preventing head lice in school

How to Keep Head Lice Away at the Start of the School Year

One of the places where head lice spreads the most is school. It’s not because schools are dirty, and it’s not because some kids have poor hygiene. It’s because there are many kids in a small space, and they have many opportunities to be in close contact with each other. 

Whether it’s working in small groups, playing on the playground or listening to a story, elementary school kids spend a lot of time sitting next to each other. Head to head contact is the main way that lice spread – it’s not generally from couches, blankets or other surfaces. 

Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to lower your child’s chances of catching head lice at school. 

Apply a Head Lice Repellent 

Tea tree oil, peppermint, spearmint, lemongrass, rosemary, eucalyptus and coconut are all smells that naturally repel lice. You can reduce your child’s risk for getting head lice by washing your child’s hair with a shampoo and conditioner scented with one of these scents. 

My Hair Helpers offer a mint-scented shampoo and mint-scented conditioner that you can use safely on your child to prevent lice infestations. You can also make your own repellent by adding 10 drops of essential oil and two ounces of water in a spray bottle. 

Talk to Your Child about Direct Contact 

Most cases of head lice come from direct contact. Talk to your child about the importance of leaving space between them and their friends. If they touch heads with an infected child, a louse can easily grab onto their hair and climb up their head to lay eggs. 

Last year, schools and daycares were cautious not to let kids get too close because of the pandemic. But things are returning to normal, and many schools are back to the same routines. If your child hasn’t been in school for long, you’ll definitely want to have this conversation. 

Remind Your Child Not to Share Certain Items 

Another conversation you’ll want to have is why it’s best to avoid sharing items like hats, hair accessories, combs, brushes, sports helmets, etc. The good news is that lice can only live for about 24 hours without a human host. Therefore, the chances of getting head lice this way are very slim. 

Still, you don’t want your daughter to borrow a brush from a friend who unknowingly has lice and just brushed her hair! In this case, head lice can be spread to another host. 

Tie Back Long Hair

If your child has long hair, tie it up into a ponytail or braid. When hair is long and flowing, it’s easier for a louse to crawl onto the head. Lice have large claws, at least compared to the size of their body. This is why they’re able to grab on tightly. 

Keeping hair out of the way reduces opportunities for lice to crawl onto your child’s head. And if you spritz your child’s hair with a lice repellent spray, you can reduce your child’s risk for head lice even further! 

Take a Peak Every Week!

Finally, make sure that you are taking a peak once a week. After your child’s shower or bath, comb through their hair and look for signs of head lice. If you catch a louse, you can remove it from your child’s hair using a lice comb. This will stop the infestation and also alert you that head lice may be in your child’s classroom. 

It takes a team effort to stop lice! And My Hair Helpers is here to help! You can order our products on Amazon, and if you live locally in southern California, we have home and salon lice removal services. With affordable pricing, friendly technicians and convenient appointments, going lice free is easier than ever!

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FAQ's

WHAT ARE HEAD LICE?

Head lice are tiny six-legged insects that are blood-sucking parasites. They live on the scalp of humans. Head lice are the little and wingless insects with a size of sesame seeds that make their home on the human head and spread diseases by sucking the blood from the scalp. Infections and diseases caused by head lice are generally faced by on-going school students and their family members as the head of students come in contact with the head of other students. Contact My Hair Helpers to guaranteed head lice removal services. We are professional head lice removal experts known for our best service and customer support.

WHERE DO HEAD LICE COME FROM?

The evidence for head lice goes back many centuries. Lice was named as the third plague in the Old Testament of the Bible. The shell casings for lice have been found on Egyptian mummies. Live Lice on the head and their eggs can be killed by opting for different lice treatments that are available in different forms such as lotions, shampoos, and creams and these can be used at home without any hassle. It is necessary for the women who are pregnant or breastfeed their babies to take suggestions from a renowned doctor about the risk-free products.

HOW DO WE GET LICE?

In the majority of cases, head lice is passed with head to head contact. A smaller number of cases are passed through brushes and combs and sharing hats. Lice don’t like to leave their food supply unless a warm head is waiting for them.

DOES GETTING HEAD LICE MEAN I’M DIRTY?

Head lice actually prefer clean hair! It’s more difficult for them to lay eggs on greasy or dirty hair.