Lice: Prevention and Detection

It's that time again! The kids are back in school, and with that comes the greater likelihood of catching a whole bunch of colds, diseases, and also - lice! Nobody likes to think about it, those itchy bugs living on your head, but we've got to talk about it! There are ways to minimize the likelihood of becoming infected, let's start with those first. 

Lice cannot fly - they can only jump or crawl. Therefore, the only way to contract head-lice is by being near someone else with them. Common places for lice transmission are places where people are often in close proximity: playgrounds and classrooms for sure, as well as within families or in tight-knit workplaces. It is also possible to transfer lice through sharing of objects, like hair brushes or accessories, headphones, hats, jackets, pillows, towels, etc. You can minimize the risk of you or your kids getting lice by telling them the importance of not sharing these things, and by storing these things apart from each other (keeping all the jackets in a classroom together is another excellent way for lice to infect multiple people).  

Regularly check your kids (and yourself, if you're concerned) for lice! Many schools will have regular lice checks of all students, and doctors will often do it too at regular checkups. Using a fine tooth comb, you can check all over your child's scalp and base of the hair follicles for live nymphs (immature) and adult lice, as well as the eggs, which are attached to the shafts of the hairs, approximately 4mm from the scalp. 

If you do find evidence of lice - don't worry, it's not the end of the world! Lice don't carry any viral or bacterial infectious diseases, but they do feed on blood from the human scalp. These tiny bites can cause the head to become very itchy and uncomfortable, so it is important to treat as soon as identified. If you scratch too much, you can open sores and scratches on the scalp, which can allow for other infections to enter the body. But there are many simple ways to combat the itchy infection. There are several over-the-counter treatments such as shampoos and lice combs, to help rid the infected head of these little buggers. 


MOBU Herbals also has a preventative treatment available: Buzz Away Lotion. This lotion is simple and easy to use! To help prevent head-lice, all you have to do is rub the lotion in along the hairline at the back of the neck and near the ears. This product is also great for repelling other insects, such as mosquitos! 




Once treated, it is possible that there will still be some dead lice remaining in the hair, but they are no longer going to be feeding or causing the itching and will go away with regular washing and brushing over time.