Confirm the Diagnosis First

Before treating: confirm lice are actually present. Part damp hair and look for live lice (tiny, fast-moving, sesame seed-sized insects, grey-brown colour) or nits (eggs, oval-shaped, firmly attached to individual hair shafts close to the scalp, not easily flicked off like dandruff). Empty nit casings (white/clear) away from the scalp mean a previous infestation, not a current one.

Most Effective Treatments

Option 1: Silicone-Based Lotion (Most Effective)

  1. 1

    Apply NYDA, KP24 Mousse or similar

    Silicone-based (dimethicone) treatments work by physically coating and suffocating lice rather than using insecticide — lice cannot develop resistance to physical methods. Apply to dry hair, covering all hair from roots to tips. Leave for the time stated on the product (usually 30 minutes to 8 hours depending on the product). Rinse thoroughly. Repeat in 7 days to catch any lice hatched from eggs missed in the first treatment.

Option 2: Wet Combing (Chemical-Free)

  1. 2

    Apply conditioner to wet hair and comb through

    Apply a generous amount of regular hair conditioner to wet hair. The conditioner immobilises live lice temporarily. Using a fine-tooth lice comb (metal teeth, not plastic — plastic combs miss lice), systematically comb through the entire head in sections from roots to tips. Wipe the comb on a white tissue after each stroke to check for lice. Rinse and repeat. Do this every 2–3 days for 2 weeks (covering two full louse life cycles). Effective but labour-intensive.

Treating the Home

Lice live on human heads and do not survive long off the scalp — you do not need to deep-clean the entire house. Focus on: washing pillowcases, bed linen, and recently worn hats/scarves in hot water (60°C+) and tumble drying. Put items that cannot be washed in a sealed bag for 72 hours. Soak combs and brushes in hot water. Vacuum the immediate sleeping area. Lice do not jump or fly — they are spread by head-to-head contact.

Notify school and close contactsInform the school (Australian schools have a “no live lice” policy — children can return once live lice are treated, nits alone are not excluded). Notify any close contacts who may have had head-to-head contact in the past 2 weeks. Treating all household members simultaneously prevents reinfection within the family.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes — silicone-based products (NYDA, KP24 Mousse, Hedrin) are very effective because lice cannot develop resistance to physical suffocation. Traditional insecticide-based treatments (permethrin) have reduced effectiveness in Australia due to resistance developing in louse populations over decades of use. If you use a permethrin product and lice survive, switch to a silicone-based product. Always repeat treatment after 7 days regardless of product used.
Head lice are human parasites — they cannot live on pets (cats, dogs) and do not infest furniture or carpets in the way fleas do. A louse separated from a human head survives less than 24 hours at room temperature. While briefly vacuuming the immediate sleeping area is sensible, there is no need to spray furniture with insecticides or do extensive environmental treatment. The focus should be entirely on treating the affected people.