girls hugging

Why Do Kids Get Lice More than Adults?

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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.

girl with head lice scratches head

Will Head Lice Go Away on Its Own?

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a staggering 6-10 million people each year contract head lice. It’s an all too common problem that can take weeks or months to get rid of. Some people hope against the odds that it will eventually go away on its own. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. The good news is, it doesn’t take toxic chemical treatments to do the trick. A highly effective pesticide-free head lice treatment is the most sought-after lice treatment on the market right now.

Why Head Lice Won’t Go Away on Its Own

Head lice will not go away on its own when they have what they need to survive. Head lice, scientifically known as Pediculus humanus capitis, are parasites. They completely depend on human blood and the shelter provided by human hair to survive. As long as they have that food and shelter, they are able to stay alive.

Head Lice Multiplication

Head lice won’t eventually die off on their own. And, in fact, they multiply very rapidly when left alone. This means that the longer you avoid treatment, the bigger the problem will be. A female louse can live for up to 30 days on the human scalp, laying about 50 eggs per week. Those eggs take about a week to hatch, continuing the vicious cycle. A child left untreated for 5 weeks can have up to 4,000 live lice and 100,000 nits.

Chemical Treatments vs. Pesticide-Free Head Lice Treatments

The most critical step in eliminating a head lice infestation is using an effective lice treatment. Over-the-counter lice shampoos dominated the market for decades, but are finally losing popularity. Lice have become resistant to these toxic chemicals, and the products are no longer very effective.

Many of these OTC products contain ingredients called pyrethroids. These are the same synthetic chemicals found in many pesticides. The most common ingredient, permethrin, has been shown to be carcinogenic. It has other health hazards, including allergic reactions, headaches, dizziness, hyperactivity and seizures.

Fortunately, the most effective way to kill head lice is with a pesticide-free head lice treatment called AirAllé. Instead of chemicals, this FDA-cleared device uses heated air to dehydrate and destroy lice and their eggs. This treatment has been clinically shown to be 99.2% effective, while OTC products containing permethrin are only 45% effective at best.

Pesticide-Free Lice Treatment in Jacksonville, Orlando and Savannah

So while head lice won’t go away on its own, there’s no need to despair. In a painless one-hour session, Fresh Heads can solve your lice problem. One of our technicians will treat the entire scalp with warm air from the device. That is followed by a traditional comb-out to remove the dehydrated eggs and a pleasant post-rinse application. Visit our Facts & FAQs page to learn more about head lice and the most effective ways to treat it.

boy with wooden sword

Chemical Head Lice Treatments Linked to Abnormal Behavior in Children

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If you needed yet another reason to opt for natural head lice treatment, here’s a powerful one. Research has now linked the chemicals found in the most common over-the-counter lice shampoos to abnormal behavior in children.

There has been mounting evidence of the dangers of chemical lice treatments. Recently, an alarming study in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine has shown a link between these chemicals and behavioral issues.

This research found that children with higher levels of chemicals called pyrethroids were more likely to demonstrate abnormal behavior at age 6 than those who did not. Pyrethroids are the synthetic chemicals found in insecticides, including many OTC head lice treatments. Unlike natural head lice treatments, these products contain a common pyrethroid called permethrin. They function by damaging the nerves of insects, eventually killing them in the process.

Scientists set out to see if these potent chemicals had any such negative impact on the nervous systems of children. They researched the connection between prenatal and childhood exposure to pyrethroids and behavior in six-year-old children. What they found was disturbing.

Pregnant women with higher levels of certain pyrethroids in their urine had a higher risk of their children having behavior issues. This included internalized behavior issues such as anxiety and being withdrawn. They also found high levels of another pyrethroid was linked to a higher risk of externalized behavior issues. These problems included demonstrating defiance and aggression.

If you’ve treated your child with these chemicals in the past, try not to panic. The research showed a correlation and not causation. But it does provide a very compelling reason to seek out natural head lice treatment when your child has lice. In addition to all the other hazards of insecticide-type lice treatments, the potential neurological damage is simply not worth it. Plus, these outdated chemicals have very unimpressive efficacy ratings.

