Head Lice

“Head Lice Don’t Self Isolate!” says Community Hygiene Concern, the charity whose mission is to eradicate the pests.

“And lice hate social distancing, it totally cramps their style!” One positive spin-off from lockdown is the chance to decimate the louse population by Bug Busting, the GOLD STANDARD wet combing recommended on the NHS website.

In normal times lice largely depend on children putting their heads close together to climb across from one head of hair to another. At home when the family snuggles up, everyone with hair on their heads is at risk! After several weeks of lockdown lice held in household captivity will be making their irritating presence apparent.

On CHC’s ‘home’ and ‘parents’ website pages  there is a wealth of advice based on sound science and demonstration videos on how to easily find and clear lice and nits from all hair
types, with the option to purchase a kit from their online shop. Families can relax in the knowledge that they only need one reusable Bug Buster Kit and their usual shampoo and any conditioner to get rid of head lice and nits. No need for expensive, partially effective chemicals!

Thirty years ago CHC invented the wet combing method and in 1998 they perfected the precise combs needed for comfort and accuracy, the Bug Buster and the Nit Buster. Do not skimp on the wetness, lice bathed in water stay completely still and using a Bug Buster you can sweep every last louse out of the hair with confidence. Anything less than saturation and they may scurry away to escape the comb.

It is not generally known that for every itchy head obviously needing treatment, there are a circle of hidden infestations on the heads of regular contacts. Lice are forever seeking pastures anew, and school or nursery offer many tempting heads. Most often there are only 10 or less lice on a head causing no noticeable symptoms and making them exceptionally difficult to detect in dry or damp hair.

Many families will have taken a few head lice with them into isolation so now is the time to finish them off in one whole Bug Busting bonanza! – great preparation for the welcome return to school in the coming weeks.

We have the means to get this sorted right now!

Editor’s notes: The Bug Buster Kit is a non-profit health and educational resource.

“The Bug Buster® kit is the only head lice removal (and detection) method that has been evaluated in randomized controlled trials, and it is available on the NHS.” NHS NICE Clinical Knowledge Summary, Head Lice, December 2016.

The Bug Buster Kit is a registered medical device approved for NHS prescription since 2002 (Drug Tariff, Part IXA, Appliances, HEAD LICE DEVICE). Surgeries have online triage/diagnosis systems for patients requiring prescriptions.

Pharmacies can get supplies from Special Obtains at AAH, Alcura, Phoenix Healthcare and Sangers, Pip-code 233-1783

Please direct telephone queries about this statement to Joanna Ibarra, 020 8883 1088.

Attached is the reference: Ibarra J, Vander Stichele RH, Olsen A, Lapeere H, Wickenden C. Differing definitions and outcomes of “wet combing” in the eradication of head lice (pediculosis capitis). 2018. (Presentation to the 6th International Congress on Phthiraptera (Lice), Brno, Czech Republic 23-29 June, 2018) Please request print quality images of the Bug Buster and the Nit Buster in action from bugbusters2k@yahoo.co.uk

Please note: In calling for a head louse blitz during lockdown, Community Hygiene Concern does not want to detract from the seriousness of combatting CV 19. No evidence has been found of head lice transmitting CV 19. Nevertheless, it is comforting to know that thorough hand washing in hand hot water with soap/detergent removes virus-contaminated droplets. Thus the first step in Bug Busting wet combing, which is an ordinary hair wash, is helpful in this sense too.