Head Lice Prevention
How Can We Prevent Head Lice?
Remember that head lice will attack anyone; even the cleanest families from the best of homes are not immune to an outbreak of lice. Having head lice is very common, as many as 12 million people get lice every year.
Girls are particularly susceptible, especially those with long hair. Diligence is required to rid your family of head lice, but it can be done without using harsh chemical treatments.
Can Lice Ice keep my children from getting lice again?
YES! Lice Ice can help prevent an infestation of head lice! To repel and prevent re-infestation, dilute Lice Ice gel 1:4 (1/2 cup Lice Ice to 2 cups water) and apply to hair and scalp as a spray or spritz. Lice Ice can also be used in place of styling gel.
Prevention Tips
Re-infestation is likely if you have not cleaned your living environment, including your car, or if your children come into contact with others who have head lice.
Head Lice Prevention Tips for Kids:
Although head lice are mostly spread through head-to-head contact, re-infestation may be likely if head covering or hair accessories are shared.
- Do not share combs, brushes or hair accessories!
- Avoid sharing sporting helmets. If you do, thoroughly clean the helmet often.
- It is recommended that you regularly clean all shared head coverings such as hats, pillows, backs of chairs, car seats and bicycle helmets.
Preventing Head Lice at Home:
It is important to clean the living environment as soon as you begin treatment. To prevent re-infestation:
- All clothing, towels, bedding, mattress pad, pillows and stuffed animals that can be washed should be thoroughly laundered once all those with head lice begin their treatment.
- Laundry should be washed in hot water (125° F) and dried in a hot dryer or dry cleaned if not washable. Vacuum sofas and chairs.
- Combs, brushes and hair accessories should be soaked for at least 15 minutes in hot water (over 125°F, equal to hot tap water in most homes).
- Unwashable items can be enclosed in plastic bags, and securely tied for two weeks.
- If you have freezing temperatures, 32°F or lower in your area, place plastic bags outside for several days, or in your freezer. Head lice cannot survive freezing temperatures or in water.
- Thoroughly vacuum all mattresses, carpeting, furniture and baby safety car seats. Fumigation of living areas is not necessary.
- Vacuum the car, paying special attention to head rests and using the crevice tool to get into the cracks of the seats.
- Make sure to remove vacuum bag and throw it away in an outside garbage can.
Head Lice Prevention in Schools:
- Teach children never to share combs, brushes, hats, scarves or hair accessories.
- Instruct them to put all mittens, scarves and hats inside coat sleeves, then place coats in backpacks.
- Try not to let coats in lockers touch, or place coat and accessories in backpacks.
- Helmets, headsets, and other shared headgear should be cleaned as often as necessary to help prevent spreading head lice in school and communal settings.
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