Natural Head Lice Treatment You Can Trust

Fresh Heads Lice Treatment Centers are proud to provide chemical-free lice removal you can trust. Our safe, FDA-cleared AirAllé treatment is one of the most effective lice treatments available. Instead of using synthetic chemicals, our device uses heated air to dehydrate and kill lice and nits on the spot. We follow it with a traditional comb out and a special rinse. This helps to ensure that all traces of the dead lice and eggs are removed before you leave. We even back our treatment with a 45-day retreatment policy.

For more information on our natural head lice treatments, chemical-free preventative products or to schedule an appointment, contact the Fresh Heads Lice Treatment Center nearest you today.

Boy with head lice gets a buzz cut

Will a Buzz Cut Get Rid of Head Lice?

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It’s not uncommon for parents to reach for the clippers when their child comes home with head lice. But is a buzz cut truly an effective way to get rid of lice? The answer might surprise you! A buzz cut may help with prevention and it might even make the treatment process easier, but it is not an effective treatment for head lice. While the dreaded buzz cut can’t get the job done, using a natural head lice treatment like the FDA-cleared AirAllé machine, however, is clinically proven to be effective.

Buzz Cuts and Head Lice Prevention

Getting a buzz cut will not eliminate lice, but having very short hair is a good preventative measure. Head lice move easier from person to person when there’s something to grab onto, such as long hair. So, having shorter hair or a buzz cut does make the transfer of lice more difficult.

Buzz Cuts and Head Lice Treatment

When an active case of head lice is found on a child, natural head lice treatment is the best option. A buzz cut is not going to solve the problem. Head lice can live and lay nits in even ¼” of hair, so a buzz cut isn’t an effective lice treatment. In fact, a buzz cut can actually make the head lice removal process more difficult. That’s because with a buzz cut, the short hairs stand straight up. This makes it difficult to separate the hair when searching for lice and nits. It also makes it harder to comb for nits, as the comb has little traction with buzzed hair. Unless the hair is completely shaved off, head lice can still survive.

Natural Head Lice Treatment

Buzz cuts and over-the-counter products don’t effectively get rid of head lice. A chemical-free option such as the AirAllé treatment is the most effective tool for removing lice. The AirAllé is an FDA-cleared device that uses heated air to kill lice and nits rather than harsh chemicals. It has been used around the world to provide safe, fast and effective treatment for head lice – even the dreaded “super lice!”

The AirAllé Treatment

The 3-step AirAllé treatment offered at Fresh Heads can be done in about an hour. Our treatment is so effective, we stand behind it with a 45-day re-treatment policy. Here’s what to expect.

STEP 1: Working in sections, one of our trained technicians will begin by gently positioning the AirAllé applicator tip against the client’s scalp. It will be placed underneath the hair, blowing heated air along the scalp and hair shaft. The air flow is a bit higher than that of a hairdryer but at a cooler temperature. The device will be repositioned every 30 seconds until the entire head has been treated.

STEP 2: Once the AirAllé device has effectively killed the lice and eggs through dehydration, our technician will do a post-treatment comb-out. This is necessary to remove the dead lice and eggs that remain on the hair after treatment.

STEP 3: The final step of our signature AirAllé treatment is a post-treatment rinse with dimethicone oil. This step ensures that every last louse and nit has been effectively killed and removed.

To learn more about the treatments offered at Fresh Heads Lice Treatment Centers and to find the nearest location, click here.

vial of purple poison

The Dangers of Over the Counter Lice Treatments

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When your child comes home with lice, your first instinct might be to run to the nearest drug store for a remedy. It’s understandable. You’re a bit panicked and that sounds like the fastest solution. We’d like to stop you in your tracks, though. Not only are over the counter (OTC) pesticide products ineffective, they’re also hazardous to your child’s health. Choosing a chemical-free head lice treatment is the wisest choice for your family. Here’s why.

OTC Lice Treatments Are Less Effective

Pesticide-type products have dominated the US lice treatment market for decades. Permethrin is a synthetically made pyrethroid that was once quite effective at killing lice. But scientific research has found that head lice have adapted over the years and developed a resistance to such chemicals. The efficacy rating of permethrin is now an underwhelming 20-30% in recent clinical studies, as chemical-resistant super lice spread across the country.

Chemical OTC Treatments Proven to Be Hazardous to Your Health

If the low rate of effectiveness isn’t enough to give you pause, the health hazards surely will be. Permethrin and lindane are the chemicals found most commonly in lice treatments, and both of them are proven to be toxic.

