Post-Lice Treatment Itching: Is It Normal?
Thinking about creepy crawlies can immediately make people’s skin crawl, so it’s not surprising that the image of head lice can produce the same reaction, firing up the need to scratch what seems like an incurable itch.
Speaking of which, many people who try to self-treat their head lice still find their heads are as itchy as ever afterward, resulting in a state of panic and paranoia regarding the pesky critters. Before you give in to panic, take a step back, and consider the following reasons behind your post lice treatment itching:
- Itching Due to Dry Scalp from Treatment
- Psychosomatic Itching
- Healing Louse Bites
- Incomplete Treatment
With that in mind, the list above describes the primary culprits that are causing trouble to your head now.
Reason #1: You Have Dry Scalp from Lice Treatment
Many people are vulnerable to develop a temporary dryness around the scalp due to lice treatments, especially if it comes from over-the-counter lice treatments. These OTC treatments often come with chemicals that can irritate the scalp, causing flakiness, dryness, and itchiness.
Reason #2: You Have Psychosomatic Itching
The thought of bugs can drive many people’s paranoia through the roof, especially something as irritating as head lice. It’s easy to believe that your scalp is just as itchy as before the treatment, if not more so. This phenomenon refers to ghost itching, which means you need to practice self-awareness and grounding techniques to help you focus on reality for what it is. Concentrating on your breathing, hearing, tasting, and seeing can help ground you to the present, and once the itchiness fades away, then you know it’s all in your imagination. Of course, there’s nothing wrong with getting a follow-up lice check-up for your peace of mind.
Reason #3: You Have Healing Louse Bites
Some parasitic insects like head lice leave a lingering irritation around the scalp, one that can last for days even after the removal treatment. This leftover itchiness can be frustrating, but the best way to ease the inflammation is to stop scratching as the more you give in to the itch, the more the bite will reopen. Adding cold compress can ease the itchiness, though you can take a low dose of antihistamine if it feels too overwhelming.
Reason #4: You Still Have a Head Full of Lice
If you treated with OTC lice shampoo, the dreaded truth is that you may still have a head full of lice. While it’s bad news, keep in mind that it’s a common issue as lice tend to resist over-the-counter lice treatments, which is why going for professional head lice removal services is the better choice if you want a higher guarantee of ridding yourself of lice completely.
Safe, Effective (and Non-Irritating!) Way to Get Rid of Lice
Choose the lice treatment that is all-natural, non-irritating, and effective with Fresh Heads Lice Removal. Our exclusive, FDA-cleared AirAllé® device blows warm air onto the scalp, completely dehydrating and killing both lice and eggs in one treatment. And since it’s just warm air, it doesn’t contain any harsh irritating chemicals such as those found in OTC shampoos and won’t cause scalp irritation. While it’s possible you may still experience some slight itching as your scalp heals from the bites, or psychosomatic itching, your chances of itching from chemical irritation or ongoing infestation are eliminated. Take the hassle (and itchiness!) out of head lice treatment by coming to Fresh Heads. If you’re looking for a professional lice removal in Jacksonville, Orlando and Savannah, get in touch with us today.
Schools Without Lice
At Fresh Heads Lice Removal, our mission is to get rid of lice in schools across the United States. We’ve partnered with the Lice Clinics of America to create the Schools Without Lice program. Through this program, we provide school nurses and teachers with free screenings, resources, and treatments. Together, we can have schools without lice!