Retreatment is meant to kill any surviving hatched lice before they produce new eggs. For some drugs, retreatment is recommended routinely about a week after the first treatment (
7–9 days
, depending on the drug) and for others only if crawling lice are seen during this period.
Are you still contagious after lice treatment?
After the first treatment, you are no longer contagious
(and therefore should be allowed to return to the institution). Any nits that are still viable will hatch and be removed in subsequent treatments before they can cause any problems.
How long should you stay away from someone with lice?
In most cases, a child who has lice should stay at
school until the end of the day, go home
and get treatment, and return to school the next day. While they are at school, kids should avoid head-to-head contact with other kids.
Is it safe to be around someone with lice?
They can’t fly or jump. They most often spread with head-to-head contact. That means
you usually must be close to someone with lice to catch it
. Avoid activities that involve hair-to-hair contact as much as possible.
How long should you stay home if you have lice?
Students diagnosed with live head lice do not need to be sent home early from school; they can go home
at the end of the day
, be treated, and return to class after appropriate treatment has begun.
Can lice eggs hatch after being treated?
No. The two treatments 9 days apart are designed to eliminate all live lice, and any lice that may hatch from eggs that
were laid after the first treatment
.
Can you do lice treatment 2 days in a row?
Many lice medicines recommend a second treatment in 9 to 10 days. This will kill any new nymphs that have hatched since the first treatment.
Do not treat a person more than 2 times with the same medicine without
talking to your doctor. Do not use conditioner for 10 days after any treatment.
Will dead lice fall out of hair?
They are empty eggshells and stick strongly to hair.
They will eventually fall out
. If you prefer, a fine-toothed ‘nit comb’ can remove them.
When are you contagious with lice?
Are Lice Contagious: Lice Life Cycle
While it’s important to note that lice are
only contagious when there are adult female fertilized lice present
, there is one gotcha we see all the time. You may be able to remove all of the adult lice while leaving their tiny eggs behind.
How fast can lice multiply?
An adult louse can multiply fast and lay
up to 10 eggs a day
. It takes only about 12 to 14 days for newly hatched eggs to reach adulthood.
How easy is lice spread?
Lice cannot jump.
They can only crawl, and as a result, most transmission is only by direct contact. The spreading of lice can happen through the sharing of brushes and hats, but the easiest way lice spread is
by head-to-head contact
.
How do I avoid getting lice after being exposed?
- Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact during play and other activities at home, school, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp).
- Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons, or barrettes.
- Do not share combs, brushes, or towels.
What kills head lice instantly?
Smothering agents: There are several common home products that may kill lice by depriving them of air and smothering them. These products include
petroleum jelly (Vaseline)
, olive oil, butter, or mayonnaise. Any of these products may be applied to the scalp and hair, covered with a shower cap, and left on overnight.
Can kid go to school with lice?
Children diagnosed with live head lice do not need to be sent home early from school
; they can go home at the end of the day, be treated, and return to class after appropriate treatment has begun. Nits may persist after treatment, but successful treatment should kill crawling lice.
Can black people get lice in their hair?
Although the incidence is quite low,
African Americans do indeed get head lice
.
How do you keep lice eggs from hatching?
The only way to prevent them from hatching would be to
remove them with a good metal nit comb
, or your fingertips. Nits are laid by the mother and attached with a glue she formulates, to sit on the hair shaft. The glue is so strong that they won’t simply fall off; they have to physically be removed!
