girls hugging

Why Do Kids Get Lice More than Adults?

It’s probably safe to say that most of us sailed through our early adult years never giving head lice much thought. It wasn’t until children entered the picture that we were abruptly reminded of these persistent parasites. It seems like head lice and school children go hand-in-hand. But do kids really get head lice more than adults? Savannah head lice treatment center Fresh Heads has the answer!

What are Head Lice and How Do They Spread?

Head lice are human parasites that live on the scalp and feed off human blood. They don’t pose any major health threat, though they can cause extreme itching and irritation. They can cause redness, bumps and sores from scratching.

Head lice do not jump or fly. They move by crawling from one host to another. They also can be spread by sharing personal items that they’ve crawled onto, such as hair brushes and hats. However, since lice can only live 1 to 2 days without human blood, they can’t survive on these items for long.

Why Do Kids Get Head Lice More than Adults?

The answer is pretty straightforward. It’s not that the pesky critters prefer children’s blood to adult’s. It’s the simple fact that kids are in closer contact with one another on a daily basis.

Young kids don’t have much regard for personal space. Because of this they frequently commit the number one lice spreading no-no: head to head contact. They could be cozying up during story time, hugging their best pal or huddling together at a sleepover. There’s a lot of that head to head contact going on regularly, which head lice thrive on. It’s also worth noting that girls are more likely to get head lice because the pests can more easily climb onto their long hair.

Another fact is that children share and swap personal items without giving it without a second thought. They may try on each other’s hats, borrow hair accessories, exchange ear buds or share a pillow at a slumber party. Girls adore brushing, styling and braiding each other’s hair—all while using the same brush. Sharing these items could potentially spread lice if they’ve been exposed in the past 24 to 48 hours.

Treating Lice Safely & Effectively

If your child comes home with lice, the sooner you treat it, the easier your life will be. Just steer clear of harsh OTC chemical treatments that you might find at your local drug store. Their ingredients are toxic and have been shown to cause health issues such as behavioral problems in kids. Plus, they don’t work.

For safe lice treatment you can trust, visit our Savannah lice treatment center. Our signature AirAllé treatment is chemical-free and FDA-cleared, using hot air to stop lice in their tracks. We also carry an extensive line of all-natural, great-smelling hair care products, including preventative products. With 4 convenient locations located in Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Orlando, and Savannah, there is a Fresh Heads near you! Call us today at (912) 988-4099.

Girls in halloween costumes

Preventing Head Lice this Halloween

Imagine creepy, blood-sucking critters invading your home this Halloween. No, it’s not some scary movie plot. It’s head lice, and lice treatment centers around the country report seeing a spike in cases this time of year. Here are some professional tips on preventing head lice in your household this Halloween.

How Are Lice Spread?

Lice are almost always spread among children through head-to-head contact like when sharing a bed or playing in close proximity.

Contrary to popular belief, lice are not typically spread by sharing items. Head lice must feed on human blood in order to survive. An adult head louse will die within 24 to 48 hours of being off a human head, and nymphs can only live for several hours without feeding. Nits must be kept warm by the scalp, and are therefore not viable when off of a human head.

For all of these reasons, it is not very likely that lice will spread by way of inanimate objects. However, it is not impossible, and therefore basic cleaning of costumes, wigs, bedding, carpets, upholstered furniture, hairbrushes, stuffed animals, hair ties, and clothing should be done whenever head lice are found in the home.

Keeping Costumes Critter-Free

During Halloween, lice can spread as kids try on different costumes at stores and at friends’ houses. When you bring home a new or borrowed costume, try these methods to reduce the chance of spreading head lice:

  • Put costumes in a sealed bag for 48 hours before you wear them. Lice can’t survive longer than this without blood from the human scalp.
  • Alternatively, place new or borrowed costumes in a hot dryer for at least 45 minutes before they are worn. High heat for an extended period of time can kill head lice. Be sure to check the labels first to avoid damaging your costume.

Fright-Free Wigs

Halloween costumes with wigs, hats, masks, and headbands are all popular among children. Here are some ways of preventing head lice from spreading with these items.

  • Encourage your kids not to share items that are worn directly on the head such as wigs, hats, and headbands.
  • When purchasing items for the head that are not in a sealed package, avoid trying them on right away. Place them in a sealed bag for 48 hours, as suggested above.

