How Long are Lice Contagious After Treatment
Head lice are microscopic parasites that live in your hair and on your scalp. Head lice are easily transferable to others and it is important to get treatment as soon as possible if you suspect and confirm that you have head lice. While it can be very frightening, we have compiled a list of commonly asked questions when it comes to dealing with head lice.
What do I do if store-bought treatments aren’t working?
Store-bought treatments tend to be ineffective and harmful to the body. If you have gone through the routine of taking care of head lice at home by using drugstore products and you still have lice present- you can do a quick Google search to find the nearest lice treatment center near you.
How Long Can You Have Lice Before Noticing?
Lice a complex thing to deal with. You may not notice any symptoms or that you have lice until about 4 to 6 weeks after infestation. At that 4-week mark, you may start to notice the infestation appear.
What are the symptoms of having head lice?
Symptoms may vary from person to person. The most common symptoms of head lice are an itchy head, skin bumps, scratching, seeing bugs, swollen lymph nodes on your neck, and you can even see small red bumps on your shoulders and back.
How Long Are Lice Contagious After At-Home Treatment?
If you use at-home remedies or drug store products, you will likely still have lice outbreaks as drug store products and at-home remedies don’t always kill all eggs. After your first shampoo treatment, you will be allowed to go back to school or work and will no longer be deemed contagious or transferrable. More often than not lice linger around longer than they are invited to do so. Even after most at-home treatments are administered, there could still be live lice present in the scalp.
Like every treatment, there is always the possibility that some eggs can be left behind in the hair; those “nits” themselves are not contagious.
Who Can Get Head Lice?
Anyone can get head lice. Children that are in preschool and elementary school are the most likely to get head lice and can spread the lice to their parents, siblings, or caretakers. Lice are passed to others by direct head-to-head contact.
Lice Clinics of America Upstate SC are the only FDA-Cleared Medical Device in North/South Carolina that uses heated air for treating head lice. If you have an infestation of head lice, please reach out to us at (864) 548-4265 to schedule a consultation and appointment as soon as possible.
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