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Lice & Super Lice
Detection

Don’t reach for RID® at the first sign of a head scratch—it’s important to confirm a lice infestation before treating it. An itchy scalp should be cause for initial investigation, especially in children (as they are the most common carriers of lice). But also do frequent checks when you know of a lice outbreak in your child’s school.

Lice & Super Lice
Detection

Don’t reach for RID® at the first sign of a head scratch—it’s important to confirm a lice infestation before treating it. An itchy scalp should be cause for initial investigation, especially in children (as they are the most common carriers of lice). But also do frequent checks when you know of a lice outbreak in your child’s school.

If you or a medical professional has already confirmed your child has head lice, learn How to Get RID of lice.

If you notice your child scratching his or her head often, especially behind the ears or at the nape of the neck, check for lice. Usually, lice can be found in these areas.

Note: super lice are indistinguishable from regular head lice. So once you’ve confirmed lice are present, it may be best to use RID® SUPER MAX Complete Lice Elimination Kit—which kills and eliminates both super lice and regular head lice (and eggs).

tips for success

Head lice may be hard to detect because they move quickly and are very small. These tips can help.

  • Have the person you are checking sit in a comfortable area where it’s easy for you to maneuver around him/her to inspect for lice.
  • Examine the person’s head under bright, natural light and use a clean, wide-tooth comb to remove any tangles.
  • A magnifying lens will make it easier to see the lice and their eggs (nits). If there has been excessive head-scratching in a particular area, this is an excellent place to begin looking for lice.
A magnifying lens will make it easier to see the lice and their eggs (nits)

start checking

  • Lift a 1-2 inch section of hair, starting as close to the scalp as possible, and slowly comb through this section of hair to the end. Wipe off the comb with a tissue or paper towel and use a magnifying lens to identify any objects you may find.
  • Pin back this section of hair and continue combing through another 1-2″ section, repeating this step until the entire head has been checked for lice and eggs. Be sure to look carefully around the ears and back of the neck, where lice are commonly found.

If no lice or nits (eggs) are found, DO NOT TREAT. Carefully re-inspect daily for at least two weeks following suspected exposure to lice.

If you do find lice or eggs, treat hair with a RID Lice Treatment Kit!

Also, continue to inspect household members who may have been exposed to lice for at least two weeks.

Pin back a section of hair to comb.

Detecting Pubic Lice & Body Lice

Checking for pubic lice and body lice is different than head lice.