Always Check for Creepy Crawlers

Another step in preventing head lice is doing frequent head checks. Check your child thoroughly for head lice if they’ve shared a costume or have gone to a sleepover. Here’s how to do it:

  • Start checking your child’s scalp by parting the hair in multiple places. Look especially closely at the nape of the neck and behind the ears.
  • Check for any movement in the hair, especially when shining a light on it.
  • Look for lice and their nits. Lice are the size of sesame seeds and white to grayish in color. Nits are tiny and hard to spot. They are white or beige in color and feel like a grain of sand.
  • If you can’t tell if it’s lice or dandruff, the biggest difference is that dandruff will easily brush off. Nits are glued to the hair shaft and harder to remove.

Steer Clear of Terrifying Treatments

If you do detect head lice on your child, step away from dangerous over the counter remedies. These pesticide-style treatments are not only proven to be highly toxic, but they have an extremely low efficacy rating. The active ingredients in many of these products are lindane and permethrin—both scientifically shown to be carcinogenic.

Treatment That’s a Treat

Instead of treating your child with tricky pesticides, visit Fresh Heads. We’re proud to offer strictly chemical-free treatments. Our signature AirAllé treatment is FDA-cleared and has one of the highest efficiency ratings of any lice treatment out there. It brilliantly utilizes heated air to dehydrate and kill lice and their eggs. The treatment can be completed in about an hour, so your kids can get back to having Halloween fun ASAP.

young girl hugs kittens and dog

Can My Pet Get Head Lice?

The first thing on parents’ minds when a child comes home with lice is head lice removal. The second is probably containment. It’s natural to worry about head lice spreading to other family members. But what about the family pet? You might be wondering if your dog or cat can get head lice from your child or vice versa.

Can My Pet Get Head Lice?

We are happy to report that, no, your furry friend can’t catch lice from your child and won’t need head lice removal. That’s because lice do not spread from one species to another. Lice happen to be a species-specific ectoparasite.

The lice that humans can carry are called Pediculus humanus capitis. The lice found on dogs is called Trichodected canis or Linognathus Setosus. On cats, the lice found is called Felicola subrostrata. Each of these is a completely different pest that requires the specific blood and body temperatures of the species they survive on.

Even though there are animal-specific lice, they are not commonly found on household pets. They are far more likely to catch fleas than lice. In the rare case that your pet did contract lice, they would not be able to pass it on to any humans in the family. It’s also very unlikely that your pet would be able to transfer human head lice from one family member to another. Head lice simply don’t live very long once they can’t feed off human blood.

Fortunately, all of this means that if your child comes home with lice, head lice removal for your four-legged friend won’t be necessary.

Lice Symptoms for Pets

If you think that your pet contracted species-specific lice, you should contact your veterinarian for a screening. They will be able to check for lice, fleas, ticks, and other ectoparasites. Signs that your pet may have lice include itchiness, scratching, rubbing or biting skin, hair loss and a dry coat.

If your pet is found to have lice, there’s no need to panic that it will spread through your home. Your vet will prescribe the most effective lice removal treatment. Most importantly, don’t try to treat your pet with over the counter medications or pesticides that could harm them.

Head Lice Removal

Now that you know you don’t have to worry about Fido, just check your children periodically for lice. If they or another family member may have head lice, have them screened as soon as possible. Fresh Heads lice treatment centers offer head checks for the entire family. Our technicians will carefully inspect for any signs of head lice. If head lice removal is necessary, we offer a range of treatment options to suit your needs. For an appointment or for more information, please contact us at any of our Jacksonville, Orlando, or Savannah locations!

Jacksonville & Jacksonville Beach: (904) 517-4087
Orlando: (407) 618-1175
Savannah: (912) 988-4099

 

Sources:
https://www.capcvet.org/guidelines/lice/
http://www.aavp.org/wiki/arthropods/insects/hemiptera-bugs/phthiraptera-lice/felicola-subrostratus/

back to school scrabble tiles

3 Keys to Back to School Head Lice Prevention

It’s back to school time, and that means kids across the country are going to get head lice. Lice removal clinics tend to be busiest in August and September. Before school starts is a great time to familiarize yourself with your school’s policy on head lice, and learn how to prevent head lice infestations. Here are three keys to head lice prevention as school starts back up.

Back to School Head lice prevention tips

  1. Educate yourself and your children about head lice.

There is an extensive list of myths about head lice out there, so make sure you know the facts. For example, lice can’t fly, hop or jump. They don’t care if hair is clean or dirty. Lice can’t live on pets—only the human scalp. Lice are spread most commonly by head-to-head contact, so ask your kids to avoid that type of contact.

  1. Do weekly checks.

Whether you check yourself or visit a lice removal clinic, the sooner you find signs of head lice, the easier it is to treat. Some signs to watch out for are an itchy scalp, small rash around the hairline/behind the ears and white or tan specks in the hair that differ from dandruff. Check your child’s hair once a week after it has been washed and is still damp. You may want to use a nit comb, bright light, and magnifying glass to help you spot the tiny nits. You can also come to a Fresh Heads location for thorough head lice check.

