How Long Does a LiceDoctors Treatment Take?

The most common question before booking is some version of: how long is this going to take? It's a fair thing to ask. You've got kids to put to bed, work tomorrow, and a house that currently has lice in it.

Here's the honest answer.

The Short Version

A single person with a mild case takes roughly 45 minutes to an hour. A family of four — two parents and two kids, at least one with a more established case — usually runs 2 to 3 hours total. LiceDoctors charges by the hour starting at $199, so you only pay for actual time used.

What Affects the Time

Number of people. Every person in the household who needs to be checked and treated adds time. The technician doesn't rush through anyone.

Hair length and thickness. Long, thick hair takes longer to comb through systematically than short hair. The strand-by-strand nit check at the end is where this shows up most.

How established the case is. An early case caught in the first week has fewer nits than one that's been going for three or four weeks. More nits means more time on the comb-through and the handpicking phase.

Number of people with active cases. If one person in the family has lice, others may or may not. The technician screens everyone before treating, and people who come back clear take less time than people who need full treatment.

What Happens During the Visit

The LiceDoctors process has six steps that every technician follows in sequence.

The technician arrives with all her equipment and gets set up in whatever room works best — usually a kitchen or living room with good lighting. She applies olive oil to the hair, which immobilizes lice, then combs through methodically section by section. After the combing phase she does a strand-by-strand nit check, handpicking anything the comb didn't catch. Then a final oil application and comb-through. Before she leaves, she goes over the aftercare instructions and answers any questions.

None of these steps get rushed. The nit check in particular takes as long as it takes. Leaving two nits means the case restarts in a week — that's not a place to cut corners.

Same Day, Any Day

LiceDoctors is available 7 days a week, 7am to midnight, 365 days a year. Most families can get a same-day appointment. The technician comes to your home, so there's no drive, no waiting room, and no coordinating transportation for multiple kids at once.

For scheduling, call 800-224-2537 or book online.