Check the label to make sure the treatment you choose has active ingredients like permethrin or something more natural like mineral oil and tea tree oil to effectively treat lice. We carefully considered ingredients, preventative treatment options, value, and ease of use when reviewing products. If your child has lice or you just want prevention, here are the best lice treatments for kids to get you started. RID Lice Killing Shampoo tops our list because it’s been effectively treating lice for more than a decade. To use, apply the formula to dry hair, rinse, then comb through with a nit comb (which comes with this kit). Then, seven to 10 days later, you repeat the process again to ensure there are no lice left standing. It claims to be 100 percent effective, and the formula is recommended for adults and kids aged two and over. Price at time of publication: $44 Most customers say it’s easy to use and tough on lice. Some note that regular shampoo won’t thoroughly remove the solution, so you may need to add some dish soap to your regular shampoo to get the job done. Others find that the comb that’s included is a bit flimsy. Price at time of publication: $20 Price at time of publication: $38 Price at time of publication: $45 Price at time of publication: $30 Price at time of publication: $29 Price at time of publication: $22
Ingredients
Check the ingredients of the treatment you’re looking at to ensure they are non-toxic and pesticide-free. It’s best to use a method of treatment that will not expose your child or yourself, possibly through inhalation or absorption, to a potentially hazardous treatment. There are many natural ingredients that are non-toxic that can help to kill lice and treat your child’s scalp.
Prevention
Whether it’s the first time your child has gotten lice, or they never have, a preventative product is ideal when out shopping for a lice treatment. Some shampoos and conditioners are aimed at preventing lice from happening while treatment kits sometimes include prevention spray. Either way, they’re best to look for so you don’t have to kill lice again or (hopefully) ever.
Why Trust Verywell Family
Katrina Cossey has been a digital content producer and news and feature writer for more than six years. She has covered topics ranging from local and national news as well as writing and researching for parenting content. Katrina is a parent herself and has a passion for helping parents and caregivers through writing. Contact your child’s health care provider if you see no difference after the first round of lice treatment.
