Lice-free family sitting together on a couch.

5 Head Lice Myths You Should Stop Believing Now

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Head lice are tiny insects that feed off blood from a human scalp. They are often found in children’s heads and can be easily transferred from one head to the other. While these are facts we know, there are still fabricated stories about head lice.

Here are the most common head lice myths and why they are not true:

Myth#1: Lice Can Fly

False. If you carefully look into a head louse, you’d notice how small it is. It’s an insect with six legs and zero wings, so they cannot fly. All they can do is crawl from one head to the other, but the infestation can be quick and contagious if there’s direct and head-to-head contact.

Myth#2: Lice Love Long and Dirty Hair

False. Lice can live even in short hair. They have no special preference, and they don’t consider anyone’s hygiene when choosing a host. They’re only after the human blood they get from the scalp to survive, so they can live in anyone’s head, no matter what hair length they have or how often they wash their hair.

Myth#3: Children Get Lice in School

Not entirely true. Children get lice because of close interaction or head-to-head transfer from one host to another. While school is one place where several children can make the transfer possible, it is not the only place where children can get head lice.

Lice can be transferred to any host at any place as long as there’s a physical transfer or close human contact. They can get lice from a sleepover, daycare, or summer camps.

Myth#4: Children Get Lice from Their Pets

False. If your dog caught a disease, it is not always possible for you to catch the same disease because you are two different species. Lice are parasites that rely on specific hosts. It means that human lice would not survive on a dog, and your dog’s lice will not survive on human skin. Human lice rely on human blood to survive, and it is the same for the dog’s lice too.

Myth#5: If You Have an Itchy Scalp, You Have Lice

False. If you have head lice, then it can be one reason that you have an itchy scalp. Having itchy scalp, however, would not result in head lice infestation. Itchy scalp is quite common, and there are several causes for it. Two of the most common reasons are dry, irritated skin and dandruff. Having lice is a product of head-to-head transfer and not because of an itchy scalp.

Lice Removal in Jacksonville, Orlando, and Savannah

Don’t fall for myths—get your head lice facts straight from Fresh Heads. Start removing head lice safely so that your children can get back to their normal lives as quickly as possible. For lice removal in Jacksonville, Orlando, and Savannah, book your appointment online today. We provide the best and most effective head lice treatment and products available!

 

Schools Without Lice.

Schools Without Lice

Our mission at Fresh Heads is to get rid of lice in schools across the country. That’s why we’ve partnered with the Lice Clinics of America to create the Schools Without Lice program. Through this program, we’re able to provide teachers and nurses with free head lice screenings, resources, and treatments. Together, we can have schools without lice!

Nit, nymph, and adult lice on hair clippings on a white paper.

What Is the Life Cycle of Lice?

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When faced with head lice, it’s normal for parents to wonder what they’re up against. It’s extremely important to understand the basics of the lice life cycle so that you can not only identify lice in your child’s hair, but also understand important keys to successful treatment. Fresh Heads is here to provide an outline of the lice life cycle, and let you in on what you need to know about successfully treating your child.

The Basics of the Lice Life Cycle

Lice can live approximately 40-50 days and their life cycle cycles through 3 phases. These three phases are: nit, nymph, and adult.

• Nits

Nits are the eggs laid by female lice, which hatch 7-10 days after being laid. Nits are just as important to identify as live lice are because even if you identify and kill adult lice, if nits remain they will hatch and “re-infest” your child. Nits have translucent outer casings that house baby louses (called nymphs) inside. They are hard to see and are often confused for dandruff or hair spray droplets. Nits are round on one side and pointy on the other with a tail-like antenna coming out of the pointy end. They are about the size of a sesame seed and found at the base of the hair shaft near the scalp. Nits will be immovable by a comb and will feel “cemented” onto the hair.

• Nymphs

Nymphs are formed once the louse hatches and are barely visible to the naked eye. Think of nymphs as “baby lice” that have not reached reproductive age. After 12 days, the nymph develops into an adult. This stage of the lice life cycle typically lasts from Day 11 to Day 22, but can last longer (especially in cold weather).

• Adults

Adult lice are the easiest to spot in your child or family member’s hair. Adults can lay 4-10 eggs a day (50-150 eggs in their lifetime), essentially starting another generation of lice and keeping an infestation active. The adult stage of the lice life cycle lasts around 28 days (Day 23 to Day 50).

