Expert RN Lice Management recommends Wet Combing as the most effective treatment for most head lice cases, in accordance with Canadian public health guidelines.

Wet combing is:

• quick

• inexpensive

• gentle

• and the most effective way to get rid of head lice

 

There are no quick fixes! Head lice always takes a minimum of 2 weeks of regular wet combing to eradicate. Learn more here.

Ontario is one of the few provinces that recommends pesticide treatment (lice shampoos, creme rinses) as “first line” treatments, or the first option that doctors try to treat head lice.

Large-scale evidence-based studies, combined with our years of public health experience disagree with this recommendation as the first option. Instead, we practice and recommend wet combing as a screening method, and as a first line treatment for head lice infestation. Pesticide shampoo treatments are only between 4-51% effective, they're expensive, and they do not kill nits (lice eggs).

The reality of head lice is that there is no treatment product that can kill lice eggs (aka “nits”), the nits and adult lice need to be combed out by hand when they hatch, about every 4 days.

 

Wet combing follows the life cycle of head lice, and allows you to remove as many lice as possible before they can lay more eggs. It is more time intensive, but in our experience, it is by far the most effective method when the schedule is followed.
 
Although we strongly recommend wet combing for head lice treatment, we do use medicated shampoos to treat head lice when clinically indicated, or upon client request. We incorporate our experience with your preferences in order to ensure a comfortable and collaborative treatment experience. 
 
This is one of many reasons why we decided to establish Expert RN Lice Management. We want to empower our clients with knowledge of their treatment options, and to help people with head lice save their money by not buying products that don’t work!

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Email info@thelicenurse.ca if you need support with head lice, at home or at work.