.:Lice Treatment Center:.

What exactly is a lice infestation?

Head lice are parasites that live on the scalp and hair and feed on blood. They cause itching and discomfort and are highly contagious. They are spread through human contact, so it is important to treatment them quickly and effectively because they multiply and spread easily. Nits are the eggs laid by adult lice.

Adult lice lay 3 to 10 eggs per day, and the eggs then hatch in 7 to 10 days. Nits are about the size of a poppy seed but are white in color, although they may appear darker depending on the color of the hair they occupy. They are located on the shaft of the hair near the scalp and it is impossible to brush them away like dandruff because they are glued to the hair shaft. They are difficult to remove and must be physically pulled or combed out of the hair. A special comb designed for nit removal should be used.

Head lice are spread in different ways. They can crawl at a rate of 6 to 30 cm per minute, and can move onto another person or onto an article of clothing or bedding and then onto another person. They can also be on a piece of hair and then be spread by sharing of brushes, combs or hats. In addition, they can crawl on furniture and subsequently crawl into a person’s hair. They have a limited lifespan off the scalp – usually about 24 hours, and if they do not feed on blood from the scalp, they cannot survive. The nits can survive for longer, although they cannot hatch when not on the scalp.

There are over-the counter medications available such as Rid and Nix, as well as stronger medications available by prescription. These treatments are often ineffective because lice have developed resistance to the active ingredients in these medications. In addition, these medications only kill the adult lice and do not kill or remove the nits, which must be physically pulled or combed out of the hair.

What is your treatment procedure?

We send a technician to your house or you come into our Center. We separate the hair of the infested person into sections. Section by section and using a special lice comb, we inspect each hair strand and the scalp for live lice bugs or their eggs (nits) and manually remove the bugs and nits. This combing out procedure can take anywhere from two hours to as much as six or more, depending on the level of infestation. We leave you with oil in your scalp that will kill any remaining live bugs (nits cannot be killed with oil and must be physically removed from the hair). One of our owners is a board certified pediatrician who has specialized in the treatment of lice infestations. She has designed our procedures for combing, has formulated our all natural products, trains and oversees all of our technicians.

Should everyone in my household also be inspected and combed out?

We generally suggest that all members of the household or anyone that might have had physical contact with the infested person be inspected and if necessary combed out. Pets do not need to be combed out.

What do I do after the treatment and for how long?

Our technician will leave you with a treatment oil. The oil should be applied until the treatment is complete. We sell a set of lice deterring products: shampoo, conditioner and leave-on tonic that you can use for the next several weeks. You should take all personal items that the infected person has been in contact with (hats, coats, backpacks, bedding, etc.) and either dispose of them or place them in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes. Brushes and combs should be soaked in rubbing alcohol or run through the dishwasher on a hot cycle. We sell a furniture spray, which can be applied to all areas the infected person has touched in the house.

Once you have completed your treatment, will the lice be completely eliminated?

The majority of infestations take multiple comb-out treatments. Lice and nits are very small in size and success in combing out depends on the hair quality and quantity. Due to these factors, even experienced technicians can miss lice and nits. In addition, lice and nits that exist on clothing, bedding, furniture and other personal items can re-infest the person. Re-infestation can also happen by contact with family members or others that still have lice and nits.

Can you give me an estimate of how long the comb out treatment will take?

The number of hours to treat an infestation cannot be determined in advance. It depends on the level of infestation, hair quality and quantity. The combing and picking out of lice and nits is a mechanical and labor-intensive process. Success in treatment depends on the experience in visualization of the technician and the particular infestation situation.

How should I work on my house to ensure that lice are no longer in the living area?

You should put all items that the infested person’s head has had direct contact with into a hot dryer for 20 minutes (hats, pillows, bedding, coats, backpacks, etc.). Brushes and combs should be soaked in rubbing alcohol or should be run through the dishwasher. You can use our furniture spray. We also provide a separate house cleaning service where the technicians are trained in how to do a deep clean of the household contents with a focus on particular areas that are likely to have been in contact with infestation.

What is in your products?

The formulation includes essential oils: peppermint, tea tree oil, and cinnamon leaf essential oil, which are effective in killing lice and nits. The essential oils are added to base ingredients. All ingredients are listed on the bottles. Please read the ingredients carefully to be sure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients. The products should not be used in women who are pregnant or in children younger than 5 years of age.