Wet Combing Guide

Prepare

This process takes about 1/2 hour per person depending on hair length and thickness. If multiple family members have head lice, always do the treatment on the same day.

Wet comb every 3-4 days for 3 weeks. After 3 weeks there should be no lice left to wet comb.

Use our free wet combing calendar to keep on track with your treatment progress!

Head lice treatment is complete when there are no live lice found during wet combing, and no new nits are visible on the hair shaft. We recommend one final combing after this to remove any remaining or dead head lice.

You will need:

shampoo and conditioner and a way to wash the hair (sink/shower)
a lice or flea comb (plastic)
a towel
paper towels
a chair and a surface to keep supplies on
plastic bag/garbage bin
regular comb and clips to secure long hair (if applicable)
bowl of water (optional)

If you are combing for someone else:

wear short sleeves
remove hand/wrist jewelry
Secure your hair away from your face
Do not touch your face, neck, hair, or head throughout the treatment process

Ready?! Let's begin!

Wet Combing Steps

Wash hair normally with shampoo.
If showering, finish your shower and come back to these steps at the end before you get out to dry off.(c) 2025 Expert RN. Do not copy or reproduce without permission
Squeeze excess water out of the hair without towel drying. Apply at least 125mL (or a half cup) of conditioner to the hair and scalp, enough to fully saturate the hair with conditioner but without dripping. Fully detangle the hair with your regular comb or brush.

Head Lice FACT: conditioner will slow down and temporarily stun head lice
Have the person being combed sit comfortably in a chair with a towel safely secured around their neck. If necessary, section long hair into smaller sections that are easier to manage. Begin with a 5cm (2") section and secure the rest of the hair out of the way.

Long hair tip: Work systematically. Section the hair before you begin combing and work from front to back or vice-versa
(c) 2025 Expert RN. Do not copy or reproduce without permission
For very short hair (that can't be combed out), comb as close as you can to the scalp in a downward motion from front to back.
Using the fine toothed lice comb and starting as close as you can to the scalp, draw the comb through the hair all the way to the ends. Wipe the comb off on a paper towel, or rinse in a bowl of warm water (or flush them down the drain). Wipe the comb dry before your next pass. Place combed hair off to the side. Once the entire section is combed, clip together and secure out of the way.
(c) 2025 Expert RN. Do not copy or reproduce without permission
Head Lice FACT: Lice live very close to the scalp. Be sure to start combing right at the scalp without scraping.
Repeat step 4 until all of the hair has been combed with the lice comb.
Rinse the conditioner out of the hair. While the hair is still dripping wet, do your best to comb through again* (like in step 4) until you don't see any lice
(c) 2025 Expert RN. Do not copy or reproduce without permission
*Note- this may not be possible for people with thick, textured, or curly hair. It can also be skipped if someone is overstimulated, uncomfortable, or can't tolerate any more combing. It's most important to do step 4 thoroughly and comb every 3-4 days.
(c) 2025 Expert RN. Do not copy or reproduce without permission
Rinse hair again, towel dry, and style. Rinse off the comb and place in a plastic bag.

Wash your hands and inspect under your nails to make sure there are no lice trying to hitch a ride to your scalp!

DO NOT SHARE HEAD LICE/FLEA COMBS
(c) 2025 Expert RN. Do not copy or reproduce without permission
Collect all towels used for treatment as well as clothing worn in the past 3 days and launder. Have the affected person change clothes after combing is done. Be sure that either your washer or dryer gets up to above 55 Celsius (130 F) to kill any lice that may be hitchhiking!

You don't have to do this right away, head lice don't fly or jump and die after about 48 hours away from the scalp.
(c) 2025 Expert RN. Do not copy or reproduce without permission
If this is the first wet combing treatment, also collect and launder bed linens and anything else that may have had contact with the affected person's head.

Cleaning The Environment:

Anything that can't be laundered can be placed in a bag for 72 hours and kept at room temp (or 12 hours in the freezer). Head lice can't survive for more than 48 hours off of the scalp. (c) 2025 Expert RN. Do not copy or reproduce without permission
Heat above 55 Celcius or cold below freezing can kill head lice on household objects
- this does not work on the head... lice live too close to the scalp
Combs and plastic hair accessories can be soaked in rubbing alcohol for 1 hour
No need to vacuum the entire house. Vacuum any car seats or upholstered surfaces that have had contact with the affected person within the last 3 days.

It is VERY rare to get head lice from shared upholstered surfaces like couches.

How do we know the lice are gone?

Wet combing interrupts the life cycle of head lice. Complete treatment takes 3 weeks.

Some people are lice free after 2 weeks, but this is not usually the case.

If you are still finding lice after 3 weeks of wet combing, continue wet combing every 3 days for another week.

Want a nurse to do the combing for you? If you need support with your head lice treatment, get in touch with us. We're here to support you!

Wet Combing Guide

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