Head Lice

Head lice are tiny bugs that live on the human scalp, mainly on the head and neck. They feed on small amounts of blood several times a day. You might also find them in the eyebrows or eyelashes, but that’s less common. Head lice don’t spread disease.

Grant County Health District provides help and advice about head lice for school and child care staff only.

How to Get Rid of Head Lice: Six Simple Steps

1. Check Everyone
 Look at everyone in the household for lice and their eggs (called “nits”).

• Start by checking close to the scalp, behind the ears, and the back of the neck.
• Nits are tiny, oval-shaped eggs that are stuck to the hair near the scalp. They can be white, yellow, or brown.
• Nits are easier to see than live lice. Use a bright light and separate the hair into small sections as you check.

2. Treat Only the People Who Have Lice
 Only treat those who actually have lice.

• Use a lice treatment product, which you can buy at drugstores or get with a prescription.
• These treatments may not kill every louse or nit, but they’re a good first step.
• Follow the directions exactly. Using more or leaving it on too long can be harmful and doesn’t work better.

3. Comb Every Day
 Combing is key!

• Use a special lice comb (a “nit comb”) to remove lice and nits from the hair after treatment.
• Metal combs with long, round teeth usually work best.
• Comb the hair every day until no lice or nits remain—this may take a week or more.
• Comb in the opposite direction of regular brushing to catch more eggs.
• You can also pick out nits by hand or with tweezers. Throw them away in the garbage, toilet, or sink.
• Change clothes and vacuum the area afterward.

4. Clean the House
 Use your normal cleaning methods:

• Wash clothes, bed sheets, and towels in hot water.
• Soak brushes and combs in hot, soapy water.
• Vacuum floors and furniture.
• Don’t use lice sprays or fumigants—they don’t help and can be unsafe.
• Lice can’t live long away from a human head.

5. Treat Again
 Most lice treatments recommend a second treatment 7 to 10 days after the first one.

• Follow the directions just like before.
• Keep checking everyone’s hair daily and continue combing until no lice or eggs are found for at least a week after the second treatment.

6. Tell Others
 Let others know who may have been exposed, such as:

• Schools
• Childcare providers
• Friends
• Church groups
• Family members