Children catch head lice all the time, it's almost as inevitable as catching a cold. Adults are just as much at risk too mainly from close contact with their own children. Head lice are a nuisance but they are not dangerous, just unpleasant. Unfortunately they also tend to be embarrassing as a certain stigma is attached to them Many people wrongly assume that only 'unclean' people get them. Nothing could be further from the reality, ANYONE except the completely hairless are vulnerable as even bald people can have them in eyebrows and lashes.

To get rid of head lice the most effective treatment is a good over the counter remedy and a regular, thorough session with a proper nit comb. Many, particularly those dealing with head lice for the first time think any old comb will do the job well enough.

Not true!

You absolutely need to use a nit comb specially made for the job. When shopping for one there will be a wide choice, however my top tips based on experience can help you pick just the right one.

• Always buy a real nit comb and don't just use a handy household comb. Combs can be infected with lice which will spread the infection to other users. Also, ordinary combs have teeth too wide apart to trap or comb out nits.

• Always choose a metal nit comb. They are stronger, more durable, easier to wash and will last longer. Plastic ones are available but the teeth tend to 'flex' unlike rigid metal tines (teeth).

• Lice glue their eggs (nits) to the base of head hairs to incubate and hatch. A proper nit comb is designed to have tines (teeth) narrow enough together to wrench nits off hairs. They can also trap and crush adult lice so they can be destroyed.

• Lice combs come either with short tines for short hair or long tines for longer hair, pick whichever is appropriate for your needs.

• Some combs are battery powered and come complete with a sensor that bleeps when it locates a louse or nit. These types of electronic combs often have the added advantage of zapping lice and nits which kills them off making your job of eradicating them so much easier.

So there you have it, some easy to follow guidelines on how to get rid of head lice by selecting the right comb for the job. As mentioned, I am speaking from experience having been through this problem several times with my own kids. Find more help and tips on eradicating head lice at my dedicated website below.