Though it is probably not the right order of things, before explaining how to prevent head lice, there is one thing we absolutely want you to know that does not prevent lice… washing your hair. In fact, clean heads attract lice. Kids around Los Angeles County can add this to reasons not to take a bath– “Mom, I don’t want to be clean and get a bunch of lice.”

The reason is that lice have an easier time grasping and laying eggs on relatively oil-free and dirt-free hair.

Preventing Lice

So what is it that can be done? What if there is an outbreak at school, and you want to keep your kid from getting lice?

For individual families, we recommend a simple regimen based on common sense ideas, like:

• During an outbreak, conduct regular oil combings using a good nit comb (as NitWitty clients are taught to do)
• Use coconut oil or olive oil as a leave-in conditioner, using as much as you can stand without feeling greasy or smelling too much like the kitchen
• Teach your kids to hang their coats separately
• Keep a lint roller for car seats, theater chairs, and other areas where multiple kids put their heads against the same fabric over the course of a day

NitWitty also has a program to help schools minimize outbreaks and absent days, and manage proper parent training. It’s a bit too much to explain here, so please feel free to call us.

There are products in the market that say they have a repellent effect on head lice. None of these repellents have been demonstrated effective in clinical study. Panicked parents are willing to spend money for these products, and that’s why they exist. If you know of a repellent product that has actually been shown to work better than coconut oil and olive oil, and does not contain toxins or irritants, let us know.

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