Why Does the Lice Life Cycle Matter?

Understanding the three phases of the lice life cycle is important for three reasons:

• Identification

If you understand the 3 phases of the lice life cycle, you can better understand what you should be looking for. Most parents mainly concentrate on identifying adult lice, but they don’t realize that identifying nits, for example, are equally (if not more) important. This is because even if you manage to effectively remove adult lice with an OTC lice shampoo, those shampoos are not effective at killing lice eggs. Therefore you’ll need to re-examine your child’s hair for nits or a recurrence (and possibly a full blown infestation) will be inevitable.

• Treatment

It’s important to realize that in order to be effective, a lice treatment needs to not only kill live adult lice, but also their nits. Without killing the nits, lice will never go away, and your child will never get relief.

• Preventing Infestation

Once parents discover that their child has lice, panic often ensues over how to best clean their home in order to prevent an infestation. Worried about other children and family members catching the lice, parents often attempt to bag their children’s toys, stuffed animals, or other household objects. While it is a good idea to launder pillowcases or other “high traffic” items in your home that have come in contact with your child’s head, washing everything is unnecessary. This is because the lice life span is less than 1-2 days once the parasites fall off of a child or household member and are unable to feed. The lice life cycle relies on blood and warmth from a human host in order to support survival. Without the warmth and blood of the human scalp, survival is cut short as nits cannot hatch and usually die within a few days.

Lice Removal Service You Can Count On

Now that you understand more about the lice life cycle, we hope that some of your fears and misconceptions about lice have been removed and put to rest. At Fresh Heads we are committed to safely and quickly removing head lice so your child can return to normal life as quickly as possible. Contact us today at one of our Florida or Georgia locations to learn more about the lice life cycle and discover more about how our services can help you get the lice relief you need!

Schools Without Lice.

Schools Without Lice

The mission at Fresh Heads Lice Removal is to eradicate lice in schools across the country. We’re partnering with the Lice Clinics of America to create a program called Schools Without Lice, that gives teachers and nurses free screenings, resources, and treatments. Together, we’ll have schools without lice!

Hand holding back child's hair to show head lice.

Do Lice Carry Disease?

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The moment you find out your child has lice, it’s natural for a little panic to set in. Where did the lice come from? How did my child get it? How long have they had it? One of the most common questions we receive from concerned parents is, “Do lice carry disease?”. Today, we’re going to go over some important distinctions to know about head lice, so we can put your mind at ease.

So, Can Head Lice Carry Disease?

In short, the answer is no, head lice do not carry disease. (So, parents, you can breathe a collective sigh of relief here.) Head lice are harmless—and are considered more of a nuisance than a health hazard because they do not transmit or carry disease. As to the reason why they don’t, the answer lies in the fact that head lice are distinctly genetically different from body lice.

Head Lice Are Not the Same as Body Lice

Although body lice and head lice are the same species, body lice can carry disease, but head lice cannot. Body lice are capable of spreading certain diseases such as typhus or trench fever. The reason that body lice carry disease while head lice do not lies in the fact that they each have very different immune systems. Body lice lack a robust immune system and pass bacteria they may be carrying onto humans, whereas head lice are capable of killing or containing any infectious diseases within their system. So, long story short, if your child or family member has head lice, you don’t need to worry about any diseases being transmitted and can rest assured.

Other Popular Misconceptions

Wondering if lice carry disease is not the only concern and misconception we often encounter. Many parents often believe that lice are a result of bad personal hygiene. The truth is that lice are attracted to blood, not dirt or bacteria. Nits and lice cling to hair follicles and have sticky secretions, which means that shampooing alone won’t rid the scalp of lice. This means that there’s no need to be embarrassed about lice because no matter how great a person’s hygiene habits are, they can still get lice.

Another common misperception about lice is in regard to how they spread. It’s extremely important for parents to know that lice cannot jump. Their only “mode of transportation” is crawling. They have no wings and aren’t capable of jumping, which means that a louse cannot jump from one person’s head onto another.

How Can You Protect Your Child?

Since lice can only crawl from one person to another, the majority of head lice cases are spread through direct head-to-head contact. So, it’s important to let your kids know not to put their heads together with other kids. If you want to have an abundance of caution, however, here are a few simple tips for protecting your child:

  • Discourage your child from sharing personal hair items such as hairbrushes, combs, barrettes or ribbons, hats, hair elastics, hairpieces/hair extensions, scarves, or even headphones
  • Don’t let your child share bedding such as pillows, blankets, or sleeping bags (for younger children taking naptime).
  • Make sure your child has their own helmet or hat if they participate in sports, and discourage them from sharing towels if they shower and wash their hair after the game/practice.

