General Questions
How do I know if I have lice?
Adult lice will be the easiest to spot because they are the biggest. But at the size of a sesame seed, they are still small. Although lice vary in color, if you see a grayish-white or tan bug crawling through the hair, it is probably a louse. If you look closely at an adult louse, you should be able to see human blood inside it.
Look at the hair strands about a quarter inch (~0.5 cm) off the scalp. See if you can find lice eggs (often called nits) attached to individual hairs. Nits are extremely small. They look like tiny specks and will be glued pretty securely to the hair. If you see any, try pulling them off with your fingers. If you can’t easily pull them off, they are probably eggs and not dandruff.
What other symptoms are there?
Head lice are most commonly found on the scalp, behind the ears and near the neckline at the base of the head. Symptoms include a tickling sensation or feeling something moving through the hair. An allergic reaction to the bites may cause itching (only ⅓ of infested individuals experience this reaction.) Viable eggs are usually located within ¼ inch (6mm) of the scalp.
How can I get lice?
Lice are highly contagious and can spread quickly from person to person, especially in group settings. The primary way you can get head lice is when your head comes in direct contact with the head of an infested individual. Head-to-head contact like that doesn’t guarantee that the infestation will spread, but it gives lice the best opportunity to move from the hair of the infested person to your hair.
Head lice don’t jump , swim or fly. Without strands of hair to grab with the claws on their legs, they have trouble getting around at all. However, they can crawl pretty quickly along the hair, so if your hair comes in contact with an infested head, it doesn’t take much for a louse to hitch a ride on a strand of your hair and make its way to your scalp.
Can I get lice from sharing a pillow or hat with someone who has head lice?
Lice cannot typically survive off of a human host longer than 24-48 hours and they are uniquely adapted for living in human head hair. They generally do not like to leave the protected environment created within head hair.
How Long Do Lice Live?
Excluding the 7-10 days they spent as eggs, head lice can live for around 20-30 days on your head. As parasites, they feed on human blood several times a day.
If they are removed from their food source – say from getting knocked out of your hair with a brush or your hand – they can survive 24-48 hours. If they don’t find some human hair to crawl back to a new host during that time, they will die.
Can someone with a buzz cut have lice?
Yes, lice lay their eggs within ¼ inch of the scalp. So unless you use a straight razor on your head, you are susceptible and would need a check.
Treating Lice
How can I kill lice?
There are many ways you can kill lice. You can suffocate them, poison them, or dry them out . You can also starve them if you get them away from their food source – your head – long enough (they’ll die within 24-48 hours).
Why am I failing with the over the counter treatments?
There are many reasons traditional OTCs are not working. The main reason is that most are permethrin based and lice have developed a resistance to this harsh chemical. Other reasons for failure can be using sub par tools to remove nits, not knowing the proper technique for nit removal and having multiple people in a household that have also contracted lice.
How does the AirAllé treatment really work? And is it really effective?
The AirAllé device delivers the right amount of heated air to dry out and kill both lice and their eggs. Head lice and lice eggs have a high water content and are accustomed to living in a protected and humid environment. Rapid exposure to large amounts of dry, heated air causes them to dry out and die.
Yes! Because it is an FDA-cleared device, we can’t make up efficacy claims that aren’t backed up by clinical data. A 30-minute AirAllé treatment kills head lice and 99.2 percent of eggs.
Who can get the AirAllé treatment? Is it safe?
The AirAllé device is intended to kill head lice and their eggs in the hair of adults and children 4 years of age and older. For children under 4, we recommend a traditional comb-out. To date, no adverse effects have been reported; no one has been hurt by this treatment.
What if I have treated on my own, is it safe to receive your treatment?
Yes, since we use heated air and no harsh chemicals or neurotoxins you are safe to treat the very next day. If you have treated on your own, just be sure you thoroughly wash out any residue of the product before arriving.
After Treatment
What should I do after treatment?
If you received our Signature treatment – briefly nit comb after the next 2 shampoos, apply active rinse on day 10. If you received our Express or Traditional Comb out – nit comb for 30 minutes every day for 10 days, apply active rinse on day 5 and day 10.
I’m still itchy, do I still have lice?
No, It is normal to remain itchy for up to 2 weeks after treatment, the itch is caused by an allergic reaction to the lice saliva, much like a mosquito bite.
Should I worry if I am still seeing nits?
It is perfectly normal to see a few nits leftover after treatment. If you received the Signature heated air treatment they will not hatch – simply comb them out. Only if you see clusters of nits close to the scalp or live bugs should you need to come back in.
What do I need to do in my house?
Wash and dry on high heat: bed linens, clothing and stuffed animals recently used, B) Vacuum rugs, C) Lint Roll fabric couches, chairs and car seats, D) Place all hair tools (brushes, combs, scrunchies, hair ties etc.) into a baggie and in the freezer for 48 hours.
What can I do to prevent and control the spread of head lice?
Avoid head to head contact during play, sleepovers, or other activities at home, school, and elsewhere. Do not share combs, brushes or towels used by an infested person. Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, hair ribbons or barrettes.