Head Lice Information

Lice Myths Exposed! We have compiled a list of facts and myths about lice which we hope you find useful. Please contact us if you have any questions about lice.

myth_busting

Head Lice Myths - The Truth Exposed

Finding out your child has head lice is a very upsetting situation for many people. As parents, we feel guilty, stressed, disgusted, scared and confused. Our immediate reaction is to tell only a few trusted friends or relatives or to seek advice from the internet. Unfortunately these sources can be misinforming, resulting in potentially dangerous treatments and unnecessary time consuming tasks. Sadly, these protocols never fully remove the lice. The following is a list of myths regarding lice removal as well as scientific explanations for why theses myths just don’t hold water.

Take Our Head Lice Myth Quiz!

Put your knowledge to the test with this fun quiz! Read each question carefully and choose the response that you feel is correct. Once done hit the "Complete Quiz" button to get your final results and to also receive your free gift!

Shaving my child’s head will fully remove the problem?
Only young children contract lice?
Using a straightener or blow dryer won't work to kill the lice.
Any treatment I find at the pharmacy will be safe and effective at killing lice and their eggs?
My child swims all the time; that should kill the lice?
Freezing Lice is an effective treatment?
Head lice prefer clean people?
Colouring my hair is an effective lice preventative or treatment?
I feel so alone. My child seems to be the only one who gets lice?
Lice will run its course if I just ignore it?

Frequently Asked Questions

Lice technician Pip standing with a large red quesiton mark

What do I do about my house?

It is important to deal with your environment. The following steps should be done the same day as your 1st appointment where lice and eggs have been removed.

1. Any items that can be placed in a dryer put on high heat for 30 minutes.

2. If it can’t be put in the dryer put it away for 48 hours.

3. Vacuum items that can’t go in the dryer or be put away for 48 hours.

What are lice?

Lice are a small grey or reddish brown bugs. They only live on the human head. Lice range in size from 1mm to 4mm depending on their age. Lice lay tear shaped eggs on one side of the hair shaft. This occurs very close to the scalp and the eggs need the heat from the head to hatch. The viable egg will be brownish to caramel in colour. They are never white.

They feed on blood and can’t live more than 48 hours off a human head. A female louse lives for approximately 30 days and lays 3 to 5 eggs per day. Empty egg cases or dead eggs are called nits and are clear. Lice eggs take 7 to 10 days to hatch. Newly hatched lice are called nymphs and take 7 to 10 days to mature enough to mate.

Lice do not hop, jump or fly. Head lice only survive on the human head. They can’t live without a blood meal longer than 48 hours.

Why use pesticide-free products?

Studies have shown that lice have built a resistance to products that contain pesticides and/or chemicals. The best method to remove head lice and eggs is to manually remove using a quality lice comb along with a natural product. This is the process we have specialized in to help you with your lice removal needs.

 

Do lice jump or fly?

No lice can't jump or fly.   But they do move very quickly on the head and are difficult to see when doing a visual check.

How can I prevent lice?

There are a few simple steps in preventing lice.  Keep your hair up, no sharing brushes using a preventative spray. For more tips on prevention please see our blog 6 Simple Steps to Avoid Head Lice.

Why Choose Lice Geeks?

We are the only company in Ottawa that has technicians who have been doing lice removal for over 10 years. We have treated thousands of heads and have developed an unique technique that will ensure success. We are the only company that guarantees our work with no time limits. All of our technicians are police screened and insured.

Can tea tree oil get rid of lice?

The active ingredient in tea tree oil is anticholinesterase. It has been made almost useless due to the lice developing a resistance to common insecticides.  These insecticides are found in various over the counter lice removal products. If you have lice tea tree oil would be ineffective in getting rid of them.

Can olive oil kill lice?

Olive oil can kill lice but there are a few major problems with this solution.  The first is that it needs to be kept on over 8 hours to kill any live lice.  The second is that it will not kill the eggs.  You still must manually remove the lice eggs (nits).  Plus you need to repeat the olive oil every few days to ensure success.

What's a Lice Geek?

The definition of a geek is someone who’s an expert in a subject.   Our Lice Geeks are experts in everything to do with lice.  These Lice Geeks know the life cycle of a louse, how long you have had lice, how to effectively remove lice, how to deal with your environment plus how to prevent lice from occurring again.  There is nothing our Geeks don’t know about lice and they are willing to share all their knowledge on this subject.

Have a question about head lice? Contact us and we'd be happy to help.

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Download a copy of our Nothing But The Truth, head lice myths exposed handout.

Lice Resources for Parents

Scroll through our blog for resources, tips and tricks on how to prevent lice.

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