Lice Treatment in Jacksonville and Orlando, FL and Savannah, GA

Most parents are relieved to find out that head lice do not spread disease. They are also usually pleasantly surprised to find out how easy it is to help minimize the risk of their child catching lice through taking a few simple precautions. In the event that your child does get lice, however, Fresh Heads is here to help. We are not only committed to empowering our customers with the head lice facts they need, but we also pride ourselves on being a lice service that your family can rely on to help you safely diagnose and treat lice. We help you select the most effective lice treatment option so that you and your child can return to normal life as quickly as possible. Contact us today at one of our Florida or Georgia locations to learn more about our safe and affordable treatment options!

Schools Without Lice.

Schools Without Lice

At Fresh Heads Lice Removal, our mission is to get rid of lice in schools across the country. We’ve partnered with Lice Clinics of America to create a program called Schools Without Lice, which gives teaches and nurses free screenings, resources, and treatments. Together, we can have schools without lice!

How long can lice live on this little boy's mattress?

How Long Do Lice Live on a Mattress?

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Once upon a time, your kid had lice. You went through all the lice treatment steps, and thankfully your kid is now lice free! Another missed day of school just wasn’t in the books. As you’re driving home after a hectic day, it hits you. The mattress. Can lice live on mattresses? Can your kid get another lice infestation? How long do lice live on a mattress? Don’t fret. We are addressing all of your concerns and questions on how you can prepare your home after a lice infestation.

So, How Long Do Lice Live on a Mattress?

Head lice can only survive for 1-2 days once they have fallen off their host. That is because they rely on the blood of their host as food several times per day. It’s important to note that head lice do not hide in mattresses during the day like bed bugs—they want to remain on the scalp of their hosts continuously. And lice can only crawl—no jumping or flying, which means they can only be contracted by direct contact. So, is it technically possible someone can get lice from a mattress? Yes, although it is extremely unlikely.

As long as you strip off any bed linens that the infested child recently used (within the 2 days before they were treated), and machine wash and dry them, your child and the other members of the household should be safe.

How Long Can Lice Live on Bedding? Sheets? Pillows?

Just like with mattresses, lice can only live on any bedding—whether it’s sheets, pillows, or comforters—for 1-2 days. Without a human scalp as a source for food (blood) for longer than 1-2 days, lice cannot survive.

Steps You Can Take to Stay Lice-Free

There are 2 types of parents after treating lice: one who deep cleans the entire house, and one who doesn’t give it a second thought after it’s been treated. Regardless if you’re one, the other, or a little bit of both, you don’t need to spend tons of money to ensure those pesky lice are gone for good. We’ve got your house and heads covered with these steps:

  • Machine Wash and Bedding and Clothing. Machine wash linens, clothing, bedding, and clothing the infested person came into contact with during the 2 days prior to treatment. Use hot water (130°F) cycle paired with a high heat drying cycle. This process will dehydrate and kill any potential surviving lice and lice eggs.
  • Soak Hairbrushes and Accessories. Gather all combs, hairbrushes, hair ties, and bobby pins to soak in hot water (minimum 130°F) for 5-10 minutes. Put any ribbons, bows, and scrunchies in the washing machine with the bedding.
  • Focus on Checking Heads and Treating Heads. Since lice can only live for such a short period of time off of a scalp, other than washing items that an infested person very recently came into contact with, you should focus your efforts on checking the heads of your family members.

Head Lice Treatment in Jacksonville and Orlando, FL and Savannah, GA

We understand that treating lice can put a damper on your day and take up your time. At our Fresh Heads Lice Removal clinics, we take the hassle of treating lice for you. When you come into our clinic, you can leave in just over an hour completely lice free, or we’ll give you a parting gift for you to treat on your own. Our various treatment options are a match for lice infestation in any family. Save yourself the Google searches of “How long do lice live on a mattress?” and “How long do lice live on bedding?” and contact us today to schedule your appointment—we want to see your Fresh Heads!

Schools Without Lice.

