Post Treatment
After-treatment care
After-treatment care is vital to staying lice-free. Here's exactly what we recommend once you get home.
Head & hair care
Itching after treatment is common for 10 to 14 days. Lice bites are like mosquito bites, only much smaller, so lingering itching is an aftereffect, not a sign of active lice. Unless you see live bugs in the hair (not nits or eggs), the itching is left over from before treatment.
To remove the treatment oil, try any of these:
- Regular shampoo, wash several times; it will come out.
- A little dish soap added to shampoo (note: also strips hair dye).
- Head & Shoulders, many customers say it removes oil and helps with post-treatment itching.
- A clarifying shampoo to break down the grease in one wash.
It's expected to have a few non-viable (dead) nits left after treatment. Our treatment and guarantee focus on killing all lice and nits on the head. To remove dead nits: use a nit comb in the shower over several days, and rub the scalp vigorously each time you shampoo to dislodge them.
Home cleaning
Head lice can't survive without a human host for more than 24 to 48 hours, and they can't fly, jump, or crawl well once dislodged. So you only need to treat items that touched an infested person's head in the last 24 to 48 hours:
- Wash bedding/clothing in hot water and dry on high heat for 2 cycles, or place directly in a hot dryer for 30+ minutes.
- Wipe hard surfaces (leather, plastic, vinyl) with an ammonia-based cleaner.
- Vacuum or lint-roll cloth items, car seats, backpacks, and helmets, or bag them for 24 to 48 hours.
- Put throw pillows in a hot dryer for 30 minutes, or isolate in a bag for 48 to 72 hours.
- Vacuum, sweep, and/or mop floors.
Do not use pesticide sprays in your home, they unnecessarily expose your household to harmful chemicals.
Re-checks after treatment
The only reason a re-check is necessary is if you see live bugs, you don't need to come back "just to make sure." We've successfully treated thousands of customers the first time. If you'd like a re-check, we offer them for $25/person. If a re-check within the 30-day guarantee window shows the treatment was ineffective, we'll re-treat you for $15.
Ongoing prevention
- Wear hair high and tight, less surface area for a louse to latch onto.
- Avoid head-to-head contact and never put anything in your hair that touched someone else's head.
- Do periodic combing with a nit comb.
- Use a preventative spray or detangler before high-risk situations.
Common Questions
What should I do after a professional lice treatment?+
Very little. After a guaranteed Zyma Air Therapy visit, wash recently used bedding and hats in hot water, run a hot dryer cycle, and do a few follow-up checks. Lice Clinics Arizona sends you home with clear aftercare guidance so results last and lice do not return.
Post-treatment care →How soon can we return to school or work after lice treatment?+
Usually the same day or the next day. Because Zyma Air Therapy kills lice and eggs in one roughly one-hour visit, there is no multi-day waiting period like drugstore kits require. Most Lice Clinics Arizona families head back to school and work right away.
Post-treatment care →Will lice come back after professional treatment?+
Not from the treated case, because Zyma Air Therapy kills lice and eggs in one guaranteed visit. Reinfestation only happens through new contact with someone who still has lice, which is why Lice Clinics Arizona recommends whole-family checks and simple aftercare to keep your home lice-free.
Long-run savings of treating right →Do I really have to clean my whole house after lice?+
No. Because lice die within a day or two off the scalp, deep-cleaning your entire home is unnecessary. Just wash recently used bedding, hats, and clothing in hot water, run a hot dryer cycle, and vacuum where heads rest. Focus your energy on treating people, not scrubbing the house.
Cleaning after lice →Questions after your treatment?
Our team is here to help. Call us any time or book a re-check online.