To Selfie or Not To Selfie: That Is The Question

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The head-to-head/hair-to-hair contact that is touted as the most credible cause of the spread of head lice is a primary characteristic of a “selfie”.    Teens love to be in selfies.  The jury is still out, but it might be something worth considering… “Selfies” may be contributing to an increase in head lice infestations among teens.

Head lice infestations have, historically, not been a teen issue.  Usually, teens with head lice have most likely gotten them from a younger sibling.  Unfortunately, teens tend to be pretty closed-lip when they do have head lice.  Furthermore, teens with head lice who would otherwise opt out of being in someone else’s selfie, succumb to peer pressure to be part of the photo op.  It is possible for unsuspecting teens to be sharing more than just a memory.

Head lice experts are divided on the issue of selfies as lice spreaders.  Some say it makes sense; others say no data-no concern.  While it might not be a research-proven fact – yet – it might make sense to limit your selfies to yourself.

Contact Mandy Ottesen and her team of professionals by calling 904-517-4087 or by visiting www.freshheadsliceremoval.com.

 

Head Lice Mythology 101

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Head Lice Mythology 101

A myth is an idea or story that is believed by many people but that is not true. When it comes to head lice, myths run rampant. Here are some common myths about the tiny creatures that can rein havoc on a school or a household…

Myth Number One: It’s all about dirt. Dirty scalp and hair, dirty household, dirty everything!
Fact: Dirt has nothing to do with head lice. They don’t care about it. They are only after human BLOOD!

Myth Number Two: Head lice carry and spread disease.
Fact: No, they don’t. They just spread fear and frustration.

Myth Number Three: Head lice can spread from people to their pets and vice versa.
Fact: No, they can’t. Head lice have to have human blood to survive.

Myth Number Four: Head lice can hop, jump, and fly from one head to another. Nits can fall off one head and go to another.
Fact: No, they can’t. Head lice are crawlers and have no wings. The cement-like substance that glues nits to the hair shaft makes them very hard to remove much less “fall off”.

Myth Number Five: Head lice infestations can be prevented by having short hair.
Fact: Not really. Head lice lay eggs at the scalp, not at the end of the hair strand.

Myth Number Six: Head lice have a hair type and color preference.
Fact: No, they don’t. As a matter of fact, they change their color to match the color of the host’s hair.

Myth Number Seven: Head lice can spread in swimming pools.
Fact: Although head lice can survive underwater for hours, they apparently do not like being there. They are known to hold on tightly to human hair when under water.

Myth Number Eight: Head lice can live anywhere.
Fact: No, they can’t. Their parasitic relationship with humans is such that they must feed on human blood to survive. The nits must have a source of heat to survive. Off the scalp, nits will die before they can hatch. Adults dehydrate quickly and cannot live for more than 24 to 48 hours. Thus, there is an extremely low likelihood that lice are spread to humans from non-human things.

Myth Number Nine: When one member of a household has head lice, every member of the household needs treatment and the entire house should be cleaned and fumigated.
Fact: No, they don’t and no, it doesn’t. Every member of the household should be checked for head lice but treated only if head lice or nits are found. The household? Refer to Myth Number Eight. Only the items that have been in contact with the head of the infested person 48 hours prior to treatment need to be cleaned using routine house cleaning measures.

Myth Number Ten: Not itching? Phew! No head lice!
Fact: You wish! Any itching that comes with head lice is caused by an allergic reaction to the saliva secreted by the louse as it bites the skin at feeding time. Some people do not have a reaction and have lice for weeks before knowing it.

So there you have it… Some facts on the matter… For answers to questions and general myth-control, contact Mandy Ottesen and her team of professionals by calling 904-517-4087 or by visiting www.freshheadsliceremoval.com.

Students Raising Hands in classroom

Head Lice — What Should the Schools Be Doing?

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Nothing strikes fear in the hearts of mothers everywhere like the threat of head lice infestation. Many mothers today remember being checked as children by their school nurses or camp directors, but not all of us struggled with head lice like our children do today. As the head lice epidemic becomes more prevalent, families look to answers, and too often, blame the schools.