Schools Without Lice

Our mission at Fresh Heads Lice Removal is to get rid of lice in schools across the USA. We’ve partnered with the Lice Clinics of America to do just that! We’ve created a Schools Without Lice program to give nurses and teachers free resources, screenings, and treatments. Together, we can have schools without lice!

Cases of super lice like these are on the rise.

Cases of Super Lice on the Rise Nationwide

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At Fresh Heads Lice Removal, we understand how difficult and stressful it is to discover that your child has lice. However, parents are finding even more cause for concern as they hear about the emergence of treatment-resistant super lice. We’ll let you in on everything you need to know about super lice, and how you can protect your family.

What Are Super Lice?

Over the past few months, doctors across the country reported a 30% increase in super lice(with some states reporting a 95% increase), but what exactly are super lice? Super lice are a breed of lice that have mutated to form a resistance to insecticides. These lice are thought to have evolved pesticide-resistant genes to survive, which means that over the counter lice treatments are ineffective. In fact, a 2016 Journal of Medical Entomology study revealed that 96 percent of the lice in 48 states are resistant to pyrethroids (a type of insecticide commonly found in most over-the-counter lice treatments). Many experts believe that the emergence of these super lice is responsible for the overall rise in lice cases because the resistant nature of the lice to traditional treatment gives them more time to spread.

AirAllé®: Breakthrough Treatment for Super Lice

While over the counter lice treatments are ineffective for super lice removal, fortunately, professional treatment alternatives exist. At Fresh Heads Lice Removal, our professional technicians and experts take a safe and effective approach to lice treatment that is capable of addressing all lice (even resistant breeds). We stop super lice in their tracks using AirAllé®, a completely safe FDA-cleared medical device. A cutting edge device, AirAllé® kills lice and lice eggs through dehydration, and a single one-hour treatment kills head lice and 99.2% of lice eggs. Because it does not rely on traditional insecticides, AirAllé® is capable of successfully treating super lice. As an added bonus, because the AirAllé® device is so effective at killing lice eggs, the chances of your child needing a follow-up treatment is very small (less than 1% re-treatment rate).

Treatment for Super Lice in Jacksonville and Orlando, FL, and Savannah, GA

While super lice are a cause of concern, it’s possible to effectively remove them through professional treatment options. At Fresh Heads Lice Removal, we believe that getting rid of lice doesn’t have to be complicated, stressful, or expensive. We pride ourselves on being a lice service that your family can rely on for the safe diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of lice. We are able to effectively treat super lice through AirAllé®. At Fresh Heads Lice Removal, we are committed to safely and quickly removing head lice so your child can return to normal life as quickly as possible. Whether its super lice or normal lice, we help you select the most effective treatment option for your child or family member, so that we can help get them the relief they need. To learn more about our list of services and featured products, contact one of our Jacksonville, FL, Orlando, FL, or Savannah, GA Fresh Heads locations today!

 

Sources
https://kslnewsradio.com/1902764/super-lice/
https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/05/29/1856262/0/en/Lice-Clinics-of-America-Reports-Lice-Activity-Increased-95-Percent-in-Houston.html
https://academic.oup.com/jme/article/53/3/653/2222496

Schools Without Lice.

Schools Without Lice

At Fresh Heads Lice Removal, our goal is to get rid of lice in schools nationwide. We created the Schools Without Lice program in partnership with the Lice Clinics of America to support nurses and teachers with free resources, screenings, and treatments. Together, we can take another step toward making schools lice-free!

Children touching heads--the main way lice is spread.

How Is Lice Spread?

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For parents, hearing that someone in their child’s classroom has lice is often their worst nightmare. In fact, we often receive phone calls from panicked parents unsure of what course of action to take once they find themselves in this situation. Over the course of many years, we’ve realized that a good deal of their initial concern arises from the uncertainty about how lice is spread. We’ll outline some facts about how lice is actually spread, so that you can be better equipped to treat or prevent them.

Lice Cannot Spread by Jumping

First things first: one of the most important facts for parents to know about head lice is that lice cannot jump. Their only “mode of transportation” is crawling. They have no wings and aren’t capable of jumping, which means that a louse cannot jump from one person’s head onto another.

How Lice is Spread 98% of the Time: Head-to-Head Contact

Because lice cannot fly or jump, they are only spread through direct head-to-head contact. As a result, lice are commonly spread among children who are often in close physical proximity, often with their heads, hair, and clothing touching and being close enough to allow lice to crawl from one to another. It’s also important to note that the spread of lice is not in any way related to personal hygiene (lice are attracted to blood, not dirt and bacteria).

