What to have ready for the call.
Note whether you saw live lice, where they were found, scalp itching or sores, products already used, treatment dates, allergies, and the age of the person affected. A clear photo may help show what you found, but it cannot confirm lice or replace an examination when the finding is unclear.
A callback request is not a diagnosis, prescription, referral, laboratory requisition, document, payment, or confirmed appointment. The clinic reviews the concern and may recommend another setting.
When an examination, testing, or another setting may be needed.
This guide cannot decide whether it is safe to wait or which care setting is right for an individual concern. Some concerns need an in-person examination, testing, or another setting. If you are unsure where to go, contact an appropriate in-person healthcare professional or care setting for individual guidance. Use prompt in-person care if you are concerned about worsening symptoms.
Know when not to wait.
Seek prompt in-person care for a scalp sore with increasing pain, warmth, redness, red streaks, or fever. Call 911 for a medical emergency rather than waiting for a callback.
Virtual care is not appropriate for every concern. If your symptoms are severe, rapidly worsening, or may be an emergency, use emergency services or immediate in-person care instead of waiting for a callback.
Common questions about head lice.
Do I need to treat hair if I only see nits?
No treatment should be assumed from nits alone. Active head lice are confirmed by finding a live louse. If you are unsure what you found, careful detection combing or advice from a clinician or pharmacist may help.
How can I check for live head lice?
Use good lighting and a fine-toothed detection comb, working through small sections of damp hair from the scalp outward. Live lice are often easier to find behind the ears or near the neck hairline.
Can I request a doctor callback about head lice in Alberta?
If you are physically in Alberta with a valid Alberta Health Care card and active AHCIP coverage, you can send a request for clinic review. The clinician decides whether a virtual conversation or another setting fits; a request does not promise a diagnosis, treatment, prescription, or callback.
What should I know before using a lice product?
Use a product only for confirmed live lice and follow its label exactly. Do not use more than directed or combine lice products. A pharmacist or clinician can help with product and age-related questions, but medication is not promised through a request.
Are head lice caused by poor hygiene or spread by pets?
No. Head lice are not caused by poor hygiene, do not spread disease, and are not spread by pets. They mainly spread through direct head-to-head contact.
What if I still see live lice after treatment?
Follow the product directions and seek advice if live lice are still seen after use as directed. Persistent itching alone does not prove treatment failed, and the next step depends on the product and whether live lice are present.
Non-emergency request
Request a doctor call today.
For people physically in Alberta with a valid Alberta Health Care card. Doctors usually call back within 60 minutes during operating hours, 8 AM–10 PM Mountain Time. Timing depends on the concern and appropriate care setting; it is an expectation, not a guarantee. Requests submitted before 8 AM or after 10 PM Mountain Time do not have a 60-minute or same-day callback promise. The public form does not state a specific review time or missed-call procedure. If your concern cannot wait, use appropriate in-person care; call 911 for a possible emergency.