takes up to 48 hours for them to die once removed from a blood source. Please continue to check your head and your children's or other people you may be a caretaker for. Its very important to get rid of this pest as quickly as possible.
For body itching, I found that lotions that contain dimethicone oil not only helped stop the itching but also killed the lice. You may find some of these at Bath and Body Works when they add new items.
Shower your body after each combing session on yourself and/or on family members. I also cut holes out of a regular sized trash bag to make a shirt cover while checking others. It gets hot in there but its a cheap way to protect my skin. Cover your arms in lotion prior to starting so the bugs can't move onto your skin. Also cover your hair with a processing/shower cap when combing out others. Lice may not jump on their own but the comb may flick them out towards your head. I found it easiest to wash my hair in the sink instead of the shower so that any bugs that let go of the hair would go down the drain instead of down my body.
For those of you in the United States, please consider contacting your representatives and letting them know why its important to go back to a no-nit policy in schools.
Lice Clinics:
Did you go to a "lice clinic" where all they did was put hot air on your head and then oil you up? They dehydrated the extra dandruff and DEC plugs that the lice have created on your head. They didn't actually dehydrate the nits like they claim. Lice are dehydrated at around 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Remember, if it doesn't have 6 legs, then its not a louse!
Some people have had luck with using a blow dryer (or so they think) for 10 minutes on each section to dry out the eggs. They say to do this every few days but I'm not sure if it works. Amazon sells an inexpensive blowdryer bonnet that some people have said worked to dry out the nits. I have it linked as well.
- (Yes, I will receive a small commission from Amazon when you shop through my link. I have spent an excess amount of money trying to figure out the proper way to get rid of this problem. Please use my links. Thank you!)
Always add some type of scent to your hair after you're clear. Apparently these little critters leave a scent behind to let other lice know you're a good host. 👀😖
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