Press Room
Head Lice DNA Can Reveal Details About First Americans
Head lice have been constant, if unwanted, human companions for as long as our species has been around. Evidence of this ancient connection includes a 10,000-year-old-louse found on human remains at an archaeological site in Brazil and an inscription on a 3,700-year-old ivory lice comb that might be the oldest known sentence written with an…
Read MoreHow a Facebook post can spread misinformation about a lice outbreak
The power of social media can be amazing, but it can also be a curse. For example, a rumor spread throughout Facebook alleging a lice outbreak at a popular Waterpark in Corpus Christi, Texas. It wasn’t true. “I clicked on the post and I read it and it didn’t seem quite right. It didn’t seem…
Read MoreMyth: Pesticide Must Be Used to Kill Them
The truth: Several pesticide-based treatments are available, either over the counter or by prescription. But these may not always be the best choice. Sometimes called “super lice,” many of the pests in the U.S. and other parts of the world have developed resistance to over-the-counter lice treatments that contain certain pesticides, notably permethrin and pyrethrins.…
Read MoreScreening for Head Lice
Head lice can be hard to see. You need to look closely and because lice and their eggs are so small and glued to the hair, takes patience, time, accuracy and a high quality lice comb. Use disposable gloves and look at the person’s head under a bright light. Full sun or the brightest lights…
Read MoreWhy You Should Avoid Treating Head Lice with Chemicals
WA 2015 study led by Kyong Yoon, an assistant professor at Southern Illinois University in Edwardsville, reveals that lice are now resistant to common over-the-counter (OTC) treatments in more than half of the country. The 2015 study results show 100 percent resistance to pesticide treatments in at least 48 US states, including California. More specifically, the study…
Read MoreThe Claim: Washing hair with Coca-Cola will get rid of head lice
TWhile head lice is typically treated with special combs or professional head lice removal clinics, one social media user claims there’s an easier do-it-yourself remedy. A Feb. 25 Facebook post shared in a Homemaking Tips group claims Coca-Cola may “get rid of lice and nits FAST.” The meme includes a checklist of steps to complete, starting with washing the…
Read MoreSymptoms of Head Lice
Symptoms of Head Lice Since lice eggs are the size of a grain of sand, do not move, and do not cause itching and live lice are only the size of a sesame seed and may or may not cause itching, you may have head lice and might not even know it. In many cases…
Read MoreHousecleaning Advice and Tips
HOUSECLEANING ADVICE AND TIPS A common misconception about treating people and homes that have had contact with lice is that the only way to get them out of the house is to put everything in the home that is made of any type of fabric in plastic bags for two weeks and have the furniture…
Read MoreLice Guide for Hair Stylists
Lice Guide for Hair Stylists In most states, cosmetology regulations make it against the law to cut or style the hair of someone with head lice. Yet stylists are reporting more and more cases of head lice in their salons, which can be due to the fact that most lice are now resistant to the…
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