In the month of June, there are many celebrations including Flag Day, Juneteenth, last day of school, graduations, Father’s Day, and even National Selfie Day. Selfies are a fun way to capture a moment with friends and family. Who doesn’t love the ease of taking a photo of the whole group without having to be bothersome and ask a stranger to take the picture? There is a hidden risk in selfies though.
When a selfie is taken everyone puts their hair down to look their best and clamors together as tight as possible to fit in the frame. This is the perfect opportunity for the parasitic head lice to transfer from one host to another.
Here are some helpful tips on how to avoid a head lice infestation when taking a selfie:
Keep your hair up
Head lice is spread through direct head to head or hair to hair contact. If no contact is made then they cannot spread. If your hair is up in a bun or a braid, it minimizes the chance for your hair to make contact with another person’s hair.
- Use hairspray
Hairspray itself will not keep the lice away but it tames any fly-a-ways hairs. While your hair is up, simply sprits all the straggling strands with a bit of hairspray to diminish the chance that your hair will contact someone else’s hair. - Keep your distance
In a typical selfie everyone’s heads are pushed together. The trick is to get in the frame without going head to head! - Use preventative products
There are many prevention lines clinically proven to ward off head lice including the Lice Clinics of America hair care line. These products contain a special blend of essential oils that repel the lice. Simply put, the lice detest the scent of the products and are therefore less likely to attach to the hair of someone using these products. - Don’t share hairbrushes or hats
Though the risk is extremely minimal, there is a very slight chance you could contact head lice from a hat (less than 1%). As a general rule, only use your own hairbrush and hat. - Get a screening to ensure you are head lice free!
After all of your selfies have been taken and posted on social media, come into Naughty Nits – Lice Clinics of America for a comprehensive screening. This is the only way to ensure you have not contacted head lice. A light infestation may be very difficult for you to detect but not for our certified technicians
Have fun and take as many selfies as possible this June, but beware. While selfies may be fun, head lice are not. If you think you may have head lice, visit liceclinicsupstateny.com to figure out how to get help today!