  1. Keep long hair tied up.

If your child has long hair, it’s helpful to keep it tied up. Styling long hair in a ponytail, braid or bun can help keep hair from coming into contact with head lice.

Head lice policies for Jacksonville area school districts

  1. Duval County Public Schools Head Lice Policy

Students with nits will be excluded from school until they are nit-free. All children excluded from school due to head lice and/or nits must be accompanied by a parent or an adult before they will be allowed to return to school or ride the school bus. It is suggested to seek professional help from a lice removal clinic right away to help your children return to school sooner.

  1. St. John’s County Public Schools Head Lice Policy

In St. John’s County Public Schools, all students infected with head lice will not be allowed back into school until all signs of lice and nits are gone. Readmission to school requires an examination by trained personnel, designated by the school principal, to determine if the student may return to school.

  1. Clay County Public Schools Head Lice Policy

Students need to be free of nits before re-entry into school after treatment. Parents of Elementary school-aged children are required to accompany their children to school on the first day of entry after treatment. All children should be back to school within two days if treated properly.

If your child comes home from school with a suspected case of head lice, visit Fresh Heads Lice Treatment Centers for a thorough head check. If we discover lice, we can provide you with several treatment options. For more information on how to prevent head lice, visit our blog.

head lice closeup

Preventing Head Lice at Summer Camp

It’s that time of year when you pack up your kids and ship them off to summer camp. They’ll spend their days swimming, playing games and sitting around the campfire. You may have thought about the chance of them getting sick or injured while they’re away. You probably haven’t thought much about preventing head lice, though.

Unfortunately, head lice at summer camp is frequent concern. According to the American Camp Association, one of the most common calls to their crisis hotline each year is from camps with questions about head lice. And a recent study from the University of Michigan Mott Children’s Hospital found that head lice was a significant burden that both campers and their counselors faced. Many camps have a no-nit policy, meaning your child will be sent home if they are found to have lice. Here are some tips to help prevent head lice for your camper this summer.

Talk to your child about head lice. Teach them how to identify head lice symptoms and remind them to avoid any direct head-to-head contact before they leave for camp.

Use preventative products. There are many non-toxic products available that help prevent head lice. Fresh Heads carries sprays, shampoos and conditioners that contain products like essential oils that help repel head lice. Pack these products along with sunscreen and other personal care items so your camper remembers to use them daily.

Hair matters. For boys, keeping hair short is best. For girls, keeping hair tied back in a braid or bun can help in preventing head lice from spreading from head to head.

Head checks. No one wants to be the one responsible for an outbreak, so it’s important to give your camper a thorough head check before sending them to camp. Some camps will also perform a head check on site as campers arrive. You will want to do another check when your child returns home to make sure he or she isn’t bringing head lice home with them.

Even when you do all that you can to try to prevent head lice, it can still happen to the best of us. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the camp’s head lice policy before sending your child. Be sure that your camper knows that head lice is nothing to be ashamed of and that anyone can get it.

If your camper does come home with head lice, the quickest solutions is the FDA-cleared AirAllé treatment available at Fresh Heads. For more information about head lice prevention and head lice treatment, visit our Facts and FAQ page.

kids splash adult with water at camp

Head Lice Don’t Take Summers Off!

The days are getting longer, the temperatures are heating up and summer vacation is right around the corner. Everyone’s ready to take a break from the routine, and kids are looking forward to spending carefree days running around outdoors with their friends. The last thing on anyone’s mind is lice removal. But unfortunately, head lice don’t take a break for summer.

Even though kids are no longer around each other in school every day, cases of head lice tend to be more prevalent in the summer months. Kids go away to summer camp, have sleepovers more frequently and spend much more time in close contact with one another. Adding to that is the fact that head lice tend to thrive in summer’s warm and humid conditions. This all increases their chance of catching head lice.

We’ve put together a few tips to help you reduce the chances of having to deal with head lice removal this summer.

Avoid Head to Head Contact

Make sure your kids understand that the best way to prevent getting lice is to avoid head-to-head contact.

Be Prepared at Sleepovers and Camps.

Since head lice travel quickest by direct contact, sleepovers make it very easy for them to get passed around. The kids can take some simple precautions but still have fun.  Send them with their own pillows, PJs and hair care items.

Do Regular Checks for Head Lice.

Lice removal is easiest when the pesky bugs are caught early. It can save you a lot of time and hassle if you regularly check your child’s hair, especially when they return from sleepovers or camps. Use a fine-tooth comb to thoroughly go through your child’s hair to search for lice and nits. It’s easiest to spot lice in bright natural light, and a magnifying glass can be helpful.

