Since lice can only crawl and survive outside your head for 24 hours, most infestations come from direct head-to-head contact. If someone you know has lice, it’s likely they got it from a friend, family member, or stranger with whom they had close contact. Shared items like hats or brushes can also facilitate an infestation.

Common situations that can lead to the transfer of lice include:

• being in school, for children
• sitting in close proximity to others
• sleeping in the same bed, like during slumber party
• sharing combs, brushes, or towels

A national survey asked moms about removing lice and found that most didn’t have accurate facts. Almost 90 percent of moms believe they need to remove eggs (nits,) and half of moms thought they should apply multiple treatments for head lice.

The CDCTrusted Source says that complete removal of nits is unnecessary, though using a lice comb can help. And when it comes to treatment, you should use only one product at a time.

Read on to learn about the most effective ways to kill head lice and how to keep them away.