Lice Options

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Specializes in School Nursing.

So we're seeing an uptake in lice cases recently at my elementary school and parents are IRATE that they are spending so much money at the professional nit picking places. Honestly they seem more upset about the cost than about the lice itself. What other advice can I give them? I nit pick my daughters' heads myself but, obviously, I'm a pro by now. I think a lot of these parents just don't know exactly what they are looking for, are afraid they'll miss one or just don't want to spend the good 2 to 3 hours it takes to do a super thorough job. And I totally get that. I hate doing it too but I've had parents telling me they are spending nearly $1,000 getting their kids' heads treated!

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My families have had a lot of success with the prescriptions Natroba and Sklice. They actually do kill the eggs (unlike some of the OTCs that say they do but don't) and are super easy to use and are usually covered by insurance or Medicaid.

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Specializes in NCSN.

I am in the same boat, sometimes I feel like I need to start working at one of these clinics on the weekend because it is CRAZY how much they charge. I just remind them that there are prescription and OTC medications that will do they same thing for MUCH cheaper but they are more work.

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Specializes in Pediatrics Retired.

If they follow the directions on the initial shampooing and in 10 days do the 2nd shampoo they don't have to nit-pick. The empty egg sacs will eventually deteriorate from washing the hair. UNLESS they get re-exposed during this period or the lice are resistant to OTC treatment (which I don't think is as prevalent as reported).

Review some of my posts for more detailed information about head lice life cycle.

And yes, I have posed this question by email directly to Dr. Richard Pollack, the lice guru, and he reported to me, if your follow the correct treatment scheme, nit picking is not required to eliminate head lice.

Phobias, hysteria, emotional panic, and outright mis-information drive the cost of lice treatment up.

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Thank you OldDude. You beat me to it.

We all need to tamp down the hysteria regarding lice and getting educated is the way to go. Dr. Pollock's website is great!

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Has anyone used Vammouse lice treatment? We received samples and coupons. I have offered them to parents but am unable to recommend them as a good option because I have had no experience with this product.

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Professional nit-picking places? What in the world?? I've never heard of such a thing!!

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Yes, essentially if you are too lazie to properly treat your own kids and have a lot of extra $$$ you can take em into a louse parlor...

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Community Health, School Health.
Professional nit-picking places? What in the world?? I've never heard of such a thing!!

I live North of Boston and there are several salons here that specialize in treating lice. It's like $350 to bring your kid in, have them shampooed and combed out. Then you bring them back for follow-up. One of my friends is a stay at home mom and got certified to be a nit picker and has her own business now. This is her website: Nit Hero 911 Services & Prices I think where I live, parents would rather not deal at all and just have someone else take care of it, and they have the money to spend, so why not? She says she got the idea when one of her own had lice and she was spending so many hours dealing with it. It's a gold mine where I live!

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Specializes in school/military/OR/home health.

I have heard of this but do not know of one in my area. Guess I know what I will be doing in retirement!

Most of the parents in my area opt to do nothing about the lice, leaving me ripping out my own hair as I find lice in their child's hair repeatedly.

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Had a foster mom bring in children for their physicals and the littlest one scratched her scalp and flicked a lice off her head. Foster mom 100% believes the kids got the lice from the office when she brought her in the previous day. :)

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Specializes in School Nursing, Hospice,Med-Surg.

I live in a wealthy, snooty district and there are tons of these lice salons in my area. Since I'm in a private school, I'd say 100% of my parents have gone the lice salon route in the 3 years that I've been here. They can't be bothered with shampooing their own child's head. They just pay and return with the letter the salon gives them saying they are lice-free 100% guaranteed after one treatment. I think it's about $150 or so per head for a treatment. They charge $25 just to check you for lice.

I have seriously considered investing in my own salon and leaving this school nurse business. I could make my day's salary in one treatment.

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