Lice and nits can be difficult to see with the naked eye. The best way to confirm an infestation is to hire a professional lice removal technician. Several delousers that screen children for head lice told Gothamist that they’re as busy as ever. However, NYC public schools don’t contract with outside companies to screen children for lice.
Lice Checks
While head lice do not cause disease, they are annoying to kids and their parents. The tiny parasites can be spread by direct head-to-head contact, sharing combs or brushes, and by touching hats, headphones, pillows, and other infested items. The parasites cannot survive off the scalp for more than two days. While NYC schools don’t screen students for lice, the Department of Education permits teachers and parents to hire private delousing companies to check children. Representatives for several of those firms told Gothamist that business dropped during the COVID-19 pandemic, but they’re now busier than ever.
Our unique “In Home Lice Treatment” service allows your child to receive a safe, effective, and guaranteed Lice Removal NYC treatment in the comfort of their own home. Larger Than Lice offers flexible appointment scheduling to accommodate busy families and eliminates the need for your family to spend hours sitting in a lice salon waiting. We accept FSA & HSA as well as all major credit cards.
Lice Treatments
Lice treatments are a time-consuming, but necessary, step in ridding your child’s hair of the tiny parasites. You can find over-the-counter products that target lice, but leave nits alive, or you can pay for a lice technician to comb them out of your child’s head using a special nit comb. Lice technicians also use a product called the Lice Free Noggins Comb Out Spray, which kills lice and nits in about an hour. A professional can also tell you how to prevent an outbreak in the future, such as braiding long hair or tying it up for the day and using non-pesticide home remedies.
Experts warn against over-the-counter shampoos that claim to prevent lice, such as those containing essential oils or garlic. Lindane, an ingredient found in many of these products, is neurotoxic and can cause seizures, while malathion hasn’t been proven to be safe. Instead, they recommend washing clothes and bed linens with hot water or using a lice repellent such as the Food and Drug Administration-approved topical spinosad (Natroba) or ivermectin (Sklice). Both of these products act on the parasites’ nervous systems and paralyze them.
Lice Prevention
Lice are tiny insects that can’t be seen with the naked eye. A single female louse can lay up to six tiny, pearl-colored eggs, called nits, a day. If you suspect your child has lice, it’s important to check them immediately. Nits can look like dandruff or eczema, so if you don’t spot them right away, you could miss an infestation. Parents can use a bright light and a fine-tooth comb to search for nits. A nit comb looks very similar to a wide-tooth comb, but it has small teeth that are designed to snag and hold nits. Coat the comb with conditioner and wipe it between each combing session, which can take up to an hour.
Several companies that provide delousing services have told Gothamist they’ve been hired by NYC public and private schools to screen children for head lice this year. However, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends against broad screenings because they don’t appear to reduce lice outbreaks and can stigmatize kids.
Lice Reports
Head lice are tiny parasites that live and feed on human hair. They can only be transferred from one person to another through prolonged direct contact on the scalp or by sharing combs and brushes, hats or other contaminated items. Head lice cannot survive more than 48 hours without a host and cannot survive on animals or household furniture. Several New York City delousing companies that screen and treat kids for head Lice Checks NYC say they’re busier than usual. While business dipped during the COVID-19 pandemic as parents followed the social distancing recommendations, it’s picking up again.
During the in-home treatment, an expert lice technician will confirm whether or not there are live lice and nits in the hair. If found, an all natural lice treatment solution is applied to the scalp and nits using a special nit comb. This process takes about an hour and is followed by a thorough comb out to remove any remaining nits and live lice.
Conclusion
Being lice free means much more than just a comfortable head. It also improves your child’s social interactions and overall health. Our expert lice technician will first confirm the presence of lice and eggs. After applying an all natural treatment she will comb out your hair and carefully remove all lice and eggs, nit by nit.
