ZAP^®

FAQ's

School Zone / FAQ

General FAQs

• 1

  What's the difference between head lice and nits?

  Head lice are the insects themselves, while nits are the egg cases of head lice that have hatched. Nits remain stuck to the hair shaft until the hair grows out or they are physically removed. Nits can be found for weeks or months even after the head lice themselves have all been cleared. Their presence does not necessarily mean you have head lice; you can only be sure you have head lice if you can find living, moving lice. Never treat for nits unless you can find living lice.
• 2

  Can lice live off the head?

  Head lice are not able to live if they are not on a person's head. They will die 3 days after they have been off the head.
• 3

  How can I check my child for head lice?

  Detection combing is the best way to find head lice. This is an important first step before beginning the treatment.
• 4

  What do I do if my child gets head lice?

  Inform your child's school. Contact everyone your child has been in close sustained, head-to-head contact with recently. This should include grandparents, babysitters, friends and family. Advise everyone to check for head lice and seek treatment from their pharmacist if live lice are found.
• 5

  Should I cut my child's hair if he/she gets head lice?

  No. Lice live close to the scalp so cutting your child's hair won't make any difference.
• 6

  How can you avoid head lice?

  You can help to avoid infestation by braiding or tying up your child's long hair. Tell your children not to exchange clothes, brushes, hats, helmets or bathing caps when head lice are detected in your environment. Your own early detection work can make head lice manageable. Parents who regularly comb and check their children's hair, are ideally placed to spot head lice. This helps to keep the rest of the family free from infection. If a louse is found, carefully follow the advice on checking the family and on treatment that will ensure the problem is solved.
• 7

  Is an itchy scalp the first symptom of head lice being present?

  There are often no symptoms of a head lice infection. However, an itchy scalp can be the result of sensitivity to head lice saliva.
• 8

  Is there such a thing as a lice epidemic?

  An outbreak is often fueled by rumours, rather than a real head lice infection epidemic. It's true to say that at any one time, most schools will only have a few children with active living head lice. This can be between 2-5%. This doesn't qualify as being of epidemic proportions. People perceive head lice as a much bigger problem than they really are due to the effect of rumours. When head lice are mentioned, you may automatically start to feel the itching.
• 9

  Where can I go for help and advice?

  You can seek advice from the local school nurse, your pharmacist, or doctor.
• 10

  Who gets head lice and how?

  Anyone can get head lice, although it is more common among children. Head lice are spread through head-to-head contact or through the sharing of clothing (scarf, hats, etc.). Young children tend to have closer contact. That is why the (primary) school is a typical place where lice are more easily spread. At any one time, most schools will have a few children with active living head lice.
• 11

  How can I know how long the lice have been in my hair?

  You can do this by judging how many centimeters from the scalp you find the nits. Nits are laid near the scalp. Hair grows at about one centimeter a month. Therefore a nit 2 cm from the scalp was laid about 2 months ago. You cannot find live lice and the nearest nit to the scalp is 1 cm down the hair shaft? Then the infection has been cleared for one month, but you might still find the empty egg cases as they are difficult to remove.

About Zap^®

• 1

  How does Zap^® work?

  Zap contains no insecticides. Contrary to products containing insecticides, Zap has a mechanical mode of action. Zap gets into the respiratory orifices of lice who die from suffocation. Due to this mode of action, lice cannot become resistant to Zap.
• 2

  Why do I need 2 treatments?

  A second treatment will prevent a new infestation if an egg escaped detection during the first treatment. As it is difficult to remove all the eggs with the first treatment, a second application is necessary after 9 days when any remaining eggs will have hatched into lice.
• 3

  Can I choose the day to start the second treatment?

  No, it is important to start the treatment exactly 9 days after the first treatment. If you start too soon, some eggs might not have hatched and if you start too late the young lice might have started to reproduce.
• 4

  What can I do to avoid re-infestation?

  Check the whole family on the same day. Disinfect the area: wash the bedding at 60° and vacuum the whole house.
• 5

  What if I put the product on longer than required?

  We recommend leaving it on for 15 minutes. In the event that the allotted 15 minute treatment is surpassed, rinse hair and scalp thoroughly and consult a pharmacist or doctor.
• 6

  What if I wash the hair before the required time of 15 minutes?

  We recommend leaving it on for 15 minutes to help ensure optimal results.
• 7

  How many people can be treated with one bottle of Zap^®?

  One bottle of 60ml is good for up to 8 applications. Since 2 applications per person are required for a complete treatment, up to 4 people can be treated depending on the length and thickness of the hair.

  The 60ml spray lotion will provide an average of 2 to 8 applications:

  Length of the hair	Approximate number of applications
  Short hair (to the ear)	6 to 8
  Medium to long hair (to the shoulder)	4 to 6
  Long hair (past the shoulder)	2 to 4

  Please ensure you treat the whole length of the hair as lice may try to avoid the spray.
• 8

  How often can I use Zap^®?

  You can use Zap as often as necessary. We recommend 2 applications 9 days apart.
• 9

  Who can use Zap^®?

  Zap cannot be used on children under 2 years of age. It should not be used by people allergic to any of the ingredients. As a general precaution, we advise women who are pregnant or breastfeeding to consult a pharmacist or a doctor.
• 10

  Does Zap^® have possible side effects?

  Some people may experience a mild burning or itching sensation upon application of this product due to the contact of alcohol to irritated skin. Discontinue use if the irritation persists or worsens after the product is washed out.
• 11

  What if I find new lice after the first treatment?

  Remember that eggs still will have hatched after your first treatment, so you might have baby lice in your hair. There is no need to worry, as these baby lice only become mature after 7 to 10 days. Before that time, they feed on blood to live, but are not yet able to reproduce. Do your second treatment 9 days after the first treatment. However, you might be re-infected. Baby lice are smaller than adult lice. So if you find lice of more than 2 mm in length, you might be re-infected. If this louse is female, she might have laid eggs again. Repeat the treatment.
• 12

  What is the difference between Zap® and chemical-based or insecticide products?

  Contrary to chemical-based or insecticides products, Zap does not contain chemicals or insecticides. Zap has a mechanical mode of action. Zap gets into the respiratory orifices of lice that then die from suffocation. Due to this new way of working, lice cannot become resistant to Zap.
• 13

  Can Zap^® be used on dogs?

  Zap has been clinically proven to work on human lice. Head lice (Pediculus humanus) are species-specific, meaning they only like to live on and are transported by human heads. Human head lice can only live a very short time off a head and will not cling to the coarser hairs on a dog's pelt. However, do vacuum the dog's bedding well, and your upholstered furniture, and definitely any carpets in your home. Wash all bedding in hot water and use the hottest setting on your dryer to dry them.