If you do find that your child has head lice, stay calm and come up with a good treatment plan. Fresh Heads is a science and research-based lice treatment center that offers easy and effective treatment options. Trust us with your family’s lice removal needs, and you’ll be back to having summer fun before you know it!

essential oils that can prevent head lice

Can Essential Oils Help Prevent Head Lice?

Head lice are a most unwelcome house guest that can bring a great deal of stress, discomfort, and embarrassment for them. Any parent would like to be able to prevent an infestation from entering their home, and it turns out that it may be as simple as using clinically tested essential oil products.

An essential oil is a concentrated hydrophobic liquid that contains volatile aroma compounds from a plant. These naturally occurring oils can be derived from the seeds, stems, flowers, bark and other parts of the plant. Essential oils have long been used for their natural healing properties and may be an effective deterrent against head lice. Their extremely concentrated odor works as a repellent, helping to prevent head lice infestation.

The use of natural products, with essential oils, to ward off head lice is a great option for parents. However, the best way to avoid irritation is to use a product that has been scientifically formulated and tested. While essential oils are completely natural, some may irritate and some can be harmful. Fresh Heads carries clinically tested essential oil products, including shampoos, conditioning sprays, and detanglers, which are scientifically formulated to help prevent head lice naturally. They are effective, safe, all natural, chemical-free, and smell great!

Some of the best lice-repelling essential oils used in our product line include:

Tea Tree Oil
Tea tree oil is probably the essential oil that is most commonly believed to effectively prevent head lice. It has antiseptic properties and a strong odor.

Eucalyptus Oil
Eucalyptus oil contains a menthol scent and has been shown to affect repelling insects including head lice.

Lavender Oil
Lavender oil has long been known to be a natural insect repellent. It has a strong, floral scent.

Rosemary oil, peppermint oil, geranium oil, cinnamon leaf oil and thyme oil have all also been shown to be effective at preventing head lice.

 

For the best “one-two punch” for lice prevention, Fresh Heads recommends periodic combing, along with applications of proven essential oil products!

 

Lice Prevention Sprays

 

If you are dealing with head lice or would like to take preventative measures, call the experts! Fresh Heads Lice Removal Clinics, located in northeast and central Florida, are science and research-based treatment centers dedicated to helping you find the most effective treatment for lice.

stop sign

Head Lice Do’s & Don’ts

Are you dealing with a case of head lice? The whole situation can be overwhelming, but it’s important to find an effective solution and tackle a head lice infestation quickly so that you and your family can get on with your lives!

With so much information out there, it’s hard to know what the best solution for getting rid of head lice is. A good treatment for head lice should effectively kill the lice and their nits without exposing your children to toxic pesticides and other chemicals. Here are some do’s and don’ts to follow if your family gets stuck with the pesky critters.

DO check everyone in the home for head lice. And when you’re done, re-check. Use a good nit comb that will separate strands of hair easily.

DO find an effective and safe head lice treatment, and call a professional treatment center like Fresh Heads. The commonly used pesticide treatments of the past are no longer very effective, and they can be harmful. There are many non-toxic, all natural products available to both prevent and treat head lice.

DO use dry heated air to treat lice. Head lice and their nits can’t survive in hot, dry air. The FDA-cleared AirAllé device uses this technology to safely, quickly and effectively kill head lice. Clothing and linens can be placed in a hot dryer for at least 20 minutes to kill lice and nits.

DO treat the entire house. Even if you don’t think other household members are infested, chances are they have been exposed. To reduce the risk of another outbreak, it is strongly suggested that all family members undergo treatment for head lice.

DO notify others who have been in contact with an infested person. This is an important step in cutting down on the spread of head lice.

DON’T panic. In order to keep your peace of mind, it’s important to try to stay calm. Head lice can cause a great deal of anxiety for children, so treating the situation calmly will help the entire family.

DON’T wait to treat head lice. Some parents may wait until their child is experiencing symptoms of head lice. The problem is that it can take several days for symptoms to appear, and then you already have an infestation that has probably spread throughout the home.

DON’T use chemical treatments containing ingredients such as Permethrin. These chemicals are extremely toxic, and most strains of head lice have become resistant to these treatments.

DON’T send a child with head lice to school. Most schools have a no-nit policy, and it’s important that they complete an effective treatment before returning to school. This will help cut down on the spread of head lice.

While a head lice infestation is a stressful thing to deal with, following these do’s and don’ts can help you keep your sanity! Call Fresh Heads Lice Treatment Centers to help you find the most safe and effective treatment plan for your family.

