Q&A with Dr. Katie Friedman, Board Certified Pediatrician
What should parents and caregivers know about head lice?
Head lice are tiny insects, about the size of a sesame seed. They feed on blood from the scalp, causing itching and irritation. Lice usually live about 28 days, but they multiply quickly, and the lifecycle can repeat every 3 weeks if left untreated.
In recent years, some lice, called “super lice,” have become genetically resistant to the chemicals found in some treatments, similar to the way in which bacteria develop resistance to antibiotics. Unfortunately, there is no way to know if a child has super lice until traditional treatments fail.
What are the most common misconceptions about head lice?
First, all head lice are crawlers—they aren’t able to jump, fly, or swim. Despite their lack of athleticism, they can easily spread via direct head-to-head contact. Lice can also move from one host to another by head-to-hand contact and through shared items, such as hats, hair ties, and pillows, but that is much less common.
Another popular myth is that head lice only infest dirty people. The reality is that personal hygiene has nothing to do with head lice infestation.
Finally, many people do not realize they can be proactive. To reduce the chance of lice spreading in classroom situations, teachers and administrators can teach children to avoid close head-to-head contact with other children and to not share hats, scarves, or hair accessories.
You can also encourage using at-home shampoos and sprays that prevent lice, such as Vamousse Lice Defense Daily Shampoo or Lice Repellent Leave-In Spray.
What are the most effective solutions to head lice?
The best way to stop any head lice infestation is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Here are some helpful tips:
• Pull hair back. Evidence suggests girls are slightly more likely to get lice than boys. Keeping hair tied up in braids or buns may reduce the chances of an infestation.
• Lice-preventing shampoo and spray. Children can use a daily lice-killing shampoo, like Vamousse Lice Defense, which kills recently contracted lice before detection when used daily for 10-14 days following exposure or treatment. Sprays, like Vamousse’s Lice Repellent Leave-in Spray, also contain essential oils, which create a barrier on hair that lice avoid, further reducing the risk of an infestation.
• Home remedies. Add a few drops of certain essential oils (tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, rosemary oil) to shampoos and conditioners for added protection. You can also mix a few drops with water
in a spray bottle and spray hats, jackets, or even directly on children’s heads. Keep these oils out of the reach of small children, as they can be dangerous if ingested.
If an infestation does occur, there are also great products available to kill all types of head lice, including super lice. Vamousse Lice Treatment Mousse is an optimal choice because the convenient mousse formula goes to work within 15 minutes to kill all adult lice and their eggs once hair is fully saturated—tackling the entire infestation cycle—while lice are still in the hair. Vamousse also works on super lice, and while many other lice treatments require more than one application, Vamousse takes care of the entire infestation at one time.
What time of year should school administrators and nurses be on the lookout?
Head lice can be passed around all year long, but there are certain times of the year when lice are shared between children (and with adults) in overwhelming numbers.
Summer and fall are generally peak seasons, mainly because of summer camps, playdates, and school. The proximity of children together over the summer and at the start of the school year generally increases the chances of lice spreading.
Even though these are the peak seasons, it’s still a good idea to be on the defense throughout the year with preventative measures.
To learn more, go to Vamousselice.com
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