Head Lice Are a Back-to-School Nuisance. Here’s How to Handle Them

Misdiagnosis of head lice is common. “Many presumed lice and nits submitted by physicians, nurses, teachers, and caregivers to a laboratory for identification were found to be artifacts such as dandruff, hairspray droplets, scabs, dirt, or other insects,” such as those blown by the wind and caught in the hair, AAP says. 

The CDC recommends that people visit a doctor if they suspect they may have lice.  

There are several over-the-counter and prescription medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat head lice, including lotions and shampoos that contain the insecticides permethrin or pyrethrin. Treatment of head lice often involves using one of these medications, combined with “careful combing using a fine-toothed lice comb,” Armstrong says.