14 Sep End Lice Prevention Fairy Tales Happily
There is so much confusing information about Lice Prevention. How do you know what is Fairy Tale and what is Fact?
Lice Prevention, Fact or Fairy Tale
Once upon a time in a town just like this one there was a group of friends. They were inseparable. They had fun and they were always together. They hugged each other. They took selfies. They had sleepovers. One summer they all started feeling itchy. They started scratching their heads. They couldn’t stop scratching their heads. Guess what? They all had lice. First one of them got it. Then it was passed to the others.
September is lice prevention and awareness month. This is the perfect time to arm yourself with knowledge. At the same time it is important to not listen to the fairy tales of lice treatment and prevention.
Don’t Be Fooled by Bad Lice Advice
There is lots of bad lice advice out there. Some from Moms who think they are helping by touting their home remedies. Don’t be fooled. Home remedies don’t work and can be dangerous. I see Moms and health professionals advocating the use of tea tree oil for lice prevention. There is no documented proof this works. There is documented proof daily use of tea tree oil can be harmful. I scratched my head when I saw a medical professional recommending double doses of over-the-counter lice products because even they admit they don’t work.
The truth is lice isn’t a big deal. Lice are an annoyance but not a medical condition. The good news is you’ll never die from lice. Lice are easy to defeat if you know what to look for and you have a good battle plan. If you have lice using a dimethicone based product and it’s not been working, we have good news. KaPOW! will guarantee your story will have a happy ending.
Statistics show 90% of lice is from head-to-head contact. When heads touch and one is contagious with lice, meaning there are adult fertilized females present, lice crawl from one head to the next.
Millions of dollars are spent every year on so-called lice prevention products. They are purchased out of fear. If you depend on these products alone you are setting yourself for a tragic ending. Chances are low that any so-called lice prevention spray, conditioner, shampoo, oil, or gel actually repels lice. Using these products creates a false sense of security. Moms use these products and can’t understand how they got lice. In addition, many sprays are sold for your furniture, car, clothes, and backpacks to kill and repel lice. These products are unnecessary and a waste of money.
If you have an outbreak you only need to vacuum carpets and furniture that are fabric. The truth is when a bug comes off the head it dies within 24 – 36 hours. Lice are not living in your house. They are living on the head. If you have lice concentrate your housecleaning efforts to items that have touched the head. Put bedding items and stuffed animals in the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes. Washing is not necessary. Brushes and combs should be put in a boiling water bath.
Communicating to your circles you have lice is essential. You got it from someone in your circle. The best way to defeat lice in your community is to communicate so everyone can be checked to stop the spread. Be part of the solution, not part of the problem.
True lice prevention is a weekly combing head check. This is done using a good metal nit comb in conjunction with a conditioner or spray on wet detangled hair. Every few combs through the hair wipe the comb onto a white paper towel. Lice eggs, called nits, look like specks of black pepper and are easy to see on the white paper towel. They are microscopic and easy to miss if you don’t know what to look for (see picture above). Never share brushes or combs. Wearing hair in a braid or bun is suggested. This helps narrow the target. Just beware, this is also not guaranteed to prevent lice.
At MD Lice Control, an affiliate of The Center for Lice Control, our philosophy is families should be empowered to take control of their own lice prevention and treatment battle plan by being educating about lice and replacing the myths with facts. Be prepared, not scared of lice! Make sure your family’s experience with lice ends happily ever after.