Preventing Head Lice During Holiday Season

Schools have reopened, and you may be relieved to finally have a break… After all, no school for a few weeks must mean no lice, right? Wrong! The holiday season poses just as much of a threat for lice outbreaks as summer camp, back-to-school, and summer vacations. Even in these limiting times, we wish to spend the holidays with our loved ones. Whether that means masked gatherings or intimate family time with cousins, lice loom wherever children get together. ‘Tis the season for selfies, shared blankets, and passing around festive holiday hats. Either way, the holidays present the perfect opportunity for the tiny parasites to attack! If you don’t want a head lice infestation to ruin your holiday festivities, keep these prevention methods in mind!

Pack Belongings Separately

Lice infest your head more easily when sharing pillows, bedding, towels, hair brushes, and other toiletries! Head-to-head contact more directly threatens the transference of lice. But, the indirect threat of lice infesting you through sharing products shouldn’t be ignored. We share hair brushes and hoodies more often than we touch heads! So, it could be argued that these behaviors may endanger us more. If your family visits a close friend or relative’s home this holiday season, make sure to pack their belongings separately—such as pillow, blanket, towel and other items that may come in contact with their hair. Perhaps your family decides to stay at home, instead. It is 2020, after all. The risk of a lice infestation decreases, but it still exists. If you use festive holiday hats like a santa or elf hat, try to not pass it from one friend or family member to another. This goes for any headwear, even some brand new gifted headphones! Everyone may want to test them out, but is that the best idea?

Educate Your Children

Sharing may be caring, but in this case teaching your kids not to share is the move. Not with everything, of course! Teach kids to avoid sharing combs, brushes, or other hair accessories—and save tons of hassle in the long run! Head lice cannot fly or hop. They instead transfer from one person to another either by crawling from scalp to scalp or through items that come in contact with hair. So, some gentle instruction may go a long way.

SELFIE SEASON

Selfies seem to be a prevalent culprit for head lice. As the parasites only spread through head-to-head contact, this provides them with the perfect opportunity. So, adopt safe selfie habits! Instruct your kids to take selfies without touching their heads to one another. Adults aren’t immune! So parents should keep this precaution in mind, especially when taking snuggly selfies with nieces, nephews, or family friends. 

TIE YOUR CHILDREN’S HAIR AS TIGHTLY AS POSSIBLE

When heading out for a day trip to a relative’s place, tie your child’s hair as tightly as possible into a braid or bun. Lice prefer loose, clean strands of hair. So, with hairstyles that make the strands less accessible, lice struggle more to travel from one head to another.

USE LICE PREVENTION PRODUCTS

Lice Troopers provides a variety of products made specifically for the purpose of preventing lice. We use natural ingredients that repel the parasites, rather than rely on dangerous insecticides. It’s as simple as using a shampoo or detangling spray, and your child is safe. Consider using some combination of our products, especially if your kid seems to be especially prone to the invasive insects. 

CHECK FOR HEAD LICE AFTER SEEING OTHERS 

Inspect your kids hair after friends and family have left or after you’ve left their place. In the comfort of your own home, have your child stand in front of a bright light or directly under a window to check for any signs of the bugs. In the nymph stage (right after they hatch from the egg), these parasitic insects are at their most vulnerable. So, they can easily be suffocated before they start breeding. Catch the problem before it worsens! Check behind your child’s ears, at the base of the neck and at the crown of the head. Look for small, pinhead-sized flecks that don’t brush off the hair even upon shaking the hair. Lice eggs, typically known as nits, securely attach to the hair shaft with a strong, glue-like substance, which is also waterproof! We often wait till our kids scratch at itchy heads to suspect lice infestations. However, itching can occur anywhere from two weeks to a month after infestation. So, you’ll be better off if you catch the buggers early.

NEXT STEPS

If you happen to detect signs of an infestation, you don’t need to panic! Simply head over to a Lice Troopers lice clinic near you for expert lice removal and prevention services. We specialize in pesticide free, non-toxic lice treatments in locations all across America.  Rather stay at home in these uncertain times? Understandable! We also provide in-home lice removal services, following CDC guidelines and additional protocols to keep our clients and technicians safe. Additionally, we make sure to protect your privacy, arriving in unmarked cars and always maintaining your anonymity.