WHO CAN GET LICE?

Any parent who knows about head lice knows that it is something they want to prevent from invading their household. These parasites quickly spread like wildfire, turning a minor infestation into a plague.

The best way to prevent the nightmare is to arm yourself with the solid knowledge that can help you avoid a run-in with these persistent pests. Due to social stigma and misunderstanding about the condition, many parents are confused about this bug, who can get it and how to get rid of it. So who can get lice?

The most common victims of lice are children between the ages of three and twelve years old. Why? Because children of this age tend to have close contact in school, at sleepovers or at camp, and may be less than vigilant about keeping their personal belongings to themselves. Once lice have invaded a classroom, they spread easily. For this reason, parents of school-aged children should develop a regular schedule of checking heads for bugs and nits.

Despite often having significantly less hair than older children, babies can get lice too, and are especially susceptible to it if they spend time at daycare or nurseries with other children. If a baby with lice lays on a blanket or surface, any children who subsequently laid on the same surface are at risk of contracting lice.

College Kids. Many parents breathe a sigh of relief once the children have grown up a bit and entered high school or college, thinking that lice are now a thing of the past. Not so fast. As college kids are often living in close proximity (think dormitories) and prone to share clothes and other personal belongings, lice can pass easily among this population.

Parents. Many parents assume that they’re naturally immune to head lice, even if their children are currently suffering a case of the bugs. That goes for dads and working moms too—even if you spend much of your day away from home, it’s still possible to end up with a case of lice. Lice lurk on furniture, bedding, towels and other items commonly shared items in a home, thus even parents can find themselves scratching their heads.

Clean People. The stigma attached to head lice declares that only dirty people who don’t bathe get lice. Thus a great deal of shame can be attached to the condition. The assumption is that, if someone has lice, they’re unclean or living in unsanitary conditions. This could not be farther from the truth, and in reality, lice actually prefer clean hair and can be repelled by the odor of dirty hair.

Anyone with Hair! In short, lice infest hair. A human scalp is their natural habitat and their source of sustenance, thus they are not picky about length, color, age or type. If there is an opportunity to infest a head, a louse bug is going to take it. When everyone knows they could be a potential host for head lice, it means we all take better preventative measures.

If you suspect you have been exposed to lice, don’t wait to set up an appointment for an pesticide free removal treatment. For more information, or to schedule an appointment, house call, school or camp consultation, please visit our website at: www.LiceTroopers.com or call 1-800-403-LICE.

Our Miami treatment center locations are here to serve you:

Bay Harbor Lice Treatment Center, 1005 Kane Concourse, Suite 212, Bay Harbor Island, FL 33154

Coral Gables Lice Treatment Clinic, 2109 Le Jeune Rd., Coral Gables, FL 33134

Hollywood Treatment Center, 5735 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, FL 33021