Clever ways to avoid and banish head lice

They might be tiny, but head lice can cause big worries for stressed-out parents. Follow our no-panic guide on how to nab those nasty nits.

Head lice, nits, creepy crawlies. Call them what you will, as any parent knows, they’re a playground curse.

From littlies who love putting their heads together through to selfie-taking teenagers, head lice are regular visitors in many Aussie homes.

And they spread easily from person to person, making them tough to get rid of!

So, what exactly are head lice?

Head lice (Pediculus capitis) are small, wingless insects found almost exclusively in the hair on human heads, feeding on blood from the scalp of those infested. 

Head lice don’t live long, but the adults lay eggs (commonly known as nits), which typically hatch in around a week or so. 

Nits can look a lot like dandruff and are usually found close to the scalp, at the back of the neck or behind the ears.

While direct contact is needed, lice will crawl from head to head without discrimination and their bites can make the scalp itchy and irritated.

Lice are also non-discriminatory about cleanliness. All they need to live and breed is a human head of hair — whether it’s squeaky clean or not.

Our tips for keeping your family nit-free

1. Check for head lice (regularly)

If you’ve been alerted that head lice are in your school or kindergarten, it’s worth conducting a morning and evening “head check” to see whether your kids have been affected.

2. Don’t share what touches the hair

Sharing might be caring, but teach your kids to “never share what touches the hair”. 

That includes combs, brushes, hats, scarves, hair accessories, bike helmets, headphones and even bedding and pillows. 

Wash bed clothes that anyone with lice has used recently using very hot water.

3. No head-to-head contact

Educate kids that touching heads with a person with head lice is the number one way they can spread and encourage them to avoid head-to-head contact with others.

4. Keep hair tied back

If your child has long hair, tight buns and braids can help decrease the chances of them getting hair lice.

5. Teach your kids the facts

Children need to understand there’s no shame in getting head lice – they’re super common and can happen to anyone!  

6. Quit the nits!

Leading head lice treatment range Quitnits has been helping families break the head lice cycle since 1997.

The scientifically backed Quitnits range contains essential oils, with different products specifically designed to suit treatment and prevention. 

From a rinse-out application to a leave-in detangling spray, Quitnits has easy-to-use solutions for times you need to deal with those pesky school lice breakouts.

Quitnits Head Lice Kit includes a spray treatment that kills and defends against lice, egg removal shampoo and a disposable comb to help detection and to remove dead lice and eggs – much better and easier than using fingers! It’s everything you need in one simple pack.

Then there’s Quitnits Rapid Lotion, which is easy to apply and helps kill lice and their eggs to break the cycle.

The range contains no genetically modified ingredients, malathion or permethrin, making it the perfect choice for defencing against head lice.

So that you can quit the nits, before they jump ship!

* This post is brought to you by Quitnits. Always read the label and follow directions for use. If symptoms persist, talk to your healthcare professional.