FAQs
What happens during a lice treatment appointment, and how long is it?
Plan on about an hour, give or take, depending on hair thickness and how many lice there are. Every visit at our Warminster clinic begins with a head check. If lice turn up, your technician applies a non-toxic foam that loosens the hold nits have on the hair, combs everything out with a micro-grooved comb, then finishes with a rinse. It’s a one-visit treatment, and we walk you through the home steps before you go.
Can adults be treated too, or just kids?
Adults can absolutely be treated here. Lice Lifters of Bucks County sees every age, and parents are welcome to be checked alongside their kids. Lice turn up most in the preschool and elementary years, but anyone with close head contact can get them, and bedtime stories count. Booking the whole household together saves a second trip to Warminster and lets us check everyone at once.
Someone we know has lice. Can we come in just for a check?
You can. Every visit starts with a head check, and it’s a smart move after a classmate, teammate or cousin turns up with lice. Our technician combs through the hair and tells you plainly whether lice or nits are there. If treatment is needed, the head check is applied toward it. Even without symptoms, a check is worth it: some people never itch, and the first time someone gets lice, the itch may not appear for four to six weeks.
What does treatment cost, and will insurance pay for it?
Pricing depends on what your family’s visit involves, so the quickest way to get a current answer is to give us a call or text, or start a booking online. We don’t accept or bill insurance. What we can do is hand you an itemized receipt to send your insurance company for reimbursement, which your plan decides. You’ll pay at your appointment, by credit or debit card. Hoping to pay with HSA or FSA funds? Check with us while booking.
What's the 30 Day Guarantee?
It’s how we stand behind every visit: everyone in your family walks out guaranteed lice-free. The 30 Day Guarantee holds when the whole family gets checked, which is why we ask you to bring everyone in the household to Warminster, not only the child who’s scratching. Lice can pass quietly between siblings and parents, and some people never itch, so a full-family check matters. Ask our team any questions about it when you book.
How do I make an appointment, and can we get in quickly?
The fastest route is our online booking on the appointments page, or you can call or text us. We see families by appointment only at our Warminster clinic, and same-day appointments are often available. We serve families from Doylestown, Newtown, Langhorne and across Bucks County. When you book, tell us how many family members need checking so we can set aside enough time.
When can my child return to school or daycare?
Usually right after treatment. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that head lice shouldn’t keep a child out of school, that kids can go back once properly treated, and it recommends against no-nit rules. Policies can still vary, whether your child is in the Centennial or Central Bucks district or a local daycare, so check with the school nurse or director if you’re not sure. Your technician can also show you how to keep an eye out at home.
Why is my child's scalp still itchy after treatment?
That itch is usually the scalp still reacting, not new lice. Itching is the body’s allergic response to lice bites, and that response can take time to settle after the lice are combed out. Keep an eye out for anything moving, since a missed egg would hatch in about a week, and call or text us if you see a live louse. If it’s been more than seven days since treatment and the itch or a rash hasn’t eased, call your child’s doctor.
What do we need to do at home after treatment?
Less than most parents fear. Gather the clothes, pillowcases, sheets and hats used in the two days before treatment and give them a hot wash (130°F) and a high-heat dry. Stuff that can’t go in the washer can sit bagged and sealed for two weeks. Let brushes and combs soak 5 to 10 minutes in water that’s at least 130°F, and vacuum the couch and floor where your child sat. Use any take-home product, like Lice Lifters Solution, as your technician shows you.
What do nits and lice look like compared with dandruff?
Start with the slide test: dandruff lifts away easily, and so do hair spray droplets and dirt, but a nit stays stuck to the shaft until a fingernail or fine comb pulls it off. Nits are tiny, oval and usually yellow to white, and they sit close to the scalp, especially at the nape and behind the ears. A grown louse is roughly sesame-seed size, with six legs and a tan or grayish-white body.
What's the best way to check my child for lice?
Go slowly, in good light, with a fine-toothed lice comb. Part the hair into thin sections and comb from the roots out, paying extra attention to the area behind the ears and the back of the neck. You’re looking for eggs glued close to the scalp and lice crawling. A quick glance misses a lot, so take your time, and check everyone at home the same way. If you’d like a second set of eyes, our Warminster technicians can take a look.
How do lice spread? Do they jump or fly?
Neither. Lice crawl, and they move from person to person mostly through direct head-to-head contact. Think of kids leaning in over a tablet, hugging on the playground or lying side by side at a sleepover. Shared hats, combs, towels and bedding are a much less common route. Preschool and elementary-school kids get lice most often, so it’s a normal part of childhood, not a reflection on your family.
Can Black people get head lice?
Yes, though it’s less common. According to the CDC, African American people get head lice much less often than people of other races, but they can still get them. That’s why we never skip a check because of hair type. Our technicians work carefully through braids, curls, coils and straight hair alike. If a classmate has lice or your child is scratching, it’s worth a look at our Warminster clinic.
How long do lice survive on pillows, couches or hairbrushes?
Only about two days. Once a louse is off a person, it dies within about two days, so a pillow, couch cushion or hairbrush stops being a risk fast. On the head it’s a different story: an adult lives about 30 days there, and a female lays about six eggs a day. That’s why the comb-out matters far more than scrubbing the house.
Do home remedies like mayonnaise, olive oil or hair dye work?
They’re not proven to. Some home fixes are risky: gasoline, kerosene, bleach and rubbing alcohol can burn the scalp or catch fire, so keep them far away from your child’s head. A professional comb-out at our Warminster clinic takes the guesswork out.
Why didn't the drugstore lice shampoo work? Are super lice real?
Super lice are real, and resistance can explain why a drugstore shampoo fell short. Pediatricians are aware of it: the American Academy of Pediatrics notes that resistance to permethrin and pyrethrins, the pyrethroids in many drugstore lice products, is widespread in many areas. “Super lice” is just the popular name for those resistant lice. Our Warminster clinic doesn’t rely on pesticides: we use non-toxic products and a micro-grooved comb-out to physically remove lice and nits.
Are head lice dangerous to my child's health?
No. Head lice don’t carry or transmit disease, and the CDC doesn’t consider them a health hazard. They can’t kill you, and itching is usually the worst of it. What can cause harm is a rushed treatment, so skip fumigant sprays and foggers, which can be toxic if breathed in or absorbed through the skin. If your child develops a scalp rash that won’t settle, check with your pediatrician.
Can dogs, cats or swimming pools spread lice?
Not your pets, and pools are a long shot. Head lice don’t live on animals, and dogs and cats can’t pass them to your family. In the water, lice can hang on for several hours, yet a pool is an unlikely place to pick them up. Chlorine won’t kill them, though, so a swim isn’t a treatment. Whether it’s a backyard pool or a summer swim club in Bucks County, head-to-head contact is still the thing to watch.