Many experts say head lice infestations are at their peak during this time of the year as kids head off to summer camp.
A Jacksonville, Florida, woman who owns a lice treatment center said it's most common with young children, but she's also seen an increase in cases of head lice in teens.
Mandy Ottesen owns Fresh Heads. She said it’s very important that parents use a high-quality comb and check their children’s scalps often.
“It’s our busiest time of the year,” Ottesen said. “Most people think we would be more busy when school is in session, but that’s not true.”
With a lot of kids heading to camp during the summer, one concern that some parents overlook is head lice.
Ottesen said lice is almost always transferred between direct head-to-head contact so infestations increase when children are in close proximity to each other.
“With young kids, they have no personal-space preferences. They tend to be closer together than adults are,” she said.
But Ottesen said she’s also seeing an increase in the number of high school students getting head lice.
She said selfies could be to blame. Lice may jump from head to head as teens lean against each other to take photos.
Ottesen said using a preventative head lice repellent can help ensure bugs don’t crawl into hair.
To learn more about preventive products and treatment options for head lice, visit freshheadsliceremoval.com.
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