School head lice policies are usually handed down from the county health department and vary wildly from county to county, state to state. In North East Florida, most counties still have the strict ‘no nit’ policy, although this policy is not the nationwide norm. Volusia County made headlines recently when they adopted one of the most lenient policies in the country, allowing children with active cases of head lice back into the classroom. The county’s position was simple: Head Lice are not a medical issue, but rather a nuisance. The Center For Disease Control endorses this mode of thinking, pointing out that head lice do not cause any known medical issue.

At Fresh Heads Lice Removal, we feel strongly that much of this burden should be transferred to the parents themselves. Checking your children for lice regularly is the best way to detect it early, treat it effectively, and slow down this epidemic. Further, parents need to be completely honest and forthcoming with their friends and family when they have had a lice problem. Too many families are buying into the stigma that comes with having head lice, and are too embarrassed to tell the people they have been around. We really need to bring head lice out of the proverbial closet! Honest communication is so important and is probably the single best way to stop the spread of lice.

School nurses will do their part, and they do a phenomenal job. But if more parents were taking responsibility for their children, checking their heads regularly at home, and alerting the school, friends, and family when lice are found, there would be much fewer lice in the world. It is really that simple!

girls hugging

How Do I Know If My Child Has Lice?

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Head lice are amazingly inconspicuous in your child’s hair and can be very hard to spot or detect. Itching can be one of the first signs of head lice unless your child has a very light case. If your child has an itchy scalp or has been exposed to another child with lice, it’s best to check your child’s head and scalp, and especially behind the ears and near the neckline. Your experts at Fresh Heads Lice Removal are happy to help you discern whether or not your child has lice.

Can I See Lice on the Scalp?
You may be able to see the lice, but they are difficult to distinguish. However, more visible are the tiny white nits (or eggs) that are found on the hair shaft, about one-eighth inch from the scalp. Nits are dark brown in color, only turning clear and sometimes white when they have already hatched. They can appear further down the hair shaft when older, as they are cemented to the hair with a glue when laid. This glue is very strong, and the nits remain on the hair even after they have hatched…so basically, it is a common misconception that nits are white. They are typically either dark brown, or sometimes clear, and feel like a hard speed bump on the hair. They are difficult to detach them from the hair without the use of a special, fine-toothed nit comb (such as the Terminator Comb from Fresh Heads Lice Removal). This high-quality metal comb features ultra-close prongs that provide the single most effective weapon against nit removal.

Check for Nits and Lice:
You may see the nits (or eggs) even if you don’t see any lice. Did you know that a single louse can lay up to 150 eggs? That’s a lot of nits, so keep your eye out for their small white eggs that resemble dandruff. Check the “nape” (back of the neck close to the neckline of the scalp) of the neck and behind the ears first, as this is where lice are commonly found. However, nits and lice can live anywhere on the scalp, so be sure to check all over the entire head. If you find any sign of nits or lice, call Fresh Heads Lice Removal for immediate assistance!

Perform Routine Checks of Your Child’s Hair:
Even if your child does not have lice, it’s important to regularly look closely at your child’s head, and comb through hair while it’s wet, using a fine-toothed nit comb. Good hygiene is not an indicator that a child will or will not get lice. Preventative care and early detection are key in keeping lice out of your hair! If your child has been exposed to another child with lice, he or she is likely to contract lice. If there has been an outbreak at your child’s school, you need to check your child’s hair and scalp immediately; the sooner you find the lice and/or nits, the sooner you can treat and combat the lice!

Call Fresh Heads Lice Removal for more information about lice removal, live prevention, and what to do if your child has lice.

JACKSONVILLE: (904) 517-4087

 

Be Aware and Prepare: Prevent Lice!

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It’s not a question of “if my child’s school will have a lice outbreak” – it’s “when will my child’s school have a lice outbreak?” News4Jax reported that approximately 85 percent of all school districts report at least one outbreak a year. Check out this recent news article for tips on how you can help prevent a lice outbreak in your household here.

Preventative Care:
Fresh Heads Lice Removal has numerous products to help prevent lice from attacking your whole family! We recommend using Rapunzel’s Louse Away Shampoo with all-natural essential oils that help keep lice from ever coming near your head. Additionally, try Rapunzel’s Louse Away Conditioning Spray after every shampoo for extra protection again lice. These products are all organic, sulfate-free, and clinically proven to detour lice from attaching to your scalp or hair. Use Rapunzel’s Louse Away Shampoo and Conditioner before sleepovers, camp, school trips, and other outings where lice could be hiding.

