A new school year inevitably means a new start for head lice as well, and it usually doesn't take long before warning signs are posted.
Right after the summer, when schools and preschools start up, the problems with head lice increase, says Catharina Claesson, pharmacist at Apotek Hjärtat.
The lice are more active during the summer months. But it's not until the school starts that the major spread begins.
You might look in a book or pad together with heads together, says Claesson.
Lice irritation
From the time the lice move in, it can take four to six weeks before it starts to itch, says Camilla af Petersens, pharmacist at Apoteket.
The itching itself is caused by the lice's saliva. You become a little oversensitive and it starts to itch, she says.
The peak in lice medicine sales has been reached in September in recent years, according to sales data from Apoteket, Apotek Hjärtat, and Kronans Apotek.
A recommendation is to preventively comb through the hair with a lice comb, preferably over a sink or paper.
Then you see the lice. You can also see the eggs, which sit as small yellowish dots in the hair, says Claesson.
af Petersens agrees:
Have a lice comb and lice medicine at home. There's not much you can do to prevent more than just then.
"Don't panic"
The recommendation is to treat all family members where you discover living lice. If three out of four have lice, Claesson thinks you should also treat the fourth.
The medications recommended first today do not give rise to resistance development – so you can use them without risk.
It's also important to repeat the treatment after seven to ten days, and to continue combing to get rid of lice and eggs that may have survived the treatment.
Combing is absolutely essential here. And also that you continue to comb even after treatment to see that all lice are really gone, says Catharina Claesson.
Camilla af Petersens emphasizes that you don't need to sanitize the home.
You don't need to panic and wash bedclothes and so on. Lice only survive 24 hours outside the head, she says.
Gustav Sjöholm/TT
Facts: Tips against lice
+ Comb in a preventive manner, preferably over a sink or white paper so that the lice are more visible.
+ Comb through the entire hair carefully, from the scalp and along the entire hair strand.
+ It can be easier to comb if the hair is slightly damp, or if you use a conditioner spray.
+ If you discover lice, notify the preschool and school, as well as others who the affected person may have had close contact with.
+ Braid hair on people with long hair.
+ There are preventive sprays you can try, with a scent that head lice don't like.
+ Although the risk of spread via hats and caps is small, it may be a good idea to avoid sharing headgear.
+ Do an extra treatment after seven to ten days, even if the package says it's a one-time treatment.
+ Head lice have nothing to do with hygiene, but thrive even better in clean hair.
+ Lice live on human blood sucked from the scalp. Their saliva is what causes itching. Lice climb on hair strands. They can't fly or jump.
+ Lice spread from head to head, and possibly from combs and brushes.
+ Lice thrive best in hair that is at least three centimeters long.
+ Lice outside the hair are weakened and die within a day.
Source: 1177