Permethrin is a neurotoxin that is found in many insecticides, including Raid. It is potentially carcinogenic and can cause the following alarming side effects:

  • Wheezing or coughing
  • Shortness of breath/difficulty breathing
  • Runny or stuffy nose
  • Skin irritation burning
  • Scalp irritation or burning
  • May affect the reproductive system
  • Nervous system symptoms such as excitability and convulsions
  • Allergic reaction

Lindane is a dangerous chemical that attacks the nervous system and is known to cause cancer. What makes it even more troubling is that it is easily absorbed through the scalp when used to treat lice. In 2015, the World Health Organization reclassified lindane from being a “possible carcinogenic” to “known to cause human cancer.” This is the WHO’s highest category of concern. Lindane can cause serious side effects such as:

  • Stinging, burning and itching of the skin
  • Rashes
  • Dizziness
  • Drowsiness
  • Vomiting
  • Seizures
  • Uncontrollable bodily shaking
  • Allergic reaction

Chemical-Free Head Lice Treatment

It’s clear to see that over the counter pesticides are simply too dangerous to use on your family. And when there are nontoxic treatment options available that are also more effective, it’s a no-brainer. Lice combing and herbal remedies are safe options, but the most effective weapon against lice is actually using heated air.

The professional AirAllé lice device was specifically designed to dehydrate lice and their eggs with warm air. It is FDA-cleared and has been proven to be safe and effective at killing lice and their eggs—with a 99.2% rate of efficacy.

Fresh Heads Lice Treatment Centers are proud to provide solely chemical-free head lice treatments to our clients. The AirAllé treatment is our signature treatment at all of our locations. It’s fast, easy and so effective that it’s backed by our 45-day retreatment policy. If your child comes home with lice, make Fresh Heads your treatment of choice.

Sources:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/news/11810582/Super-head-lice-warning-as-scientists-discover-almost-all-species-are-resistant-to-treatments.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/health/head-lice-most-used-treatments-no-longer-very-effective-scientists-say-1.2776917
http://www.anapsid.org/pyrethroids.html
http://www.rxlist.com/lindane-lotion-side-effects-drug-center.htm

orlando head lice treatment center

How to Check for Lice

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Most parents are less than thrilled with the thought of checking their child for head lice. But when you suspect your child has lice, check you must. Whether you notice symptoms or get the infamous school letter, you want to check for lice as soon as possible.

Head lice spread rapidly. The earlier you spot a case, the easier it is to treat. If you do confirm an infestation on your child, you’ll need to check the whole family. It’s important to confirm an infestation before undergoing any treatment. The following tips will help you check for lice at home. You can also visit our Jacksonville, Savannah, or Orlando head lice treatment centers for a thorough, professional check.

Note if your child has any signs or symptoms of head lice.

  • Itching of the scalp, especially on the neck or behind the ears
  • Tickling feeling on the scalp
  • Feeling that something is moving in his or her hair
  • Sores on the head from scratching
  • Trouble sleeping due to itching (head lice are more active in the dark)

What you need to check for lice.

  • Bright lighting or a flashlight
  • Lice comb (you can purchase one at a head lice treatment center)
  • Magnifying glass
  • Plastic bowl

How to check for head lice on dry hair.

  • 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 (eggs). 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.
  • Nits can be hard to distinguish from dandruff. The biggest difference is that dandruff will easily brush off. Nits are glued to the hair shaft and harder to remove. A head lice treatment center like Fresh Heads can confirm if what you’re seeing is live nits or just dandruff.

How to check for head lice on wet hair.

  • Some people find it easier to identify lice at home on wet hair.
  • Wet your child’s hair.
  • Apply a liberal amount of conditioner.
  • Use a lice comb to go through your child’s hair in sections, from roots to ends.
  • Look for nits to be caught in the comb’s teeth. You can also tap the comb into a plastic bowl to try to spot them.

If you’ve found an active case of lice, it’s time to check the whole family. Anyone who has any signs of head lice in the house will need to be treated. If you are still not sure after checking at home, visit a head lice treatment center for a professional check.

