Treatment of head lice infestations

Abstract

Techniques and apparatus for treating head lice infestations are described. Some embodiments include a nit (louse egg) detection plate that provides a surface against which irregularities of a hair of a person are more apparent to a viewer than without the detection plate. The detection plate may also include a serrated edge that is operable to separate hairs of the person for viewing over the detection plate. Other embodiments provide a method for using the detection plate to detect and remove nits from hairs of a person. The method may include placing a thin layer of hair of a person over the detection plate, detecting nits by viewing the hairs against a backdrop provided by the detection plate, and removing any detected nits.

1 .- 13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus for treating a head lice infestation in a person, comprising:
 a detection plate including:
 a serrated edge configured to separate multiple head hairs of the person; and 
 a surface that provides a background against which an irregularity on one of the multiple head hairs of the person is more apparent to a viewer than without the detection plate; 
   wherein the detection plate is configured to be placed adjacent to the head of the person and between the head of the person and multiple head hairs that are placed in front of the detection plate to enable a viewer to examine the multiple head hair for presence of louse or louse eggs.   
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein serrations of the serrated edge are no more than 2 mm in height and separation. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein serrations of the serrated edge are between 1 and 3 mm in separation. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 one or more fasteners operable to removably affix the detection plate to hair of the person, such that the viewer using the detection plate can release the detection plate while removing a louse egg sac from the hair of the person.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the detection plate is substantially white in color. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the detection plate is substantially rectangular in shape and is at least 8 cm in width and in length. 
     
     
         20 . A head lice infestation treatment kit, comprising:
 a detection plate that provide a serrated edge to separate multiple hairs of a person and that provides a contrasting background against which irregularities of the multiple hairs are more apparent to a viewer than without the detection plate, wherein the detection plate is further configured to be placed adjacent to the head of the person between the head and multiple hairs that are placed in front of the detection plate for viewing the presence of louse or louse eggs; and   treatment information that includes instructions for use of the detection plate to eliminate ate an infestation of lice.   
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . The treatment kit of  claim 20  wherein the detection plate has a matte surface. 
     
     
         23 . The treatment kit of  claim 20  wherein the treatment information describes a method for treating a head lice infestation, the method including using the detection plate on multiple distinct days to detect and remove lice eggs from hairs of the person, the multiple distinct days occurring over a period of time that is at least one week in length. 
     
     
         24 . The treatment kit of  claim 20  wherein the kit includes a uniform resource locator that identifies a network-accessible service that facilitates the treatment of lice infestations. 
     
     
         25 . The treatment kit of  claim 20  wherein the treatment information instructions describe conditions under which a lice infestation can be considered successfully treated. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the background is a background contrasting with the multiple hairs of the person. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the detection plate is configured for rolling, shifting, and/or sliding the multiple hairs over the detection plate. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the detection plate is configured to enable the viewer to examine the multiple head hairs for one or more louse egg sacs. 
     
     
         29 . The treatment kit of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 fasteners that enable the view to fasten the detection plate to hairs of the person.   
     
     
         29 . The treatment kit of  claim 20  wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
 remove hairs from the person, the removed hairs attached to lice egg sacs; 
 collect the removed hairs in a container; 
 determine a number of lice eggs removed by counting the removed hairs and/or attached lice egg sacs; and 
 record the determined number of lice eggs. 
 
     
     
         30 . The treatment kit of  claim 20  wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
 treat the hair for live lice on one or more days; and 
 perform the treatment steps on multiple days over a period of time that is at least one week in length. 
 
     
     
         31 . The treatment kit of  claim 30  wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
 after the performing the instructions for treatment multiple times over the period of time, examine hairs of the person using the detection plate to determine whether or not lice or lice eggs are present. 
 
     
     
         32 . The treatment kit of  claim 31  wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
 if it is determined that no lice or lice eggs are present, determine that the lice infestation has been successfully treated. 
 
     
     
         33 . The treatment kit of  claim 31  wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to:
 if it is determined that lice or lice eggs are present, re-treat the hair for live lice on one or more days.