About head lice

Lyclear has listed the most frequently asked questions hereunder. If your question is not answered, feel free to contact us.

Where to Buy Lyclear Head Lice Products Online

Lyclear is sold in all major retailers and at most local pharmacies.

How does Lyclear work?

All Lyclear treatments provide a double physical action attacking both head lice and their eggs. Lyclear Spray (or Lotion) and Lyclear Shampoo suffocate and dehydrate head lice and their eggs, whereas Lyclear Sensitive attaches onto the respiratory orifices of head lice and eggs to suffocate them and penetrates into the heart of the eggs to stop their development.

How many treatments are necessary to get rid of head lice?

The number of treatments depends on the type of treatment you choose. With Lyclear Spray one 15 minutes treatment (incl. thorough combing) will be sufficient in most cases to effectively get rid of head lice. We advise you to re-check your treated child for head lice after seven days and repeat the treatment if necessary (should you notice any living head lice). With Lyclear Shampoo, two 10 minutes treatments are recommended. Comb the hair thoroughly to be certain all eggs are removed from the hair. Treating with LyclearSensitive requires one (overnight) application only. No matter what Lyclear treatment you choose, always use sufficient product. This is vital for a successful treatment.

How often can I use Lyclear?

You can use Lyclear as often as you want. Normally, 1 or 2 treatments (depending on the treatment chosen) will suffice to get rid of head lice. However, it is possible that people who have been treated can get head lice again from other untreated individuals. In this event, you can use Lyclear again at no risk; it will still be as effective.

What if I find new head lice after the first Lyclear treatment?

Lyclear treatments are specifically developed to get rid of head lice and their eggs. In the event of a severe infestation, some eggs could still hatch after your first treatment, so you might have nymphs or baby head lice in your hair. There is no need to worry, as these nymphs only become mature after 10 days. Before that time, they feed on blood to live, but are not yet able to reproduce. Treat your hair a second time, and all head lice and eggs will be gone.
Another option is that your hair may have been re-infested. This is probably the case if you find mature head lice of more than 2mm because nymphs are smaller than mature head lice. lf this louse is female, she may have laid eggs again. In that case you need to start treating your hair with Lyclear again.

As from which age Lyclear can be used?

Lyclear Shampoo is suitable for children from 2 years old. Lyclear Spray and Lyclear Sensitive can be used as of 6 months.

Does Lyclear have possible side effects?

Lyclear treatment solutions don’t contain chemical ingredients. Possible side effects are limited but may exist: itching and irritation around the eyes, flaking of the scalp, contact irritation and redness of the scalp, ears or neck. As a general precaution, we advise pregnant women breastfeeding to consult a pharmacist or a doctor.

What is the difference between Lyclear and products based on insecticides?

Contrary to insecticide-based products, the Lyclear treatment range does not contain any insecticides and acts in a purely physical manner. Therefore, head lice cannot become resistant to any of its ingredients.

What to do in case of a head lice alert at school or kindergarten?

Before starting to use Lyclear, it’s important to check the hair of each family member thoroughly, preferably in daylight. Use an anti-lice comb to check dry hair for head lice and treat all those with head lice the same day, in order to avoid re-infestation.
For more info on how to use the Lyclear treatments, click on the links below:

How did my child get head lice? Is this a matter of hygiene?

Head lice have nothing to do with hygiene. Anyone can get head lice, although they are more common in children. Head lice are spread through head contact or through the sharing of personal belongings (scarf, cycling helmet, etc.). Young children tend to have closer contact. That is why the primary school is a typical place where head lice are more easily spread. At any time, most schools will have a few children with active living head lice. Head lice do not discriminate between short or long, or clean or dirty hair.

Should I cut my child’s hair if he/she gets head lice?

No. Head lice live close to the scalp so cutting your child’s hair will not make any difference. The best you can do is to immediately treat your child. Read more about Lyclear treatments.

What can I do to avoid a head lice (re) infestation?

We strongly recommend to regularly comb and check your child’s hair to spot head lice. This helps to avoid infestation reach the rest of the family. If a louse is found, carefully check the rest of the family and follow the easy steps for our treatments. This will ensure your child and your family are free from infection.
Some additional tips to protect your family:

  • Ask your children not to share clothing such as scarves or caps with friends
  • Tie up or braid long hair
  • Wear a swimming cap in the swimming pool
  • Disinfect the area and wash the bedding and personal items (scarves, caps…) at 60°C. Vacuum the house and car, and then throw the bag away.

Where can I go for help and advice?

You can seek advice from the local school nurse, pharmacist, or doctor.

Can head lice live outside of the hair?

Head lice may be able to live 2 to 3 days outside of the hair in a humid environment, but it is believed that they can no longer reproduce in such conditions.

Can head lice become resistant to a lice treatment?

Lyclear products do not contain any chemicals, but have a purely mechanical mode of action; therefore head lice cannot develop resistance to any of its ingredients. There is a possibility that head lice may become resistant to ingredients of insecticide-based products. However, true resistance to insecticides is relatively uncommon. Other reasons much more likely to be responsible for apparent treatment failure:

  • a bad diagnosis
  • failure to follow instructions: not enough product, treatment duration is too short, lack of head lice and eggs removal by combing, etc.
  • (re)-infestation by untreated school friends, family members including adults
  • no cleaning and disinfection of the environment
  • no check 7 days after the first treatment and repeated treatment if necessary

How can I calculate how long the head lice have been in my hair?

You can do this by measuring how far the eggs are positioned from the scalp. Eggs are laid near the scalp. Hair grows at about one centimetre a month. Therefore an egg that is situated 2 cm from the scalp was laid about 2 months ago.

Can head lice fly?

Head lice can’t fly! However, they spread through direct head-to-head contact between people. That’s why they love schools and children!

Does everyone get head lice?

Head lice are a common problem, particularly among children of primary school age. The best way to deal with or avoid a head lice infestation in your family is to know what you are up against and how to treat them effectively.

Can head lice swim?

Head lice can’t swim. However during contact with water, they go into a state of suspended animation but remain firmly locked onto the hair. That’s why we can get them in pools or near the beach.

Do head lice feed on human blood?

Head lice feed from the scalp up to four times a day. Once out of the hair, they won’t survive more than 2 to 3 days.

Are head lice transparent ?

Head lice are transparent. This makes them difficult to detect in your hair. Once head lice have fed, they turn into a brown-red color.

How quickly do head lice reproduce?

Female head lice can lay up to 10 eggs a day. The eggs are usually found near the hair root, close to the scalp. Head lice are difficult to remove. So, the earlier you detect them, the easier you can get rid of them.

How many claws do head lice have?

Head lice have 6 legs that end in hook-shaped claws which they can use to tightly grasp the hair.

Do head lice prefer clean hair?

Head lice do not discriminate between short or long and clean or dirty hair. However, they are more common in washed hair.