With locations in Jacksonville, Jacksonville Beach, Orlando, and Savannah, Fresh Heads Lice Treatment Centers offer thorough head checks for the entire family. And if treatment is required, the fee will be waived. Fresh Heads offers several options, including the AirAllé treatment. AirAllé is FDA-cleared to safely and effectively treat lice—without any chemicals. Call Fresh Heads at (407) 326-0560 to schedule your child’s head lice to check or lice treatment.

woman on cell phone

Talking to Other Parents About Lice

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Head lice is a topic of discussion that most parents would rather avoid but is a necessary one. Good communication is key to preventing lice outbreaks among family, friends, and classmates. When you’re informed that there’s an active case of head lice at school, you can take the steps suggested by your health care provider or local lice treatment center to help prevent head lice in your home.

It’s best for parents to talk about head lice before a case is present. This way, you can have a specific plan of attack and you’ll be prepared if an outbreak should occur. It’s also good to have this discussion before anyone has head lice. This helps keep a neutral tone in the discussion and avoid the high emotions that tend to come with lice. What’s in a plan? It could include a recommended method for checking for head lice, ways to prevent head lice, how to contain head lice and keep it from spreading and a list of resources including the nearest lice treatment center.

Unfortunately, there is still a strong stigma about head lice. Continuing to avoid the topic only makes matters worse. If another parent is brave enough to come to you and tell you that their child has head lice, be thankful and do what you can to alleviate their embarrassment. Let them know that it’s not a big deal. It’s true, treating head lice can be a big inconvenience. But with good communication between parents, everyone can take the proper steps to help prevent head lice in their home.

On the other side of the token, if your child has head lice, be sure to let other parents and teachers know. Don’t let embarrassment keep you from informing others.  It’s important to remember that it’s nothing you did and your child is not “dirty”. They simply caught lice from another child, much like colds get passed around among friends. Keep the facts in mind—lice are not dangerous, lice have nothing to do with hygiene, and lice don’t fly or live on animals. Follow your plan and get your child treated right away. You’ll also want to check the entire family to keep the lice from spreading.

To treat your child’s head lice safely and effectively, you can trust Fresh Heads Lice Treatment Center. We offer a variety of services including family head checks, traditional comb-outs and our signature AirAllé treatment that kills lice and their eggs without harsh chemicals. For more information on our products and services, visit our services page.

girl cries into hands

Phantom Lice and Morgellons Disease

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It’s understandable to panic at the thought of your child’s head lice spreading throughout your home. It can cause even the calmest parent to start feeling a bit, well, itchy. But once you’ve been checked or received head lice treatment in Orlando, your paranoia will probably subside. For a rare few, however, the itchiness is caused by something called phantom lice syndrome or Morgellons disease.

People who suffer from conditions like phantom lice syndrome, delusional bug syndrome or Morgellons disease report feeling like something is literally trapped under their skin. They believe lice, bugs, worms, eggs, fibers or tiny specks are right under their skin or are trying to come out of it. They may seek medical attention or head lice treatment, even though they do not physically show any signs of an infestation.

It sounds surreal, but this type of mysterious skin condition gained national attention when Joni Mitchell announced in an interview that she suffers from Morgellons disease. In a 2010 Los Angeles Times piece, Mitchell stated, “I have this weird, incurable disease that seems like it’s from outer space. Fibers in a variety of colors protrude out of my skin like mushrooms after a rainstorm: they cannot be forensically identified as animal, vegetable or mineral.”

Morgellons disease is believed to be a psychological condition. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) notes that the symptoms of Morgellons very closely match those of a mental illness called delusional parasitosis—the false belief of being infested with parasites.

Symptoms reported by those affected include:

  • Skin rashes or sores that cause severe itching
  • The sensation of something crawling under the skin, compared to bugs moving or stinging
  • Feeling as if fibers or strings are in or on the skin
  • Intense fatigue
  • Trouble concentrating
  • Short-term memory loss

After studying Morgellons, the CDC reported that it is a relatively rare condition, and appears to primarily affect middle-aged white women. Morgellons is fairly controversial in the medical community, and health professionals tend to believe one of the following:

  • It is a specific condition that needs more research to be confirmed.
  • That symptoms of Morgellons are due to another cause, often mental illness.
  • Don’t acknowledge Morgellons or are waiting for further research to be done.

Conditions such as phantom head lice syndrome or Morgellons may not be well understood, but it’s clear that they lower the quality of life for those who suffer. People with these conditions should seek a caring medical provider and keep an open mind. With their doctor, they can discuss treatment for other issues that they may have such as anxiety, depression or mental illness.

