A Head Lice Free Summer
Five Easy Steps for a Lice-Free Summer

From "It's Your Health"
"Head lice don't take summer vacations," warned Ailene Farkac after an annual gathering of summer camp owners. Ailene is the co-chair of Los Angeles based Lice Angels, an organization dedicated to helping families and public health agencies deal with head lice problems.

"Lice thrive anywhere kids gather, anytime of year. Summer camps, whether sleep aways or day camps, are no exception," she said. "Lice are so common that kids are often checked for lice as they board the bus for their first day of camp." Even if your child is staying home, Lice Angels advises you to follow these tips to a lice-free summer.

1. Start with a clean slate. Before camp begins, check your child for lice. Use a comb to part the hair in one or two inch sections and look for lice and nits (eggs). If you find any, treat it right away.

2. Don't share head gear. This includes hats, sports helmets, combs, brushes, pony tail holders, head bands, hair clips, towels, walkman head sets, etc.

3. Wash n' dry weekly. Lice hatch from nits in 7-9 days. By cleaning once a week, you will kill newly hatched lice and prevent infestation. Wash backpacks and head gear in hot water and put in the dryer for 30 minutes. Clean the foam ear covers on head phones in soapy water.

4. Watch for scratching or fiddling with the hair. After sleepovers, birthday parties and family gatherings, watch for these early signs of infestation. If you see them, follow step one.

5. Stop infestation from spreading. If your child gets lice, inform friends and family to prevent further infestation.

Ailene suggests that you keep a MagiComb at home, and you tell your camp director about this product so they can keep one at the camp infirmary. "MagiComb is an electronic comb that can be used weekly to prevent head lice - it gets rid of nits before they become a problem. It is the most effective piece of equipment you can own. The Los Angeles School District keeps one in each of its 700 elementary school nursing offices".

Finally, if your child does get head lice, Ailene suggests using a non-toxic treatment such as HairClean 1-2-3 Lice Kit (available at stores like WalMart, Rite Aid and Safeway and directly through the internet. "Some lice are resistant to the traditional drug store brands. These products are natural and work very well. HairClean has more clinical studies than any other natural product on the market".

View products now - HairClean 1-2-3 Lice Remover and MagiComb.