Don’t Get Caught With Head Lice This Halloween!
What feeds only on human blood and loves to appear on Halloween? Nope- not vampires! The correct answer is HEAD LICE. Yes, lice love all times of the year, even Halloween- but it has nothing to do with personal hygiene, ethnicity or age. Between all the fun costumes, selfies, group photos and festivities associated with Halloween, it’s easy to forget how quickly lice can spread this time of year. In fact, we always see a spike in head lice cases in the days and weeks after following Halloween. This year, we are all being extra vigilant to avoid close encounters and sharing costumes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but it never hurts to review the basics!
Here are five tips on how to enjoy a lice-free Halloween.
Rule #1 – An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure.
The first step in protecting you and your family from head lice during Halloween is to use a non-toxic, chemical-free lice deterrent. Head lice have an acute sense of smell and dislike the scent of mint, rosemary and tea tree oil. We use a proprietary mint essential oil mix in our Preventive Lice Treatment Spray, which is very effective at repelling lice. Our spray is not sticky and will not interfere with Halloween hairstyles or costumes.
Rule #2 – Be Careful When Trying on Costumes in the Store.
Trying on hats, masks, and costume accessories in the store can be a lot of fun- but should be limited for many reasons. For one thing, we are in the midst of a pandemic. Also, head lice can live off of their human hosts for up to 48 hours and can be spread with anything that touches the head. This includes Halloween masks, hats, wigs, scarves, hoodies, hair accessories, and more! To be safe, assume that the person who tried on any of those items before you has head lice.
Rule #3 – No Head-to-Head Contact!
97% of head lice is spread through direct head-to-head contact. The best way to prevent head lice is to avoid any activity that would involve hair touching which would include taking selfies, group photos, hugging, whispering, sleepovers, sitting too close together during scary movies, etc. If possible, keep your child’s hair in a ponytail braid, tight bun or french braid.
Rule #4 – Perform a Weekly Head Check to Avoid Spreading Lice to Others.
Head lice are most commonly found near the scalp, behind the ears and neckline. If you find nits/eggs in your child’s hair, that is a sign of head lice and you need to seek treatment as soon as possible. We usually find nits within 1-2 inches from the scalp. They are small, teardrop-shaped eggs that are white, yellowish to amber in color, and are essentially “glued” to your hair. Because of their various colors, they can be difficult to see. That is why it is always recommended to see a professional.
Rule #5 – Remember that Head Lice HAS to be Treated. It Will Not Go Away By Itself.
If your child has recently had lice and you’ve been treating it with over-the-counter products, chances are they still have lice and should be checked. Super lice are resistant to most chemical treatments and at-home remedies. If your child has head lice, it’s important to notify his/her circle of friends, family, and classmates so they can be screened and treated. If you are uncomfortable doing this, Pediatric Hair Solutions will anonymously notify anyone in your close circle of friends or family that they have been exposed to an active case of head lice through our Anonymous Lice Alerts button on our website.
For more information on how to prevent and treat head lice for a lice-free Halloween and beyond, visit our FAQ page and Lice Facts page.
Head Lice Treatment By Medical Professionals
Pediatric Hair Solutions is your local, professional resource for head lice information and treatment. Because we are medically owned and operated, we hold ourselves to a higher standard of care. Our healthcare professionals are committed to providing the safest and highest quality of care available. The treatments at Pediatric Hair Solutions have a greater than 99% effectiveness rate, and we offer a 30 day 100% guarantee. You can view each of our treatment options here. To make an appointment or get more information, call 704-909-9414. If you do not live near one of our treatment centers, we highly recommend using our Home Treatment Kit.
Recent Comments