One time you do NOT want to take a shortcut is when treating head lice. Summer months may mean a vacation from school, but they do not mean a vacation from head lice. With no school in session, kids have more time to hang out together and this can mean an increase in the transmission of head lice.
We often speak with parents who thought that having head lice in the summer would mean an easier time getting rid of it. After all, it’s hot so the kids might not mind a short hair cut and they spend hours in chlorinated pool water. Surely, that will get rid of the lice!
Well, we’re sorry to say that it won’t. The most common scenario we hear is parents giving their sons buzz cuts. It makes sense. If they cut off all of the hair, obviously they cut off all of the lice too. Unfortunately, no. Even the shortest of cuts can not guarantee that all of the nits will be removed and leaving them behind next to a warm scalp means they might hatch. Once hatched, they will probably look for a better environment, meaning a head with more hair. So anyone else in the house becomes a target.
The good news is that short hair on boys or girls can make it a bit harder to contract head lice in the first place. If lice is contracted, it can be less laborious to treat short hair. For girls with long hair and no desire to go short, the best prevention is to wear a braided ponytail making it difficult for the lice to grab onto a single strand of hair.
The moral of the story? Don’t take a shortcut to get rid of head lice. Come in to Meticulice for a head check and if lice is confirmed, have it treated properly. Putting a bit more effort up front either with preventative measures or with treatment can save you time and energy in the long run.
