Summertime is a feasting season for head lice, which can spread rapidly at kids camps, sports programs, and slumber parties. When the head scratching starts, chances are these parasitic insects have been hanging around for a few weeks. But don’t panic—they’re manageable with the right care. The Delaware Lice Clinic in Wilmington (521-0252) offers a 24/7 number to call or text for help when handling a suspected infestation.
Symptoms—itchiness, irritability, sleeplessness, and sores or a tickling feeling on the head—might not appear for four to six weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“Panic mode sets in because most people think that it’s going to infest their home, their pets are going to get it, it’s going to get in their kids’ stuffed animals—[but] that’s not how lice work,” says clinic founder Savanna Mitchell. “Lice cannot live off the scalp for more than 24 hours. They need a blood source to feed on a human. …It’s a love bug. They spread when you show affection and anytime hair touches hair.”
These sesame-seed-sized insects are most commonly found on the scalps of preschool- and elementary-age kids. Lice eggs, or nits, may look like dandruff, but they attach firmly to the base of hair. Avoiding direct contact with infested hair and anything that touches someone else’s head is the best way to prevent lice. Mitchell also suggests pulling long hair up into a bun or tight braid.
While some sprays and shampoos containing tea tree oil might deter lice, Mitchell cautions against depending on them, because they don’t kill lice or nits. Already bitten by the love bug? Her clinic offers head checks and professional lice removal, which works faster than at-home treatments. Clients leave the clinic lice-free and with a preventive oil to apply just twice at home.
