At one point or another, either as kids or as parents with school-age children, most people have had some interaction with an outbreak of lice. They can be an annoyance to deal with. Lice can affect three areas of the body: the head or hair, the pubic area and the body. However, the good news is that prevention and treatment are moderately easy.
Step 1
Treat head or pubic lice with topical medicines applied directly to the scalp or skin. These can be purchased by prescription or as over-the-counter kits in conjunction with medicated shampoos, creams or lotions designed to kill lice. After treatment, you typically use a special fine-toothed comb designed to extract dead and any remaining live lice from your hair. Because these treatments are designed to kill the adult lice, you need to repeat these treatments in 9 to 10 days to kill any new lice that may have hatched from eggs since the first treatment.
Step 2
Because body lice usually live in the seams of clothing and don't always make contact with the body, washing clothes, bedding, towels and stuffed animals in hot water (130 degrees Fahrenheit or higher) will usually kill them. It is not a bad idea to inspect the cushions and inner workings of furniture.
Step 3
Contact anyone who may be affected with head or body lice. If your child has lice, contact his teacher or the school nurse to notify the school that there is an outbreak and to help them find the source.
Step 4
Contact your sexual partner(s) if you have pubic lice to let her know there is a possibility that she could contract them. Although it isn't required, you should contact your physician to possibly be tested for sexually transmitted diseases if for no other reason than to take the precaution.
Step 5
Prevent head lice by not sharing combs, hairbrushes, hats, scarves, etc. You should also develop a good personal hygiene routine to support prevention. Washing, combing and brushing your hair regularly won't necessarily prevent head lice; however, it will allow you to discover and treat them immediately.
Step 6
Body lice can usually be avoided by maintaining good hygiene as well as washing items such as clothing, bedding and towels regularly. Practicing safe sex can also help to prevent pubic lice and other sexually transmitted diseases.
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