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The Best Lice Products

What is the Best Way to Get Rid of Head Lice?

No one wants to face the nuisance of having lice, but unfortunately it's a common problem, especially among kids. These pesky, tiny, six-legged insects cling to the scalp and neck to feed on human blood (rude, right?) and cause an estimated 6 - 12 million infestations yearly. Contracting lice has nothing to do with cleanliness or hygiene, but rather it spreads easily from person to person.

Lice can be picked up at school, during a sports activity, on a playground, at a friend's house, or anywhere that head-to-head contact might occur. You or your child might have lice if you're suffering from an itchy, irritated scalp. Scratching at the lice can cause infections, so it's important to take care of it as soon as possible.

Tuesday, March 19th

2024 Lice Product Reviews

Lice Clinics Review Top Consumer Reviews Best-In-Class Blue Ribbon Award 5 Star Rating

Lice Clinics

5 Star Rating Top Consumer Reviews Best-In-Class Blue Ribbon Award

Lice Clinics has effective over-the-counter solutions for DIY lice-removal as well as professional clinics throughout the world to help people eliminate lice as fast as possible. Their kit includes a handy applicator, pleasant-smelling gel, and a comb to get rid of all lice and nits. It takes 2 applications 10 days apart to complete the full process, but Lice Clinics offers a money-back guarantee if you still find lice after the second application. Thousands of customers praise this product for how well it works, so it's undoubtedly one of the best lice products out there.

Fairy Tales Review 4.5 Star Rating

Fairy Tales

4.5 Star Rating

Fairy Tales got its start in 1999 during a lice outbreak in New York and has successfully helped thousands of people get rid of this pesky problem. Their Lice Good-Bye Survival Kit includes mousse, conditioning spray, hair clip, and a comb. It can be used repeatedly without damage to the scalp or hair since it is free of harsh chemicals and formulated with natural ingredients and organic oils. Lice Good-Bye is affordable and receives positive reviews from many customers who say if you're willing to put in the time, this is a great option for handling and preventing lice.

Rid Review 4 Star Rating

Rid

4 Star Rating

Rid is a company owned by Bayer, a pharmaceutical giant with an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau. There are quite a few products aimed at killing lice that are sold by Rid, but their shampoo is one of the most common practical solutions. It requires 2 applications, both of which can be done with just a single bottle. Rid's lice-killing shampoo is backed by Bayer's 60-day satisfaction guarantee, so you can get your money back if you find that you still have lice after following the directions for both uses. Overall people are happy with the outcome of using this inexpensive solution, so it's definitely worth trying out.

Head Hunters Review 4 Star Rating

Head Hunters

4 Star Rating

Head Hunters has worked tirelessly to perfect their products by testing on live lice as well as following customer feedback. They have a variety of kits aimed to help people get rid of lice and prevent it from coming back. WipeOut, their main formula, is to be used on dry hair and comes with a helpful comb to pick out dead lice and nit casings. It's made with a gentle, natural formula that conditions hair as well as eliminates lice at all stages. The kit comes with free standard shipping and a 30-day return policy, as long as you haven't used any of it. Customers are overall happy with their results after using this product, so it's definitely a good choice.

Liceadex Review 3.5 Star Rating

Liceadex

3.5 Star Rating

Liceadex is a home spray that can be used on bedding, linens, pillow cases, in your vehicle, and on other personal items to kill lice immediately. It's sold by Q-Based Solutions, a company with an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau that specializes in selling products to fight various skin ailments. You can purchase Liceadex in 3 different sizes, all for an affordable price. You won't find anything for hair or scalp problem areas here, but this is a good option if you're looking for something to protect your home from lice.

Clearlice Review 3 Star Rating

Clearlice

3 Star Rating

ClearLice is a peppermint-scented shampoo that's safe for kids and adults alike. It's meant to get rid of lice within 24 hours, although many customers claim it took multiple applications and extra time to fully eliminate both lice and nits. This is a gentle solution for people who also want something affordable to try. ClearLice has mostly high ratings, but it is non-returnable: if it isn't the right solution for you, you'll be out some money. We appreciate that ClearLice is well-liked and also on the homeopathic spectrum, but we've still given it just an average rating.

Lice Logic Review 3 Star Rating

Lice Logic

3 Star Rating

LiceLogic has a line of hair care products that come in different natural scents, all aimed at killing and preventing lice infestations. The products are free of ingredients like parabens and phthalates, biodegradable, and made in the USA. LiceLogic's Free and Clear shampoo has up to 16 applications per bottle and can be used daily until no more lice can be found on the scalp or in the hair. This product has mostly high reviews, but we would like to see a more solid timeline for when customers can expect it to take full effect. Because of this, LiceLogic has earned an average rating from us.

