Superdrug reports 121% rise in lice treatment sales as UK parents urged to check kids | Liverpool Echo

Superdrug has issued a warning to parents in the UK as cases of lice infestations are on the rise. The high street chemist reported a 121% increase in sales of its lice treatment spray.

As summer approaches and the temperature rises, parents should make sure to regularly check their children’s hair for lice. The superdrug warns that head lice are common this season due to the warmer weather.

Head lice can affect not only children but also their families. To help raise awareness and treat head lice, the NHS and Superdrug pharmacy superintendent Niamh McMillan have offered valuable advice.

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What are head lice and how are they caused?

The pesky insects are picked up by head-to-head contact, reports Wales Online.

They live in the hair and lay eggs in the hair close to the scalp. Lice can make your head itch. The only way to be sure that someone has lice is to find live lice.

What to do if your child has lice

You should take action against head lice as soon as you notice them. You can treat head lice without having to see a family doctor.

Be sure to carefully screen everyone you live with or have frequent contact with. Start treatment immediately for anyone who has lice.

There is no need to keep your child away from school if he has lice.

How to treat head lice

The wet combing method can help remove lice from the hair. Use a fine-toothed comb and gently run the comb through sections of damp hair from roots to ends.

Wipe the comb after each stroke, checking each time for lice. Alternatively, there are over-the-counter lice treatments you can buy that can kill the lice and eggs in your hair. Head lice should die in a day.

Some treatments need to be used again after a week to kill any newly hatched lice. Check the packaging to see if they are okay for you or your child to use.

If the treatment has not worked, then talk to a pharmacist. They should be able to advise on other options.

What you shouldn’t do

Some treatments are not recommended because they are unlikely to work. These include:

Can you prevent head lice?

According to the NHS, there is nothing you can do to prevent head lice. You can help stop them from spreading by wet combing regularly using a detection comb to catch them early.

Do not use medicated lotions and sprays to prevent head lice. They can irritate the scalp.

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