Tips to Lower Your Odds Of Catching Lice

The spread of head lice is a pervasive problem, especially in schools with younger children. In the United States alone, more than 6 million children between the ages of 3 and 11 get head lice every year. When a large group of people gathers in a small area, such as schools or churches, there is always an increased chance that you or one of your kids could get lice. When it comes to head lice, most parents and doctors take a reactionary approach, only dealing with the critters if it becomes necessary. However, some proactive habits could lower your odds of getting lice in the first place. If you are concerned about head lice, here are a few tips that could keep you and your family out of harm’s way:

Avoid Head-to-Head Contact

Simply put, lice cannot fly or jump from head to head. Instead, lice have to crawl onto the body, and this happens via head-to-head contact. Something simple like resting your head on someone else’s shoulder can allow lice to spread. Therefore, it’s important to keep your head to yourself if you’re trying to avoid lice.

Tight Hairstyles Help Stop the Spread of Lice

Keeping your hair to yourself can go a long way in preventing lice, and there are a few hairstyles that accomplish this effectively. Loose hair strands make it more likely for your hair to get tangled with someone else’s, possibly resulting in a new case of lice. Putting your hair up in a bun, braid, or even ponytail could make all the difference.

Do a Periodic Check for Head Lice

Doing a nit check of your child’s hair about once a week is a good idea, especially if they are in a school that has had a head lice outbreak. One of the biggest parts in preventing the spread of lice is catching the case of lice before it has a chance to grow and spread to others. Combing through the hair with a flashlight can make it a lot easier to spot the nits or lice.

Don’t Use Fumigation Fog

Fumigation is both a preventative and reactionary measure to dealing with pests in the home, but when it comes to head lice, fumigation is not a good option. Head Lice cannot survive outside of the hair, so gassing the house will not do you many favors. Not to mention, fumigation is extremely toxic and can be harmful to you as well as the critters it aims to eliminate. There are far safer and less extreme measures available that are far more effective.

Educate Yourself on Head Lice

One of the main ways to prevent the spread of lice is by educating yourself and your kids on what lice are, recognizing them, and what to do if you suspect you or someone you know has head lice. Being able to recognize the signs and symptoms of head lice quickly is critical in preventing them from spreading to others.

Receive Expert Lice Treatment in Omaha!

There are a lot of preventative measures that you can take to lower your odds of getting head lice. Here at Lice Clinics of America in Omaha, we work hard to treat and help prevent the spread of head lice. If you want to learn more about lice removal or prevention, visit our website at https://liceclinicsomaha.com.