Back to School…..Back to Head Lice Season!

Back to school is a very busy time for head lice.

In fact, August and September are the busiest months for professional head lice services.  Contracting lice is not an issue of cleanliness, rather it’s an infestation related to close contact.  As schools open, children have an increased chance of carrying lice into the classroom because they’ve spent a good deal of the summer in close contact with their friends and extended family members (sleepovers, camp, play dates, family gatherings, etc).

So before school starts, be sure to check your child’s head.  You can check for lice by applying white conditioner on the hair, and combing through with a good nit comb.  If you see pepper spots in the conditioner then your child probably has lice.  If you’re not sure, give us a call to schedule a thorough screening.

If you discover that your child does in fact have lice, don’t panic.  There are safe and effective treatment options available.  It’s important to realize that head lice can absolutely be eradicated without the use of pesticides.  Unfortunately, most OTC and prescription treatments contain harsh chemicals; and may require multiple applications of these chemicals.  To make matters worse, head lice have developed resistance to many of these popular and commonly used products.  We often get calls from discouraged families that are surprised and upset after using these treatments to no avail.

Get the facts on some top treatment options.

If your child doesn’t have lice-that’s fantastic!  Use these tips to help keep them lice free…

• Keep longer hair up. Braids or buns are best.
• Talk to your children about lice prevention. Lice are most commonly spread through head to head contact. Emphasize the importance of not touching heads during play time and not sharing personal items.
• Use products that have natural lice preventive elements incorporated (shampoos, conditioners, detanglers & sprays).  Common lice repellent products contain mint, tea tree oil, lavender, rosemary and/or neem oil.

Head lice are the second largest cause of absenteeism among elementary school children, after the common cold.  So be vigilant in checking your children all during the school year, and especially when returning to school from breaks.

We’re here to help!  We are a GREEN company.  No toxins, no pesticides!  We have different treatment options available, and can rid you of lice here in the clinic or you can do it with our professional DIY kit.  Either way, the treatment will be effective, safe, non-toxic and pesticide free.  We carry a wide variety of the ever popular Honey’s all natural, lice repellent & treatment hair care products. Give us a call for an appointment or drop by to pick up our all natural treatment/preventative products.