‘From a parent with TOO MUCH experience, here’s what new parents need to know when it comes to dealing with head lice & nits.’

“Dear parents, we are writing to inform you that head lice has been detected at the school.”   

There’s nothing quite like a school email coming through (or for many still, a note appearing in the school bag of your child) to really shake things up in the household. 

It’s a call to arms that sees even the toughest parent, adept at dealing with the various bodily fluids inherent in parenthood, gingerly picking up a head lice removal comb and saying a silent prayer that the only thing they’ll find is sand from that trip to the beach 3 weeks ago.

The thing is, with 76% of parents¹ reporting having experienced head lice, chances are good that one day, it’ll be your turn to run the nit removal gauntlet and take it from a parent who knows, you want to get things right the first time around. 

Here’s how to tackle head lice, without (too many) tears and tantrums.

The head lice lowdown.

You’re probably thinking that the less you know about these little critters, the better. But when it comes to nits, knowledge is power. 

You need to understand the enemy, what they look like and how they behave, to eradicate them fully. 

About the size of a sesame seed, head lice have 6 legs, no wings and claws that they use to attach themselves to the hair. 

Once cosily ensconced (the fancy way of saying they're settling in for good) within the strands they can live happily for up to 5 weeks, feeding off blood under the scalp (are we having fun yet?).

During that time, mumma lice can lay up to 120 eggs which, if not stopped, will hatch and mature before laying their own eggs. 

It’s a party of infestation and itchiness that nobody wants to be invited to. Interestingly, head lice can’t fly or jump meaning they spread through head-to-head contact or via things like shared hats or brushes/combs. Great.

Going into battle to break that cycle.

If word on the street is that lice is in town, you’re going to want to arm yourself for battle. 

DO NOT IGNORE the warning. 

Take it from someone who has been there; the sooner you deal with these (literal) suckers, the better. 

You’re going to need to check your entire households’ hair (yours included) and see whether you’ve got some unwanted visitors. 

MOOV Head Lice have a handy guide for the best way to thoroughly check hair but basically you want to use a conditioner and head lice removal comb to carefully check through the hair and examine the scalp. 

Their Head Lice Removal Comb has worked wonders in our household. Who knew something so small could be so mighty.

Plus by using a conditioner like the MOOV Head Lice Combing Conditioner, you actually stun the lice into inactivity making them easier to spot (and then remove) while the lice comb is fine enough to ensure every last part of  the head is accessible.  

Discovered some tiny, wriggling creatures stowing away on someone’s scalp? Don’t panic, there’s an easy way to remove the offenders.

Saying sayonara to scalp suckers.

The key to killing head lice? Breaking the head lice life cycle.

To do this, you’re going need to treat the head lice infestation 3 times over the space of 14 days with a product specifically designed to kill lice and their eggs. 

MOOV Head Lice Solution uses a combination of natural essential oils to interfere with the biochemical mechanisms of lice and kill em’ where they live, on contact. 

It's super easy to use (there’s even a product specifically designed for sensitive scalps) and is clinically proven to kill lice and their eggs². MOOV recommends treating on day 0, day 7 and day 14 to break the head lice life cycle. 

Whether you yell, “TAKE THAT SUCKERS” while treating is entirely optional.

For my family, the MOOV Head Lice Shampoo is definitely the most ideal options, as it's a 2-in-1 type product. What has worked for us is to apply it, cover with a shower cap (it's included) then rinse out like normal shampoo leaving the kids' hair both clean and lice-free after the treatments. Sigh of relief.

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Help prevent the invaders from returning.

Sometimes it’s necessary to put defences in place to help stop the enemy from returning or make it more difficult for them to return.  

I try and teach my kids on head hygiene like not sharing hats and brushes (which my little ones seem to love doing), keeping long hair tied back and I do regular inspections. They're all no-brainers, but you can also double down by using a product to help prevent like MOOV Head Lice Defence Spray.  

It uses ingredients that make the hair and scalp inhospitable to lice, so they’ll choose another head to go live on (preferably one that doesn't live at the same address as me). 

It’ll also condition the hair leaving it softer, more shiny and lice-free!

Good luck young nit warrior, may your stomach be strong and treatment be swift.

(Also recommend watching their YouTube series on the matter! I watched all 4 episodes with my kids and the looks on their faces were priceless. They definitely owe me a top tier Mother's Day gift next year after battling those suckers out of their hair for them. The things us parents do).

MOOV Head Lice is the number one selling head lice brand in pharmacies Australia wide³, offering a range of products for families to help break the cycle of head lice. For more information visit www.moov.com.au

Always read the label. Follow the directions for use. 

¹ Consumer research undertaken Ego Pharmaceuticals Pty Ltd.

² MOOV Head Lice Sensitive: Greive KA, Lui A. Barnes TM. Oppenheim JVM. Australas J Dermatol. 2010; 51(3): 175 - 182.

³ IQVIA National Pharmacy Head Lice Sales Value 04 2021