Fresh Heads Lice Removal uses only non-toxic, chemical-free solutions that resist lice and keep your family healthy at the same time. See below for product details:

Rapunzel’s Louse Away Shampoo $15
Rapunzel’s Louse Away Conditioning Spray $15

Fresh Heads lice prevention products contain 100% natural and organic ingredients. Designed to keep hair clean, smelling good and lice free, all Fresh Heads prevention products have a “double-whammy” effect. Not only do they contain ingredients that coat the hair shaft, but they also contain numerous essential oils proven to prevent head lice and other insects while leaving hair silky smooth and frizz-free!

About Fresh Heads Lice Prevention Products:
Fresh Heads Lice Removal is proud to offer a remarkable line of lice prevention and lice removal products. All of our products were developed with the goal of creating a safe and effective product line for the prevention and elimination of head lice. All Fresh Heads Lice Removal products are made of natural ingredients and are sulfate-free, gluten-free, and paraben-free.

Fresh Heads Lice Removal products DO NOT contain any carcinogens or neurotoxins that could be harmful to humans or animals.

You can rest easy knowing that you have a fast, safe and effective solution to prevent head lice – the all-natural way.
Remember, Fresh Heads Lice Removal also has products to ensure the safe removal of lice if anyone in your family has been infected with Lice. Our AirAllé™ head lice treatment removes lice without any chemicals or harsh shampoos. We also have a comprehensive “do-it-yourself” product line, which includes Lice-Sense Lice Killer, Lice-Sense Combing Solution, and the Terminator Comb for the safe, effective, non-toxic extermination of head lice.

Call Fresh Heads Lice Removal or visit our website for details on all of our lice removal products.

We can help you before the next lice outbreak!

(904) 517-4087

Keep Lice Out of Your Summer Plans!

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Ahhh – summer vacation is finally here – no school, no studies, no carpools! What a relief; so why has my summer been hijacked by an outbreak of head lice? Yikes! Surprisingly, summer is actually the busiest time of year for lice outbreaks because children are closer in contact than they are while they are in school. Between the slumber parties, summer camps, and backyard adventures, lice have an even higher rate of infestation than during the school year! So what is the best way to avoid contracting lice? Let’s go to our experts at Fresh Heads for some simple tips at preventing lice.

First, arm yourself with knowledge! Our professionals at Fresh Heads recommend that you remind your children not to share combs, brushes, and hats at summer camp. They also suggest that your kids sleep in the “star pattern” during slumber parties or sleepovers. Instead of children sleeping side-by-side or in a circle with their heads in the middle, arrange them in the “star pattern” with their feet in the middle! Assure them that this allows them to have more room, and no one has to sleep on the “end”!

Second, remember that the school year isn’t the only time to get “back-to-basics.” Our Fresh Head experts advise you to frequently wash commonly used items, such as bike helmets, sports helmets, car seat headrests, headphones, and the like. And what about those public places where we so often rest our heads during the summer months, such as airplanes and movie theaters? Our Fresh Heads professionals tell us not to worry so much about that issue; since head lice cannot live and breed unless they are on your head, it is highly unlikely that you would contract head lice from those external environments…whew! Ironman 3 – here we come!

Third, learn to recognize the symptoms of head lice, and learn how to properly check your children’s scalp for any signs of lice. In addition to the obvious “itchy head” – you might also see small red bumps or sores on the back of the neck or near the ears. Be sure to keep our TERMINATOR COMB (only $15 from Fresh Heads) on hand for routine head checks. In the event, you discover the “unthinkable” – DON’T PANIC! Call Fresh Heads – we will save you the time of scouring the Internet only to find a variety of scary home remedies (lamp oil and dog shampoo – seriously?), alarming pesticides, or unnecessary recommendations about your belongings! Our FDA approved, chemical-free treatment rapidly turns your scary-time back into your SUMMERTIME!

So don’t let your summertime slumber party turn into a scary-time louse party! Now that you are in-the-know about lice prevention, you can enjoy your summer without worrying about head lice. Throw a fun-filled sleepover party, travel by plane, and go to the movies! Of course, if any head lice should derail your plans, just call us; we are only an AirAllé™ (formerly known as the LouseBuster™) away!