Head lice and Nits: Everything You Need to Know

Aug 26, 2025 Headlice

School is back this week, and that only means one thing: Head lice - those minuscle white bugs that always seem to end up in your child’s hair. So how on earth do they get there in the first place, and what can you do to stop them? Let’s break down everything you need to know.

Where do head lice come from?

Head lice don’t just appear out of nowhere. These tiny parasites have been living on human scalps for thousands of years, feeding on small amounts of blood several times a day. The white eggs that they lay are known as nits. 

What are head lice attracted to? 

A common myth about head lice is that they’re caused by dirty hair. In reality, hygiene has little to do with it. Lice feed on blood from the scalp and can live on clean or dirty hair. They often spread just as easily, if not more so, on clean, warm scalps.

How do head lice spread?

You’ll be relieved to hear that head lice can’t fly or jump from one person to another; they can only crawl via direct head-to-head contact. This is one of the reasons why head lice is more common in children; they often tend to touch heads or share hats and hairbands at school. 

How can I prevent my child from getting head lice?

There’s not much you can do to prevent head lice, but there are some measures you can take to reduce the risk:

• If your child has long hair, make sure it’s tied back. This reduces the surface area for lice to crawl onto.
• Telling your child not to share items that come into contact with hair, such as combs, brushes, hats, and hair accessories.
• Check your child’s hair once a week during term time, especially if you know that there’s been an outbreak at school. The earlier you can treat it, the easier it is to stop them spreading. 

While it doesn’t prevent head lice, Hedrin Protect & Go is a clinically-proven and over-the-counter conditioning spray that kills lice before an infestation can take hold. Using this spray regularly can be particularly helpful if you know there’s an outbreak at school.

What is wet combing? 

Wet combing is a simple, chemical-free method that can be very effective when done properly. You’ll need a special fine-toothed detection comb, which you can purchase from our website. Simply: 

• Wash your child’s hair with ordinary shampoo.
• Apply a generous amount of conditioner to make combing easier.
• Starting at the roots, comb the hair all the way to the ends, section by section.
• Wipe the comb on a tissue or rinse it after each pass to check for lice.
• Comb the entire head twice during each session.

Make sure to wet comb on days 1, 5, 9, and 13 to catch newly hatched lice before they can lay eggs. Check everyone in the household again on day 17 to make sure the lice are gone.

What over-the-counter treatments are available for headlice? 

There are lots of different over-the-counter head lice treatments out there, but they all tackle them in different ways. Here’s our top three recommendations: 

• Hedrin Wash Out Spray contains an active ingredient called dimeticone - a silicone-based substance that effectively drowns lice by coating them and preventing them from being able to move.
• Full Marks Solution works kill head lice by dehydrating them, making them easier to remove with the included comb.
• Derbac-M Liquid contains an active ingredient called malthion, which kills lice by blocking their natural enzymes. This stops their growth and kills them. 

Visit our Pharmacy Shop to explore our range of head lice treatments, or speak to one of our pharmacists for expert guidance.