Best head lice treatments and products

Everyone can agree that head lice are an absolute nightmare, so ensuring you have the best head lice treatments and products is important.

Of all the pleasures involved in parenting, combing through your child's hair for signs of headlice or nits is not one on the list. Head lice are very common among toddlers and children and even though they are entirely harmless, they are quite frankly, pretty irritating.

Unfortunately, lice are very contagious and they spread really easily, so if your little one's infected, then it's best to keep them away from other people until they've been treated. "They spread by head-to-head human contact, climbing from the hair of an infected person to the hair of someone else" says Dr Lida Kourita, of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health.

Our favourite head lice treatments and products shortlist 2023:

• Our favourite overall head lice treatments and products: Vamousse Treatment Mousse Head Lice
• Our favourite shampoo head lice treatments and products: Hedrin All In-One Shampoo
• Our favourite combs head lice treatments and products: Nitty Gritty Nit Comb

Black Friday head lice treatments and products deals 2023:

With Black Friday deals still going strong there are so many discounts to take advantage of. We'll be updating this page with the best head lice treatments and products for kids, where you'll be able to grab the best products at a lower price. So be sure to bookmark this page and keep coming back to save yourself some money.

Save 45%: RID Super Max 5-in-1 Complete Lice Treatment Kit, WAS £50.84, NOW £27.68

Save 36%:Full Marks Head Lice Solution Spray, WAS £12.99, NOW £8.25

Save 8%: Full Marks Solution, WAS £11.99, NOW £11

Save 6%: Tangle Teezer The Scalp Exfoliator & Massager, WAS £8.50, NOW £8

Save 6%: Vosene Kids Lice Repellent 3in1 Shampoo, WAS £7.49, NOW £6.98

Save 5%: Hedrin Once Liquid Gel, WAS £12.64, NOW £12.05

Save 4%: Vamousse Treatment Mousse Head Lice, WAS £14.99, NOW £14.40

Save 4%: Hedrin All-in-One Shampoo, WAS £19, NOW £18.30

Luckily, there are many ways you can eradicate them quickly and efficiently. We have put together a list of the best-rated head lice treatments, hair shampoos and combs so you can get rid of your little one's head lice pronto.

Best treatments and products

The best head lice treatment: All you need to know

Can you prevent head lice?

Unfortunately, head lice are something that cannot be avoided. You can use preventative head lice shampoos to try to keep head lice away but that isn't always effective or keep your child's hair tied up or plaited as lice usually stick themselves to loose hair.

Be sure to wash all the pillows in the family regularly and clean the headrests and head towels frequently to avoid lice spreading - especially if you suspect a lice infestation.

You can be on guard for head lice by regularly combing every family member’s hair with a detection comb – this way you’ll be able to treat an infestation fast before it becomes quite the task.

How can you treat head lice?

Head lice shampoo: Normal shampoo will not remove head lice. In fact, when in water, head lice will stop moving and lock themselves onto the hair. A shampoo specifically made for treating head lice will help to treat the infestation.

Head lice comb: This is a very time consuming but effective method to get rid of lice. Start by separating your little one's hair into sections. Use a specially designed fine-toothed comb to remove all head lice and nits. You'll need to wash the hair first, comb through it when it is still wet, repeat the action through the same strand several times, and clean the comb after each stroke.

Head lice treatments: There are plenty of head lice treatments on the market that will eradicate your child's head lice. They come in sprays or mousse form and are highly effective.

Head lice home remedies: According to NHS advice on head lice and nits, herbal remedies and the use of tree and plant oils such as tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil and lavender oil aren't recommended to treat head lice and nits as they are not thought to be thoroughly effective. There are some natural remedies on the market that you can buy that have been reviewed and are effective.

Do I need to wash bedding if my child has lice?

As lice only live on human head, there is not benefit to washing bedding, as they can quickly dehydrate when they're not on the head. However, it is recommended to wash your little ones bedding set at least once every one to two weeks.

What is the difference between head lice and nits?

Head lice are tiny grey-brown insects that live in human hair. They are human parasites and need human blood to survive. On the other hand, Nits are the empty egg white eggshells from which the head lice hatch will hatch.

If you see nits in your child's hair, you will likely need to treat them for headlice. Nits are usually found behind the ears and at the back of the neck.

You may have heard that head louse like dirty hair; however, this is a total myth. 'In fact, a head lice infestation can affect all types of hair irrespective of its condition and length,' says Dr Lida Kourita.

About the expert

Dr Lida Kourita is a practitioner of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, who completed special training, contributing to paediatrics and child health.