One lice treatment clinic is seeing an increase in head lice cases, mainly due to kids trying on Halloween costumes. Trying on masks, hats, and wigs in stores that other kids have used may be a way for lice to spread, according to reports.
“During Halloween, people try on clothes, costumes, masks, hats, then start itching a little bit later,” Jennifer Tippens of Lice Clinics of America in Knoxville, Tennessee told WATE TV. The clinic has been seeing an uptick in lice infestations.
“The bugs themselves do not come off easily. They want to stay on the head. If you’re trying on things, and those things pick your hair up, there’s a possibility that somebody’s louse can get on an article of clothing,” she said.
Lice can’t survive on anything but human blood and cannot go more than about a day without a meal. They’ve evolved such that their claws cling tightly to human hair. Strands of hair that come off while removing costumes can have lice on them. The lice will quickly move onto the scalp of the next person who tries on the costume.
If you purchase a costume that others may have worn, it’s advisable to put it in the clothes dryer on high heat for 45 minutes. Also, it’s a good idea to discourage your kids from sharing costumes with friends at Halloween parties.
If your child does get head lice during Halloween, the good news is that lice treatment is a lot easier than it used to be. Lice Clinics of America has pioneered a new, medically sound, scientifically proven line of products and services that are guaranteed to be safe, fast, and effective.
The signature treatment is done at clinics using the company’s patented and proven medical device, AirAllé. Researchers at the University of Utah developed AirAllé, and the device has been cleared by the FDA after clinical trials found that it kills live lice and more than 99 percent of eggs (nits). The device uses no chemicals—just warm hair to dehydrate lice and eggs. Most treatments take about an hour.
The same team of researchers has developed home lice treatment products that can be used to treat and prevent head lice. The Lice Remover Kit features a non-toxic gel and applicator that helps kill and remove lice and eggs with no mess and no hassle. The Lice Preventer Kit uses a similar gel and applicator that can be used once a week as a lice repellent.
Neither product uses the insecticides found in traditional lice treatment products. Those chemicals have been linked to health problems in children. And the products are increasingly ineffective, as most lice have developed a genetic resistance to the insecticides.
The Lice Remover Kit is available at select drugstores such as Walmart, Target, and CVS. The Lice Preventer Kit is available on Amazon. They are also available at Lice Clinics of America treatment locations which are also one and done solutions for treating head lice.
Halloween is scary enough without the threat of head lice. Fortunately, there are new products and services available to make treating head lice more of a treat.
To learn more about Lice Clinics of America, to find a clinic, or to locate products, visit www.liceclinicsofamerica.com.