Nix Review 3 Star Rating

Nix

3 Star Rating

Nix has a line of lice products that are all meant to work quickly and easily. Their three main products include a solution to be used all over the head, a shampoo, and a spray for killing lice on personal items in the home. Nix doesn't give a lot of information about how the hair solution and shampoo differ from each other, so we were left feeling unsure of which product to buy. They don't allow returns on their products or have a satisfaction guarantee either. The best thing this company has going for them are their customer reviews, which mostly report that this is an extremely effective option. We are happy to see that this works for most people, but would like to see more product details from the company.

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Continued from above...

Luckily, head lice is generally not dangerous and doesn't spread diseases, but it is extremely annoying and can take quite a bit of effort to get rid of. It will likely take at least a few days to eliminate the lice completely.

Aside from doing a deep clean of your house, bedding, towels, stuffed animals, clothing, and anything else that comes in contact with the lice, there are quite a few proven products that can be purchased over-the-counter to gently and effectively kick those nasty bugs to the curb. Although some people try to use natural remedies like vinegar, mayonnaise, or olive oil, they aren't as strong as products engineered to fight lice, and you may end up dealing with more lice nits (white lice eggs that attach to your hair) that hatch later on.

For best results, purchase a highly-rated product and apply it based on the included directions. Check your hair every 8-12 hours to monitor the reduction of active lice. You may need to switch products if it doesn't seem to be working. Expect to use multiple applications of the lice product to make sure that any newly-hatched lice are killed before they create a re-infestation that makes you have to restart the whole process. Try to be patient and know that although it may take some time, you can eliminate lice completely and get back to your normal routine.

There are many companies that sell lice products, and we have highlighted the most important criteria to help you decide which one to use:

  • Effectiveness: What do customers say about the effectiveness of the lice product? How many applications are recommended before it begins to work? Is the process easy to understand and manageable? Or is it time-consuming and complicated?
  • Price: Dealing with the discomfort of lice would make a person willing to spend nearly any amount of money to get rid of it. However, make sure that what you're buying is reasonable compared to competing products. Keep in mind you may need to deal with multiple family members and do a few rounds of application, so you might need to purchase a few of the products.
  • Guarantee: What if you follow all the directions and the lice product doesn't work? Are you able to get your money back if you're unsatisfied with the results?

TopConsumerReviews.com has reviewed and ranked the best places to purchase lice products online. We hope this information helps you find the most effective solution to eliminate lice from your life quickly and completely.

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Lice Product FAQ

Head lice are parasites that are most commonly found on the scalp, but you can also find them in a person's eyebrows and eyelashes. They feed on human blood (yuck!) but they do not spread disease.
Wrong! Head lice actually prefer nice, clean hair because it's easier for them to move through and lay their eggs. Lice move by crawling, not jumping or flying, so they spread by direct contact: from head-to-head, most often, and sometimes by contact through shared articles of clothing and combs/brushes. Hygiene and cleanliness are not a factor in the spread of head lice.
The first sign is usually an itchy head: the skin reacts to the louse bites and makes people scratch. People with lice might also feel a tickling sensation of something moving in their hair, close to the scalp, especially at night. You can also spot eggs attached to the hair strands, immature lice in nymph form, or fully-grown lice. (Gross, we know.)
Take a deep breath and prepare yourself for a long process. While you may want to run to the drugstore and buy the first product you find on the shelf, take the time to decide how you want to tackle the problem: over-the-counter products, a prescription from your doctor, or even an in-person "lice clinic" . Whichever route you go, it's going to take some time to completely eliminate the lice.
Unfortunately, yes, that's what the CDC says. You can take your chances and just deal with the person with a detected lice infestation, but the smartest bet is to take care of everyone at the same time.
Choose a product to kill the hatched insects and make sure to buy more than enough for the people in your household (consider long hair vs. short when determining quantity). The medication will probably come with a lice comb (yes, that's where the phrase "go over it with a fine-toothed comb" comes from!): you'll work the medicine through the hair and comb out the bugs. Be sure to flush the living bugs down the toilet! You'll want to wash any clothing, bedding, towels and hair accessories worn by your child in the previous two days in hot water if possible and run them through the dryer; otherwise, seal them in a plastic bag for two weeks. Unfortunately, you may have to repeat the process in 7-9 days, because lice products don't kill and remove any eggs laid by the lice you removed.
Yes. Many people don't like to use lice products based on pyrethrins or permethrin (or any other insecticide), and fortunately there are some effective all-natural products for getting rid of lice. There's also a way to use heat to kill lice; you can either buy the specialized device or go to one of the manufacturer's clinics throughout the US.
If you deal with a case of head lice effectively the first time, you should be in the clear within a week. If not, you could experience reinfestation over and over again. Make sure to follow all of the instructions carefully, no matter what lice product you choose, especially when it comes to the critical 7-9 day period after the first application: you must get rid of any newly-hatched lice before they can lay eggs! Consult with your physician if your first option didn't seem to work: there are some lice products that should not be applied more than once for the same infestation, and your doctor can recommend what you should try next.
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