This year’s holiday season is already beginning to look a little different for many of us. With a national pandemic at hand the holiday stress can really add up this year. Head lice is the last thing you need on your holiday list. Unfortunately, the spread of head lice tend to increase during the holiday season. With busy shopping crowds and more gatherings lice are in their prime. While distancing may help slow them this year, it’s still best to be aware. We’ve put together a pre-holiday lice prevention list to keep you lice free and ready for the holidays.

1. Know Your Facts

Knowing your lice facts from lice myths can help you stay prepared. For instance, knowing that lice crawl host to host and don’t jump or fly is important. Get familiar with lice terminology and know the difference between a nit and a louse. Lice can’t live long without a human host, and will die within 24-48 hours without one. Knowing this can help you clean infected areas and avoid where live lice may be. Knowing these simple facts can help you steer clear of infestations and protect yourself this season.

2. Know the Symptoms

It is important to know and be aware of all the signs of head lice. Most people know about the itching but aren’t aware itching often doesn’t occur for several weeks after the infestation happens. You could have lice for weeks if that’s the only sign you are looking for. Common signs of head lice include red bumps along the scalp and neck area and visible lice or nits close to the head. A tickling or moving feeling may occur in the hair as the lice move about. Nits may be found close to the scalp and will be tan to white in color and hard to remove. Lice like dark damp places and will often be found behind the ears, close to the scalp, and along the neckline. Know the signs and be aware of what to check for. You can check for lice by wetting the hair and running a fine comb through it. Use a flashlight to look through the hair.

3. Know What Spreads

There are some common ways lice spread that can be easily prevented. Head lice like mentioned above cannot fly and must crawl to spread. The most common way they spread is direct contact. Avoid coming in direct contact as much as possible. Be aware of whom you’re hugging or standing close to. Wear long hair up in tight hairstyles or hats to avoid it coming into contact with others long hair. Remind children to courteous of others while playing. Don’t share winter apparel like hats, scarves, and jackets that come in contact with hair. Avoid sharing other accessories that touch hair like brushes, barrettes, and headbands. Just as we should be cautious with the pandemic be cautious with head lice. Ask a head if anyone has had head lice lately and if so take proper precautions.

4. Know How to Get Rid of Lice

Even when we try our hardest, head lice can still happen. Head lice are tricky pests, and they can affect anyone at anytime. The good news is there is help out there. At Lice Clinics 805 we specialize in helping with all things head lice related. We use our signature dehydration device that uses heat to dehydrate and kill all lice and nits in the first treatment guaranteed! Our treatment is quick and leaves you lice free so you can get back to enjoying your holidays. Other treatments require several re-treatments to get rid of lice and have no guarantee. Our experts are here to get you back to being lice free today! For more information on our treatments check them out here.

Our experts are here to help keep your holidays happy and lice free. For any questions on holiday lice prevention or head lice in general we are here!

If you have any questions or need a head lice removal treatment, don’t hesitate to contact us. At Lice Clinics 805, which proudly serves Ventura, Santa Barbara, and surrounding areas in California, we are here to help! Our removal process guarantees toremove head lice in 1 quick, and safe treatment. Let us help your kids and family members get back to the things they enjoy. Call us today to schedule an appointment at 805-334-0951!