Tis the season for fun in the sun with family and friends! However, for many, summer fun is rudely interrupted by pesky critters that love the live on human heads! It is estimated that approximately 12 million people get lice every year, with a spike occurring in the summer months and “back to school time.” Here’s how to avoid becoming a statistic and some treatment tips if you’re reading this a little too late.
1. Playing Sports
- Avoiding head-to-head contact can be tough in contact sports. At Lice Hunter, MD we understand that some head-to-head interactions are unavoidable for active kids. However, we are here to equip you with some prevention tools to use if your kids play summer sports.
- Helmets: During and after sports activities, use a lint tape roller on the inside of helmets to avoid any possible “friends” left behind inside or on equipment from getting onto your kiddos head.
- The Huddle: Remind your kids to avoid head to head contact during team huddles and other activities that could introduce possible 6 legged friends into their beautiful locks.
- Long Hair Dont Care: If your child has been blessed with long locks tie it up or braid it back to avoid free flying strands that a louse can easily grab on to.
- Summer camps are a hot spot for lice infestations and a nightmare for many parents and camp administrators. Lice infestations at summer camps are so common, the American Camp Association (ACA) suggests that camp administrators and leaders establish “a lice control policy” prior to camp opening. Whether the camp you choose for your kids this summer has taken a proactive approach to keeping their camp lice free or not the experts at Lice Hunter, MD have a few tips to help your kids stay lice free while away at summer camp this season.
- Pre-check: Check your child's head with a good lice comb prior to them heading off to camp! Dont know what you’re looking for? Let the experts do what they do best…stop by Lice Hunter, MD and let them check your child's head before leaving
- Daily Combing: Equip your child with a good lice comb (such as the Lice Hunter, MD terminator comb) prior to heading out to camp. Instruct your child to comb daily for 5 minutes on damp hair. This will comb out any possible “suspicious activity” before it has a chance to reproduce and multiply!
- Mint Spray: Equip your child with a great mint based spray or oil (such as the Lice Hunter, MD mint spray and/or oil) prior to heading to camp. Use a mint spray every morning prior to any interactions with other kiddos. A peppermint scented spray has a 92-95% success rate in repelling lice.
- Post-Check: Once your child returns from camp check their heads for any sign of evidence using a good steel comb.
- Encourage your camp: Encourage the camp you choose for your kids to reach out to a local lice removal company in your area to partner with. Let the experts do what they do best. Have a team of trained professionals come in on the first day of camp to check all camp goers prior to starting summer camp activities.
3. Sleep overs
- Kids love to make new friends and spend time with their existing friends over the summer during cook outs, sleep overs, and regular play dates. Here are a few tips to help keep your little one lice free while enjoying extended play dates over the summer.
- Dont share: Decrease the risk of transmission. Have your child bring their own pillows, blankets, combs, brushes, hair ties, and hair bows to sleep overs and play dates.
- Up-do: Avoid wearing hair down and free as much as possible especially in environments with known infestations. Wear hair in a braid, this not only makes it more difficult for bugs to be picked up from the environment but also makes it difficult for critters to move around in the head.
- Mint spray: Lice find mint based products offensive. Mint based sprays act as a deterrent to head lice and decreases the probability of your child getting head lice by 95%.
- Post-check: Once your child returns from a sleep over check their heads for any sign of evidence using a good steel comb. If evidence is found book an appointment with a trained professional for confirmation and potential treatment of the infestation.
4. Swimming
- Many people believe that the level of chlorine in swimming pools can kill lice, however, this is not true. Lice can survive in chlorinated pools and have been known to hold their breath for extended amounts of time when submerged. Fortunately, for parents, lice hold tightly on to the hair shaft of their host and do not become easily detached when submerged. The probability of your kiddo getting lice while at the local swimming pool this summer are low, however, the possibility still exist. Here are a few tips to consider during this swim season.
- Mint Spray: Lice find mint based products offensive. Mint based sprays act as a deterrent to head lice and decreases the probability of your child getting head lice by 95%.
- Braid long hair: Braiding hair not only makes it more difficult for bugs to be picked up from the environment but also makes it difficult for critters to move around in the head.
- Comb After Swimming: After fun in the sun wash your child's hair with a good mint based shampoo and comb through it with a steel lice comb. If evidence is found book an appointment with a trained professional for confirmation and potential treatment of the infestation.
5. Movie Mania
- Anytime you share common head rest such as at a movie theater, on bus, plane or train, there is a risk of picking up head lice. If someone with active head lice sat in the seat before you and a bug crawled off onto the head rest it puts the next person sitting in that seat at risk of picking up a stray louse looking for a new host.
- Inspect: Inspect the seat prior to sitting down paying special attention to the head rest.
- Lint tape roller: Use lint tape roller on the seat prior to sitting down. This will pick up any critters hanging out looking for their next host.
- Drape: Forgot your lint roller at home? Use something (ex: sweater, towel, blanket) to drape over the back of the seat prior to sitting down.
6. Sharing Is Not Caring
- Although less likely, head lice can spread through the sharing of hair care tools such as brushes, combs, hair bands and hair ties. Before your kids head off to camp make sure to remind them to keep their combs to themselves.
7. Regular Head Checks
- As much as we would like to, we can’t watch our children 24 hours a day 7 days a week to keep them from germs and cooties that lurk about. One of the best tips I can give to parents is to check your kiddos heads regularly (recommend once a week) to identify any potential activity that may exist and treat it before it infest other members of your household. Pick a day of the week and scan! Scan! Scan!
- Make small parts: Use a regular pencil to make small parts to complete a more thorough scan
- Nits: Pay special attention to the hair shaft scanning for nits
- Nymphs: Pay special attention to the scalp looking for the baby lice (nymphs).
- Magnifier: If your vision isn't that great use a set of reading glasses or a magnifier to get a better look.
- Expert advice: If you think you find something let the lice removal experts help! Email info@LiceHunterMD.com and enter into the subject line: Do I have Lice?
8. “Comb” Ba Yah
- Stay ahead of the game. Use a good lice comb (example: Terminator comb) at least once a week for 2-5 minutes on damp hair to comb out any possible “suspicious activity” before it has a chance to reproduce and multiply!
9. Deter VarMINTs
- Researchers have discovered that mint based products such as the Lice Hunter, MD Mint spray act as a repellent against head lice. Here are a few tips on how to best use mint based products.
- Mint Shampoo: Wash hair with a mint based shampoo 1-2 times a week
- Mint Spray: Use a mint spray daily. A peppermint scented spray has a 95% success rate in repelling lice.
10. Hairstyles Choices
- Not surprisingly, girls get lice more often than boys because they generally have longer hair which not only makes it easier for them to get head lice, but their long flowing locks also serve as a great home for lice to thrive. Here are a few tips that may keep your kids from picking up head lice from their friends this summer
- Avoid wearing hair down and free as much as possible especially in environments with known infestations
- Wear hair in a braid this not only makes it more difficult for bugs to be picked up from the environment but also makes it more difficult for critters to move around in the head.
