Oh No! I Found Lice!

So it's 12 AM and you have just finished another long day. Suddenly, your daughter rushes into your bedroom saying, "I can't sleep! My head is itchy!". Oh no! It cant be lice! Not on MY daughter. 

So now what do you do? Your first thought may be to run to the 24 hour pharmacy and pick up one of those chemical based lice products...  But wait, you remember Mary told you that when Monica had head lice she tried to use that and it did not work. Then you remember learning about the experts at Meticulice. Instead of running out of the house to the pharmacy, you turn on your computer and head to the Meticulice website. 

Meticulice recommends the following: Stay calm. The likelihood that the child contracted head lice that day is slim to none. More likely, the child has been sharing space with these pesky visitors for at least a couple of weeks, even as much as 3 to 4 weeks! Knowing this should lessen the panic and overwhelming need to get them out right this minute!  If your child is uncomfortable and itchy, give a bendadryl or another antihistamine to soothe.  

Aside from staying calm, the best action (not reaction) is to run a lice comb through the child's hair, thus minimizing the bug population. The next day, when you are not so bleary eyed and exhausted, you can go completely through the hair, or take them to be professionally deloused. 

Having a good lice comb in your home is a must for every parent. Unfortunately most parents wait until the need arises and then frantically search in vain for the needed tools to help their family through this dreaded time period. Besides combing, the parent may also want to shampoo the hair with a nice mint based shampoo and conditioner. The shampoo won't eliminate the problem but, like the comb, it will absolutely help minimize it. Finally, if possible, pull the hair back into a bun or braid; that way you help minimize additional spreading of the bugs until the child can be properly treated. Do not begin a mega cleaning! Wait to start stripping sheets and vacuuming couches - all cleaning efforts should be reserved for the actual day of treatment. 

Help put your mind at ease by using the "Book Now" feature on Meticulice's web site. Now that you know you have an appointment booked for 8:30 in the morning, you can get some rest. Your daughter will be lice free within two hours of your visit. Don't forget to book appointments for each family member to have a thorough head check also. Just in case the lice has spread from one head to another, it is better to treat everyone at the same time and avoid a never ending cycle!

Please contact us for more information. Emails and texts are answered from 6am -11pm, seven days a week, generally within 15 minutes of submission.

Spring Lice Prevention Secrets Revealed

Meticulice Tips on Lice Prevention for Spring and Summer 

Spring is almost around the corner, the air is getting warmer the days are getting longer and the sun is shining brighter...so what does this all mean?  Kids are now playing outside, riding bikes, scooters, playing baseball, soccer and lacrosse and sharing helmets and other sports accessories.  This also means the - the spread of lice through our communities.

Now is the time to begin preventative measures to ensure that you remain LICE FREE all summer long.

At Meticulice we tell our clients the importance of weekly lice checks, or once a week take a peek.  Using a detangler comb, spray bottle filled with water or Meticulice Two in One Prevention spray and the Meticulice Ultimate Lice Fighter Comb or another highly rated stainless steel lice head comb.  Do a quick comb all the way through to see if any bugs are crawling or nits stuck to the hair shaft.  With weekly checks  if bugs or nits are found, chances are it will be a minor infestation and able to be treated with minimal time and cost.

Here are further tips for Prevention for a Lice free season:

1.  Do not Share hats, combs, brushes, hair ties, towels, helmets, ipod earphones, pillows sleeping bags, etc.

2. Keep hair up in a braid or ponytail and use Meticulice Two in One Prevention spray studies have shown that Mint and other essential herbs help repel head lice   Also the products we sell at Meticulice have studies to show that the products have an ovicidal (capable of killing eggs)effect against head lice.

3. Do not wash hair everyday.  Lice have an easier time attaching themselves to a clean hair shaft.

4.Store all jackets, hats, backpacks etc., in separate cubbies.

5. Do your weekly head checks paying close attention to the five hotspots: nape of neck, behind the ears, part lines and crown of head.

6. Do not touch other children's hair.

7. Avoid head to head contact in school hugging etc.,.

8. Do not share party hats, costumes, tiaras or feather boas at birthday parties.

9. Use caution when trying hats on at stores use Meticulice Preventative spray before and or Ultimate Lice fighting  comb after.

10. Use a lint roller prior to sitting on movie, airplane and stadium seats that are fabric based.

11.  Recognize the symptoms of head lice watch include itching at the scalp, small red bumps or sores on the neck or scalp.

Remember all it takes is one bug to start a head lice infestation.  

Stop it be before you itch!

Have a WARM, safe, healthy and lice free Spring & Summer!

Lice Questions Straight forward Answers

Recently many people who I have been speaking to School nurses, Social workers, Day Care Centers, School staff and administrators have had questions about head lice detection, prevention and treatment.

There really is so much mis-information out there and the question many people ask who is correct?  Well after a many years of hands on education and research to support working with families and individuals I have some of the most frequently asked questions answered.   

The most often asked question is How do I check For Head Lice?  

First off some tools to make the job easier and more effective

• Excellent light (natural light, if possible – outdoors, close to a south facing window or the best light you can find in your home otherwise)

• A magnifying glass, magnifying/reading glasses and/or a microscope (the toy you have tucked in the closet might even do the trick)

• A comb or brush to completely detangle the hair and a comb to section the hair for those with very thick and/or long hair (and in this case, some clips might be helpful too to hold the hair up in sections)

• A leading head lice comb.  This IS NOT a plastic comb that comes in with some of the over the counter kits and it is not even the two sided red-handled metal comb that is sold separately by one of the manufacturers of the kits.  You need a stainless steel head lice comb like our Meticulice Ultimate Lice Fighter Comb This item is one of the best tools you can have in your medicine cabinet. 

