It’s back to school time, and with all those kids getting together with their thick heads of hair, the spread of lice seems inevitable.
Wendy Schaffer-Berenbaum (better known as Wendy the Lice Fairy) has tips to help you keep the pests out of your kids’ hair.
To keep lice away in the first place, the Lice Fairy swears by certain preventive sprays.
“I recommend rosemary and mint. You can pick them up at the store or you can get them through me,” she said.
She also recommends girls keep their hair up, if possible.
Girls are more susceptible to lice because they often have more hair.
She says hair gel acts like a barrier against lice, so boys who put product in their hair are more immune.
“The texture of the hair is practically impossible for them to get through,” said the Lice Fairy.
Schaffer-Berenbaum also recommends regular checks.
“Basically, checking along the hairline to see if there are any lice which would be crawling around and checking for nits, which are the eggs,” she said, adding the eggs look similar to sesame seeds.
“They would be sealed to the hair shaft, would be hard to the touch and they wouldn’t move, unlike dandruff.”
READ MORE: Selfies spreading ‘super lice’ as kids prepare to head back to school
Wendy The Lice Fairy says catching lice is nothing to be embarrassed about, and that being dirty has nothing to do with it.
In fact, lice are more common in clean hair.
“Nobody’s ashamed anymore, are you kidding me? Kids are Snapchatting their friends to say ‘I have lice, check your heads, get your mom to check your head,'” she said.
Getting rid of lice starts and ends with a special lice comb.
“Really, the only way to be rid of lice is to do some old-fashion combing,” she told Global News.
“People think they can go to the drug store and get some remedy, but you really need to spend the time combing out your children — and it’s a gift because it’s nice to spend time with your kids.”
READ MORE: Edmonton’s first-ever lice treatment centre offers ‘WiFi, child-friendly snacks’
She recommends applying a special mousse while combing.
“The reoccurring enzyme breaks down the skeleton of the louse, while loosening the glue of the nits. I put conditioner too, so it’s nice and soft,” she said.
Any clothes you may be worried about need to go in the dryer for thirty minutes, because water won’t kill lice.
He top tip: don’t panic.
“It may not be nice, but it’s just lice,” she said.
For more information visit Wendy the Lice Fairy on Facebook.
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