For information on head lice treatment in Orlando, Jacksonville, and Savannah and the services we offer, please visit our services page.

caution sign

Dangerous Home Remedies for Head Lice

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When looking for ways to treat head lice, some parents turn to home remedies that they’ve heard from a friend or read on the internet. Sure, some seem pretty harmless—like olive oil or certain essential oils. But some of the head lice treatment suggestions out there are downright dangerous and should be avoided at all costs.

DON’T use flammable substances to treat head lice.

One of the most hazardous home remedies you can find online calls for using kerosene or gasoline to kill head lice. Children have been severely burned and disfigured when hair that has been soaked in these flammable substances has caught on fire. As the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly states, “Highly flammable substances, such as gasoline or kerosene, or products intended for animal use, are never appropriate in the treatment of head lice in humans.”

Be cautious with “natural” remedies.

While more natural home remedies for head lice treatment seem benign at first glance, they can also pose a terrible risk. Using oils like mayonnaise and olive oil in an attempt to suffocate head lice usually involves wrapping the child’s head with some type of plastic wrap or bag. Unfortunately, this can result in accidental suffocation.

The use of essential oils like tea tree oil may also be toxic if not used properly. Poison.org says that tee tree oil can be poisonous when ingested, and it should not be used around the mouth or nose. If a child accidentally swallowed a small amount of tee tree oil, the results could be tragic.

DON’T use pesticides.

Another dangerous remedy that has been used to attempt to treat head lice at home is the use of pesticides. Whether they are pesticides designed for insects or actually designed to treat human head lice, they should never be used. Some of the ingredients in these pesticide treatments, such as lindane, are extremely toxic and have been shown to cause headaches, cancer, seizures, and even death.

Safe Options

Before you throw in the towel, there are safe head lice treatment options out there that work! One of the most effective treatments is called AirAllé. It’s a device that uses warm air to dehydrate and kill head lice, and it has been clinically proven to kill live lice and more than 99% of their eggs. The treatment lasts about an hour and it has been cleared by the FDA. It’s safe and gentle enough to treat small children.

It’s never a good idea to use toxic and potentially hazardous methods to treat children for head lice. For more information about the completely safe and effective AirAllé head lice treatment, visit our Facts and FAQ page

mom and daughter use laptop

4 Reasons Your Child’s Lice Won’t Go Away

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Dealing with head lice that just won’t budge? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 6-12 million people a year battle head lice. It can be a persistent problem that causes stress and lost time at school and work. It can also become quite costly when multiple treatments are required. If the treatments you’re using haven’t been successful, a visit to a lice removal salon like Fresh Heads can help. But first, here are 4 reasons your head lice problem isn’t going away.

  1. Over the counter treatments don’t work.

The chemical treatments found at drug stores are not only toxic, but they’ve also become ineffective. Most strains of head lice have become resistant to Pyrethroids—the active ingredient found in over the counter lice removal products.

  1. You’re missing some of the nits.

Nitpicking is the process of combing out live lice and then removing each and every egg, or nit. Many lice removal salons offer this service because it’s so tedious for parents to do on their own. The nits can be difficult to spot due to their size, so it’s a hard task to accomplish. If even one tiny nit gets left behind, your infestation can start all over again.

  1. You didn’t check everyone in the house.

All too often, parents assume that only the child who contracted head lice needs to be treated. That’s unlikely because head lice spread rapidly from head to head contact. It’s very common for the entire family to contract head lice, including parents. That’s why it’s important for everyone in the house to be checked and treated as necessary.

  1. Home remedies don’t work.

Many people search online for home remedies, which are not effective and some are downright dangerous. You’ll find remedies that include olive oil, mayonnaise, petroleum jelly and even kerosene. Methods typically involve covering your child’s head with any of these substances and covering with plastic wrap, which is extremely hazardous.

Now that you know what you’ve been doing wrong, what’s the right answer to getting rid of head lice? It’s an FDA-cleared device called AirAllé that is clinically proven to kill lice and 99.2% of nits in a single session. This process uses heated air to dehydrate and kill lice and their eggs—an amazing approach that avoids the risks and hassles of traditional treatments. You can find the AirAllé treatment at Fresh Heads, a lice removal salon serving the Jacksonville and Orlando areas. Call them today to schedule an appointment.