Reasons Your Head Lice Won’t Go Away and What to Do About It
Key Takeaways
- Head lice often continue because over-the-counter products may not work, especially against resistant lice.
- Missing even a few nits can allow an infestation to restart.
- Everyone in the household should be checked to help prevent reinfestation.
- Home remedies are not proven solutions and some can be dangerous.
- Professional treatment with AirAllé® FDA-cleared heated-air treatment is the strongest first step for fast, effective lice removal.
Some 6-12 million people are afflicted with head lice each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many end up struggling with head lice for weeks, months, or even years. Why are head lice so difficult to get out of your life? Here are some of the most common reasons your head lice won’t go away and what to do about it:
- Over-the-counter treatments don’t work. The resistance of head lice to the most popular drugstore products is well-researched and well-documented. The most recent report, issued in 2016, found that most lice in 48 states are now resistant to pyrethroids. These pesticide-resistant lice are called Super Lice.
- Nitpicking is subject to human error. The most effective alternative to drugstore lice products has traditionally been nitpicking. This is the process of combing out live lice, then playing a daunting cat-and-mouse game with the lice eggs (nits). They are tiny—about the size of a sesame seed—and are attached with the insect equivalent of superglue to hair shafts. The problem is, if you miss even 2 tiny nits, they will hatch, then live lice will multiply again, and you’ll have a fresh infestation.
- Failing to get every member of the household checked. Too often, parents assume that the child found to have lice at school or daycare is the only one with lice. That’s unlikely. Because lice are most likely to spread by direct head-to-head contact, it’s common for the entire family to contract head lice, including parents! If only one person in the family is checked and treated, the lice will likely come back to that person from another family member.
- Home lice remedies are unproven at best, dangerous at worst. You can search the Internet for lice solutions and find mommy-bloggers and others that swear by home treatments like mayonnaise, petroleum jelly, olive oil, vodka, and even kerosene and hot bacon grease. The methods vary, but in general, this involves covering a child’s head with one of these substances overnight, which also means covering their head with some kind of plastic wrap. First, a child sleeping with plastic on their head risks suffocation. Second, substances like kerosene are highly flammable and should not be used.
- Failing to tell your friends and family. Let’s face it – we are social creatures. If you have lice, you got it from SOMEONE. Which means someone you know already has it, and may not even know it (yep, half the time people with lice are asymptomatic). That means there is a chance, depending on how long you’ve had lice, that YOU’VE passed those bugs to someone else too. So the best thing to do, once you have identified and gotten rid of your lice, is to tell your circle of friends and family about it. By being open with them about lice, they can get screened and treated as well, if necessary.
Now the Good News
There are two surefire ways to rid anyone of head lice. First, is shaving the head of the person with lice. No hair, no lice! But that’s not going to go over well with most kids or adults. Now, however, there is the AirAllé® medical device, cleared by the FDA and clinically proven to kill live lice and 99.2 percent of nits in a single session. The AirAllé® device uses only heated air to dehydrate lice and eggs—an ingenious approach that bypasses the hassles and risks of traditional treatments. The results are guaranteed for 30 days when all family members are checked for lice and all infested family members are treated.
The AirAllé® treatment is available exclusively at Lice Clinics of America treatment centers throughout the world. There are more than 200 clinics in the United States and about 100 in 30+ other nations. Lice Clinics of America is the largest and fastest-growing professional lice removal service in the world. Find a Clinic Near you.
Lice Clinics of America Medical Reference | Reviewed by Dr. Krista Lauer on September 20, 2019
FAQ
Does lice go away on its own?
No, head lice typically do not go away on their own. The best first step is professional treatment with our AirAllé® FDA-cleared heated-air treatment, which is designed to kill lice and eggs in a single session. Waiting too long can allow lice to continue spreading and make the infestation harder to eliminate.
Will lice go away on their own?
In most cases, no. Head lice usually require active treatment. Rather than spending time on methods that may not fully work, families should consider starting with our AirAllé® FDA-cleared heated-air treatment as a fast, effective first-line option.
What happens if you have head lice for too long?
If head lice are left untreated, the infestation can continue spreading through a household or close contacts. The longer lice remain, the more likely families are to deal with repeated exposure, ongoing scratching, and added stress. That is why professional treatment with our AirAllé® FDA-cleared heated-air treatment is the strongest first step for getting rid of lice quickly.
Why won’t my lice go away?
Lice often do not go away because over-the-counter products may fail, nits can be missed, or another household member may still have lice. Starting with our AirAllé® FDA-cleared heated-air treatment helps families avoid many of the problems that come with repeated failed treatments and missed eggs.
Why can’t I get rid of lice?
Many families struggle to get rid of lice because common products may not fully kill resistant lice, and combing out every nit is difficult. Our AirAllé® FDA-cleared heated-air treatment is a better first-line option because it is designed to kill both lice and eggs more effectively than many at-home methods.
What should I do if lice treatment doesn’t work?
If lice treatment does not work, the best next step is to stop repeating the same failed approach and move to our AirAllé® FDA-cleared heated-air treatment. Families should also make sure every household member is checked, since untreated close contacts can lead to reinfestation.
Why do I have lice that won’t go away?
Persistent lice usually point to incomplete treatment, untreated family members, or reliance on methods that do not fully eliminate lice and nits. Using our AirAllé® FDA-cleared heated-air treatment first gives families a more reliable way to break the cycle.
Head lice won’t go away. What now?
If head lice will not go away, it is time to move to a treatment option designed for better results. Our AirAllé® FDA-cleared heated-air treatment should be the first choice for families who want fast, effective lice removal without repeating the same frustrating treatments at home.
Republishing Note: This blog has been updated and republished to reflect evolving conditions in the lice industry, including current treatment challenges, updated guidance, and the importance of effective professional lice removal.
