Head Lice Prevention Without Chemicals

When it comes to head lice many parents want to lean towards a prevention method, but many head lice prevention products contain harsh ingredients and chemicals. All of Zippity Doo's products are made with natural ingredients such as rosemary, tea tree, and cinnamon.  This makes for a great product line for the average parent to use daily in their prevention regimen. Shampoo and conditioner are a necessity for everyone, so why not use a head lice prevention product and ease your mind for the future.

Top 5 head lice myths

Almost everyone knows what head lice are, but do they know the facts vs. myths?

Myth #1 - Head lice are a result of not being clean. Anyone can get head lice no matter how many times you bathe yourself each day.
Myth #2 - Head lice can jump from one persons's hair to another. Lice cannot jump, they can only crawl.
Myth #3 - Treatment of only the hair will get rid of head lice. Lice can live off the human body for about 24 hours, so you must remove all clothing and launder right away.
Myth #4 - If all the bugs are out of the hair, head lice treatment is over. You must be sure to remove all of the eggs as well.
Myth #5 - Any kind of shampoo will remove the head lice. Special treatment is necessary to remove head lice and eggs.

Should notification be sent to parents when head lice cases are reported?

There is quite the controversy of whether schools need to send notification to all parents when a case of head lice is reported. As a parent there seems to be no question, but school officials have to be cautious about information released because of privacy laws.

If parents were notified then they could all make sure they are taking the right precautions by preventing head lice before their child comes home with an infestation.  Head lice is just a nuisance so the best way to be safe is to prevent at all times.

Can you imagine if Rapunzel got head lice?

With winter in full force and all of the hats, scarves and coats being passed around, there is certainly a high chance that head lice will be spread. Just think of all these little girls with long flowing locks like Rapunzel. Now think of trying to get rid of head lice on head of hair like that. What a mess huh?! Certainly the only logical thing to do is to prevent head lice before the thought of treatment strikes. Try following this prevention regimen. www.zippitydoos.com/prevention.

Head lice resistant to treatments?

More and more parents are having trouble with head lice treatments not working.  Reports suggest that the cause may be that head lice are becoming resistant to head lice treatments.  Health professionals report that any insect over time can develop a resistance to pesticides and chemicals.  Doctors all agree that head lice prevention is the best way to make sure this doesn't happen. Follow Zippity Doo's head lice prevention routine here www.zippitydoos.com/prevention.

What do head lice look like?

Head lice can be in three different forms, the nit, the nymph, and the adult louse.

Nits are the lice eggs and are often confused with dandruff or dried hairspray. Nits are found attached to the hair shaft. They are usually yellow or white, oval shaped and they take about a week to hatch.

The nymph is a baby louse. It looks like an adult head louse but smaller. Nymphs mature to adults in about seven days after hatching.

The adult louse has six legs, and is tan to grayish-white and the size of a sesame seed. The female lays nits and they are usually larger than the males. Adult lice can live up to 30 days on a person's head, but they need blood to feed.  If a louse falls off the head it will die within two days.

How do I know I have head lice?

Head lice are most frequently located on the scalp behind the ears and near the neckline. Head lice hold on to the hair with claws that look like hooks at the end of each of their six legs. Head lice rarely show up on the body, eyelashes or eyebrows.

The first sign you have head lice may be a tickling feeling or something moving in the hair. Itching can be caused by an allergic reaction to the bites or just scratching at the tickling. Sores may be found because of scratching, which can sometimes become infected. Looking closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs, or adults is the next step. The nymphs and adults may be hard to find because there are usually a small amount of them and they move very quickly. Finding nits close to the scalp will confirm a head lice infestation. If the nits are more than 1/4 inch from the scalp, most likely it is an old infestation.  The smartest thing to do is prevent head lice and you won't have to worry about treating them.

Head lice and the holidays

So the holidays are among us and this means gatherings and close quarters, which can easily lead to the spreading of head lice.  This is definitely one guest none of us want. What do we do to avoid it?

1. Avoid sharing hats, scarves and any other item that comes in contact with someone's head/neck.
2. Spray all of these items with Zippity Doo's shield spray to prevent head lice.

3. Practice good housekeeping by vacuuming and washing all linens after house guests.

Girls more likely than boys to get head lice?

Yes, girls are more likely to get head lice than boys because they share hare products such as combs, berets, etc. Using a shield spray on all of these items that may be shared is a great way to prevent this from happening. We all know treating head lice in girls is much more difficult than boys just because they have longer hair.

Dangerous chemicals in head lice treatments

The desperation to eliminate head lice sets in and the search is on for a lice treatment. There are many different options out there to remove head lice, but are they all safe? The most risky chemical to watch for is lindane, which is especially dangerous to small children and infants.  Another reported side affect of chemical lice treatments is hair loss.

The need to quickly remove these pests is first priority, but be sure that you research your head lice removal products and choose carefully. The best bet is to prevent!

Nobody wants to go searching for head lice treatments!

Each year approximately 6 to 12 million children between 3 and 12 are infested with head lice and about 1 in every 100 U.S. elementary school children will be infested with head lice.  With children in such close proximity of one another all day at school, the chances of spreading head lice between them is very high.

The peak of lice infestation generally occurs at back-to-school time. Being prepared with head lice prevention products is the best way to lower these numbers and keep families at ease. Nobody wants to go searching for head lice treatments.