The kids are back at school and those classrooms are breeding grounds for something that every parents dreads … lice! Sarah Cregan, co-owner of Combers KC, debunk the myths of those itchy bugs and explained how to really get rid of them quickly and effectively.
Myth #1: Lice gravitate to dirty or unhygienic hair and scalp.
Fact #1: False, Head Lice PREFERE clean hair and scalps. This allows them to move more freely through the hair as well as allows their nits to bond a strong hold to the hair strand.
Myth #2: Head Lice can jump and fly, making them highly contagious.
Fact#2: False, Head Lice do not jump nor do they fly. In fact they do not maneuver very well on flat surfaces either. They are however very quick in the hair and can sometimes remain undetected for thirty plus days. Head to head contact is the #1 cause of head lice infestations.
Myth #3: Hair color, mayonnaise, coconut oil, vinegar and Vaseline kill bugs and their nits.
Fact #3: False, Hair color does nothing to aid in the treatment of head lice and nits. While thick consistencies such as mayo, coconut oil and Vaseline can sometimes be effective in killing the adult bugs, they have little to no effect in killing a nit or baby louse. Nits MUST be manually removed from the hair strand to kill it.
Myth #4: Over the counter head lice treatments are safe and effective.
Fact #4: False, many over the counter products are highly concentrated pesticides that can be absorbed through the skin and into our blood stream. They are also ineffective, the head louse has built up a resistance to the pesticides and they also do nothing to kill the nit (louse eggs).
Myth #5: Head Lice can survive off the scalp for up to two weeks, as well as live in the carpets of our homes or on our family pets.
Fact #5: False, Head Lice can only survive OFF the scalp for 24-48 hours. They can not live on any other species, their only food source is human blood. Dogs and many other animals have their own form of lice, that in turn can not survive on a human head.
At home treatment methods:
- Always use All Natural treatment products, such as Happy Heads.
- Check all members living in the household, treat all members infected.
- Have a good quality nit comb, such as The Terminator comb and comb thoroughly.
- Break the hair up into manageable sections.
- Follow up weekly to ensure you have gotten it all out.
- Don’t stress yourself treating your home. Focus on getting rid of the bugs and nits from the head.
- Once every trace of head lice has been eradicated, begin your prevention routine, you are now more susceptible to future head lice outbreaks.
For more information on Combers KC, call them at 913-451-2662 or visit them online at comberskc.com.