Keep the Fun in Halloween by Keeping the Head Lice Away!

halloween-pumpkinWith Halloween right around the corner and little ones enjoying dressing up in costume, masks and wigs and such, we thought it the opportune time to remind our readers how lice are spread and some tips for preventing lice transmission so your kids can enjoy this fun time of year lice free.

How Lice Are Spread

Lice are almost always caught by another person, usually children.  This can be from head-to-head contact like when sharing a bed or playing in close proximity.

Busting the Myth About Shared Items

Contrary to popular misconceptions, lice are typically not spread by sharing items.   Head lice must feed on human blood in order to survive. An adult head louse will die within 24 to 48 hours of being off a human head. Nymphs can only live for several hours without feeding. Nits must be kept warm by the scalp, and are therefore not viable when off of a human head.

For all of these reasons, it is not very likely that lice will spread by way of inanimate objects. However, it is not impossible, and therefore basic cleaning of bedding, carpets, upholstered furniture, hairbrushes, stuffed animals, hair ties, and clothing should be done whenever head lice are found in the home.

Can Lice Jump From One Person to Another?

No.  Because lice cannot jump or fly, they crawl from one person to another, using their claws to grab onto hair.   Head lice can’t survive more than a day or so without a meal of blood so those “on the loose” will soon die off.

How to Prevent the Spread of Lice

Keeping your head away from other heads is your best chance at not getting infested. If you have long hair, putting it in a bun or braid will help.

Because 50 percent of the time people get infested with other family members, make sure everyone in your family gets checked (and if necessary, treated) when any family member has lice.  There are lice repellant products on the market that contain essential oils that lice don’t like to smell. In vitro tests show lice will stay away from essential oils used in those products.

Can I Get Lice From My Pet?

No. Lice do not live on animals.  Pets play no role in the spread of head lice.

If There’s an Outbreak

  • If you know of an outbreak in the area, avoid sleepovers and slumber parties until the outbreak clears up.
  • Machine wash and dry, at high temperatures, any bedding, and clothing used by anyone having lice.
  • Call Fresh Heads in the Jacksonville, Orlando and Savannah areas for head checks and if needed, speedy and efficient removal of all lice and nits.

Follow these tips and you’ll be on your way to a happy and head-lice free Halloween!

Summer Camp Blues

Ah, summer! The kids are counting down the days until summer begins. Parents, perhaps, not so much. However, there is the blessing that is summer camp!
For many families, part of the summer routine for kids involves some sort of day or overnight camp. It’s a wonderful time for children to meet new friends, learn about new interests and hobbies, and visit new places. Hopefully, though, this year’s summer routine won’t involve the unwanted camp visitors known as lice.

According to the American Camp Association, each year an estimated six to twelve million lice infestations occur in the US among children three-to-eleven-years of age. There is hope: Fresh Heads Head Lice Treatment Center offers a full line of all natural, chemical-free preventative products. With some easy preventative measures and knowledge, you and your child can avoid singing the summer camp lice blues.

Head lice are spread by direct contact with the hair of an infested person and these buggers can transfer very quickly in the close proximity of a camp setting. Our little darlings love to be close to one another when they are having fun. A gentle reminder to keep away from hair-to-hair contact, share bunks, or use each other hairbrushes should help reduce the chances of inviting these unwanted critters. Also, remind the kids that if, by chance, someone does experience head lice, to be kind and don’t make fun of them. It isn’t their fault.

Once a confirmed case of head lice infestation has been noted, all persons who have been in close contact this individual should be checked and those with evidence of an active infestation should be treated as soon as possible. This means everyone at the camp and everyone in the home.

Fresh Heads offers head checks and fast, safe, and guaranteed removal of head lice through their all-natural chemical free preventive products and their three levels of treatment options:

AirAllé™ treatment services is a one-hour, “green” treatment using an FDA-cleared medical device that operates with warm, dry air to kill lice eggs. This treatment is the only way that kills lice eggs prior to removal and therefore requires zero follow-ups.
The Traditional Comb Out option is simply the manual removal of lice and nits done by a Fresh Heads Technician using an enzyme-rich combing solution to help aid in nit removal and the application of Lice-Sense, incredibly strong and completely non-toxic lice suffocating oil.
Fresh Heads’ Do-It-Yourself head lice treatment and removal kit and tutorial.
There’s no need to panic, Fresh Heads are here to make your family’s heads, well, fresh and clean of any lice.

And one final note, when the babies return from camp, give them hugs and kisses and then thrown everything they own into the laundry. Better safe than sorry, we always say. Happy camping!