Inspect
all household members should be checked by another person for lice and/or nits (eggs)
use a magnifying glass in bright light to help you see the lice and nits (eggs)
use a tool, such as a comb or two unsharpened pencils to lift and part the hair
look for tiny nits near the scalp, beginning at the back of the neck and behind the ears
small sections of hair (1-2 inches wide) should be examined at a time
unlike dandruff, nits stick to the hair. Dandruff should move when lightly touched.
if either lice or nits (eggs) are found, treat with Permethrin Lotion 1%
Treat
wash hair with a shampoo without conditioner. Do not use a shampoo that contains a conditioner or a conditioner alone since this may decrease the activity of Permethrin Lotion 1%. Rinse with water.
towel dry hair so it is damp but not wet
shake the bottle of Permethrin Lotion 1% well
completely saturate the hair and scalp with Permethrin Lotion 1%. Begin to apply Permethrin Lotion 1% behind the ears and at the back of the neck.
keep Permethrin Lotion 1% out of the eyes. Protect the eyes with a washcloth or towel.
leave Permethrin Lotion 1% on the hair for 10 minutes, but no longer
rinse with warm water
towel dry hair and comb out tangles
if live lice are seen seven days or more after the first treatment, a second treatment should be given
Remove Lice/Nits
remove nits by combing the hair with the special small tooth comb provided. Remaining nits may be removed by hand (using a throw-away glove), or cutting the nits out.
use the nit comb provided and make sure the hair remains slightly damp while removing nits
if the hair dries during combing, dampen it slightly with water
part the hair into 4 sections. Work on one section at a time. Longer hair may take more time (1-2 hours).
start at the top of the head on the section you have picked
with one hand, lift a 1-2 inch wide strand of hair. Get the teeth of the comb as close to the scalp as possible and comb with a firm, even motion away from the scalp to the end of the hair.
use clips to pin back each strand of hair after you have combed out the nits
clean the comb completely as you go. Wipe the nits from the comb with a tissue and throw away the tissue in a sealed plastic bag to prevent the lice from coming back.
after combing, recheck the entire head for nits and repeat combing if necessary
check the affected head daily to remove any nits that you might have missed