How Lice is Spread in Less than 2% of Cases: Inanimate Objects

Although head-to-head contact accounts for the vast majority of head lice cases, there is an extremely small chance that your child could get lice another way. If you want to cover every possible base, consider the following:

Lice can possibly be spread through the sharing of clothing or accessories that are used on or near the hair. As a result, it’s important to discourage your child from sharing personal items such as hairbrushes, combs, barrettes or ribbons, hats, hair elastics, hair pieces/hair extensions.

Make sure your child has their own equipment, such as helmets, if they participate in sports or athletics. It’s also a good idea to discourage them from sharing towels after shampooing and showering post-game/practice.

Stop the Spread of Lice with Fresh Heads Lice Removal

Understanding how lice is spread is an important key to both prevention and peace of mind. If you suspect your child has lice, it’s important to seek treatment as soon as possible. At Fresh Heads Lice Removal, we are committed to empowering our customers with the head lice facts they need in order to safely and quickly eradicate lice. We pride ourselves on being a lice service that your family can rely on to help you safely diagnose, treat, or prevent a full-blown lice infestation. We help you select the most effective lice treatment option so that you and your child can return to normal life as quickly as possible. Contact Fresh Heads Lice Removal today to learn more about our safe and affordable treatment options!

 

Schools Without Lice.

Schools Without Lice

Fresh Heads Lice Removal’s goal is to get rid of lice in schools across the country. Our partnership with Lice Clinics of America for the Schools Without Lice program supports nurses and teachers with free resources, screenings, and treatments. Take another step toward lice-free schools!

Boy scratching his head due to lice.

Common Myths About Head Lice

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Head lice are a common occurrence among school-aged children, but many misconceptions and myths still exist about them. When you discover that your child has lice, knowing the correct information will help you understand what to do for effective removal. Below we’ll go through some common myths about head lice and outline the head lice facts you should know!

Myth 1: Lice Are Impossible to See with the Naked Eye

A louse is about the size of a sesame seed, which means that it is possible to see them with the naked eye. It’s best to use a magnifying glass while in natural light. Nits (eggs), on the other hand, may be more difficult to see and require a trained eye.

Myth 2: Lice Can Jump

One of the most important head lice facts for parents to know is that lice cannot jump. Their only “mode of transportation” is crawling. They have no wings and cannot jump, which means that a louse cannot jump from one person’s head onto another. Lice are spread through direct contact when heads, hair, and clothing are touching and close enough to allow lice to crawl from one person to another.

Myth 3: Bad Personal Hygiene is to Blame for Catching Lice

Lice are attracted to blood, not dirt or bacteria. This means that no matter how great a person’s hygiene habits are—they can still get lice. Nits and lice cling to hair follicles and have sticky secretions, which means that shampooing alone won’t rid the scalp of lice.

Myth 4: Lice Carry and Transmit Disease

Lice are harmless in this regard. According to the CDC, head lice do not transmit or carry disease.

Myth 5: You Must Place Your Child’s Toys and Belongings into Plastic Bags to Kill Lice

It’s important for parents to realize that the lice life cycle relies on blood and warmth from a human host in order to support survival. Without the warmth and blood of the human scalp, the lice life cycle is cut short as nits cannot hatch and usually die within a week. This means that once a louse leaves your child’s head, its timeline for survival decreases exponentially. So, while bagging up every single stuffed animal won’t hurt, it’s important to narrow your cleaning efforts to the items that had contact with your child.

Fresh Heads Lice Removal

At Fresh Heads Lice Removal, we are committed to empowering our customers with the head lice facts they need in order to safely and quickly eradicate lice. We pride ourselves on being a lice service that your family can rely on to help you safely diagnose, treat, or prevent a full-blown lice infestation. We help you select the most effective lice treatment option so that you and your child can return to normal life as quickly as possible. We have clinics in Jacksonville and Orlando, FL, and Savannah, GA. Contact Fresh Heads Lice Removal today to learn more about our safe and affordable treatment options!

 

Schools Without Lice.

Schools Without Lice

At Fresh Heads Lice Removal, our goal is to eradicate lice in schools across the country. We have partnered with Lice Clinics of America to create the Schools Without Lice program, which supports our nurses and teachers with free resources, screenings, and treatments. Let’s take another step toward lice-free schools!