• A spray bottle of water (detangler spray or a spray bottle filled with water and a small amount of conditioner to help remove tangles on thick or curly hair) these will aid in combing through the hair.

Tools are collected now we move on to how to check the head:

• Go to a well lit area this can be outside

• Use your detangler comb or brush to completely detangle the hair.

• Then,  part your child’s hair and using the magnifying glass or another type of magnification, look at the areas we like to call the  five “hot spots” – behind the ears, at the nape of the neck, above the forehead and at the crown these are warm areas on the head where fertilized female head lice like to lay their eggs.  Look for tiny poppy-seed sized eggs, stuck to the hair shaft you will need to use your fingernails to loosen them they are and generally close to the scalp.  They’re usually in quarter-sized clusters.  They can be dark in color or light in color but in general, viable nits are plump and darkish especially on dark hair.  Similar to small size sesame seeds. If you can dislodge something on the hair shaft or scalp with a flick of the fingernail or by blowing on it, it’s not a head lice nit.

• If nothing is found, spray the hair with the water or a combination of water and diluted conditioner.  Wet the hair .  Detangle again with a detangler comb or brush to remove all knots.

• With the Meticulice Ultimate Lice Fighting Comb start combing – from the scalp to the ends of the hair.  The individual being combed shouldmay feel the comb this is fine and normal.  After three or four combings through the hair with the lice comb, wipe the comb on both sides on a piece of white paper towel or a white tissue.  Bugs and nits will be evident.  Be methodical.  Continue doing this, multi-directionally nits can be anywhere on the hair shaft so you need to comb from underneath and from the sides until you’ve lice combed the entire head.   With long/thick hair, you might want to use clips to separate areas you’ve already combed.

• If you perform a thorough lice combing on the entire head and find nothing, it’s highly unlikely that a case of head lice is present.

• If you pull bugs either adult lice or maturing nymphs, they will be crawling a bit on the piece of paper towel/tissue.   After you pull a couple of bugs, there’s no need to continue with the head check.  The individual needs to be treated.

• Alternately, and if you’re still not sure after all of the above, you can always come to Meticulice for a comprehensive wet head check at a fee of $30.  Parents tell us how much more cooperative their children are when they are in a comfortable atmosphere with our trained specialists who have performed frequent head checks and move through the head checks efficiently, some taking ten minutes or less.
  Contact us for information on treatment – either by Meticulice in one treatment.  You can also visit our boutique to purchase the right head lice removal product and become educated on the method for proper head lice removal. We have had a huge increase in the number of families coming to us for guidance and effective head lice removal products.   Please do not hesitate to contact us.

Happy Holidays!

Prevent Head Lice During the Cold Weather!

Parents know that the secret to staying warm in the cold weather is to keep your head covered. Yes, it's the time of year when bins full of hats, scarves, and gloves fill up classrooms and homes. It's also the time of year those pesky letters from the school nurse frequently come home with our kids.

Yes it is true that head lice can survive the cold weather and take up residence on the heads of your loved ones. Let's review some facts of head lice:

• Head lice are parasites that require human blood for survival
• Head lice do not jump or fly. They crawl quickly along the hair shaft.
• Head to head contact is the most likely means of transferring head lice from one person to another, but sharing hats, combs, etc can also result in spreading lice.

The good news is that with some education, head lice can be prevented. Here are some tips:

• Do not share any items that go on your head such as hats, combs, brushes, helmets, etc.
• Teach your children to place their hats and scarves in the sleeve of their winter coat instead of the classroom bin.
• Tie long hair back in a pony tail and/or keep a short hair do. This makes it more difficult for the lice latch onto a strand of hair.
• Have frequent head checks! After all, tis the season to snuggle close to others!

Meticulice is here to offer education, head checks, and treatment if needed. Call with any questions and we'll be happy to answer!

Family Members Are Not the Only Ones Who Travel for Thanksgiving!

WooHoo! Thanksgiving is around the corner and everyone is looking forward to a long weekend of relaxation and time spent with friends and family. But heads up! At any given time, 2 - 3 percent of the population has head lice. This means that head lice may hitch a ride with a favorite relative and share the holiday with you too!

Think of all of the wonderful possibilities for head lice to pass from person to person over the Thanksgiving weekend. There is the long car ride where kids sit with their heads close together sharing earbuds while looking at their tech devices. There is the crowding of family members into sleeping arrangements and shared bedding. Forgot a hat and want to play in the family football game? Sure! Borrow one of ours! Wait! That was MY hairbrush not YOURS! Oh and we can't forgot all of the shopping done over this weekend! Yes! That hat looks great on you (just like it did on the people who tried it on before you)! Sweaters, hoodies and more going over your hair after going over countless other heads. Oh my it can feel frightening!

But do not fear! Meticulice is here to help! Come see us for a head check prior to this most dangerous of weekends. Let us check and be sure you are lice free to begin with. Plus, we can offer education to you and your family members to help PREVENT contracting head lice from others.  No worries if you could not make it in to see us beforehand. We will be happy to check your head after the weekend and if need be, we can provide treatment. Bottom line is we are here to help make any situation easier for you!

We wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Why Does My Head Itch?

One tell-tale sign that it is time to check your head for lice is the itch. Not every itch means head lice, but persistant itching should be checked. Here at Meticulice we are often asked why head lice makes a person itch so we thought we would share the answer here.

1. It is important to know that itching may take up to three months to begin and does not necessarily indicate that lice has recently been contracted. 
2. The itching is not caused by the bites of the head lice, but rather by an allergic reaction to the bites. 
3. Sores or raw skin may develop on the scalp from frequent scratching. Watch for infection caused by skin bacteria. 
4. Promptly call a doctor if there is sign of infection.

Questions?  Call Meticulice and one of our trained specialists will be happy to help!