(870) 497-2980 | 3114 Fox Road, Suite D, Jonesboro, AR 72404

Just in Time for Halloween: Head Lice One of Parents’ Scariest Nightmares

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Head lice scare people.

Lice Clinics of America – Jonesboro owner Brandi wants to make head lice less scary for parents.

“Head lice are the third most feared experience for parents,” Brandi said.  “Head lice rank third among parents’ ‘worst nightmares.’ For example, more parents fear head lice than chicken pox, pink eye, strep throat, and the flu.”

Only a broken bone and a broken heart scare parents more than head lice.

These are the results of a first-of-its-kind OnePoll survey of 2,000 U.S. parents conducted in conjunction with Lice Clinics of America:

Top 10 Parenting Nightmares

  1. Kid coming home with broken/sprained limb: 41%
  2. Kid coming home with a broken heart: 40%
  3. Kid coming home with lice: 36%
  4. Kid coming home with chickenpox: 33%
  5. Kid coming home with a broken/sprained finger: 31%
  6. Kid coming home with strep throat: 29%
  7. Kid coming home with an allergic reaction: 29%
  8. Kid coming home with the flu/cold: 27%
  9. Kid coming home with pink eye: 26%
  10. Kid coming home with broken glasses: 16%

“One reason parents fear head lice is because it’s becoming harder to get rid of them,” Brandi said. “That’s because the most popular lice products on the market are rapidly losing their effectiveness to kill lice and eggs (nits). The most recent study (2016) published in the Journal of Medical Entomology found that 98 percent of head lice in most U.S. states are now resistant to the pesticides used in traditional over-the-counter lice products.”

“If that’s not scary enough, the pesticides used in lice products have also been linked to behavior and developmental problems in children,” Brandi said.

Yikes!

“The good news is solutions are available that make head lice about as scary as getting a haircut,” Brandi said.

Lice Clinics of America – Jonesboro offers treatment using the FDA-cleared AirAllé® medical device. AirAllé is clinically proven to kill live lice and more than 99 percent of eggs (nits) using heated air to dehydrate the lice and eggs. Most treatments take about an hour and are guaranteed to be effective.

“The AirAllé medical device was developed by researchers at the University of Utah and was proven over a decade of trials and tests,” Brandi said.  “And the AirAllé is equally effective over pesticide-resistant lice because it uses dehydration and is completely pesticide-free. It has been used to treat more than 400,000 cases of head lice worldwide with a success rate better than 99 percent.”

With Lice Clinics of America – Jonesboro, lice don’t have to be scary at all.

“Lice don’t cause or carry any diseases, so they are not a health concern,” Brandi said. “And our proven one-hour cure makes head lice a fear of the past. That means that there is one less thing for parents to worry about—they can go back to worrying about broken hearts and bones.”

To learn more or to schedule an appointment, visit LiceClinicsJonesboro.com, email LCAJonesboro@gmail.com, or call (870) 497-2980.

Get to Know Head Lice Symptoms from Lice Clinics of America Jonesboro

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Just thinking about head lice can make you start itching. If your school or daycare center has notified you that head lice have been detected, you’ll want to check your child (and yourself) immediately. According to Shannon, owner of Lice Clinics of America Jonesboro, here are some of the signs your child may have head lice:

  1. Scratching: If your child is scratching his or her head more than usual, it may be time to check for lice. The most common symptom of head lice is itching. This is because lice bites can cause an allergic reaction in many people, which stimulates the itchy sensation. However, it can take a few weeks for this symptom to develop.
  2. Tickling sensation: Some children experience a “tickly” feeling from lice bites or from lice touching their skin. This is a less severe reaction than the itching.
  3. Sores or scratch marks: If you see sores or scratch marks on your child’s head or neck, it can be a sign your child has an active lice infestation. Children often scratch harder than they need to, which can break the skin and cause sores and scabs.
  4. Disruption of sleep patterns: Head lice can make sleep difficult for youngsters. If your child is having a harder time than usual going to sleep or staying asleep, that might be a sign that head lice have invaded his or her scalp.
  5. Irritability: If your child is more irritable than usual, this can be an indication that head lice are present. Irritability often coincides with chronic itchiness and sleeplessness. These symptoms can combine, especially when an infestation is more mature.

It’s important to point out that an itchy scalp alone is not always an indication of head lice. “Itchiness can also be a symptom of other harmless conditions, such as dandruff, allergies, or a reaction to a hair product,” said Shannon.  “Make sure you do your due diligence and double check.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), misdiagnosis of head lice infestation is common. The most reliable symptom, of course, is the presence of a live louse or lice on a child’s head.

How to Spot Lice

To be sure that your child has lice, you’ll need to do a physical inspection of his or her head and neck. “Checking your child’s head for lice is a simple process,” said Shannon.  “First, start at the nape area of the neck and around their ears. These are the locations where lice are most likely to live. They stay very near the scalp to stay warm, about a quarter of an inch from the skin. Separate the hair as finely as possible. It helps to wet the hair first as it takes care of the wispy hair. Head lice are about the size of a sesame seed. They can be difficult to see, so some people suggest using a magnifying glass if you have one. If you have a louse comb, run it through the hair multiple times, wiping it on a paper towel after each pass. Inspect the paper towel to see if you pull head lice or nymphs (young lice) from the hair. You’re three to five times more likely to accurately diagnose a lice infestation if you comb first, versus just visually inspecting the hair.”

About Eggs (Nits)

Identifying and removing live lice is just one step in the lice treatment process. “It’s just as important to identify and remove all eggs (nits). If all eggs are not killed or removed, they will hatch and you’ll have a fresh case of head lice on your hands,” said Shannon. “Lice eggs are tiny, camouflaged, and they stick with a strong glue-like substance to the hair. Finding and removing eggs, also known as nitpicking, is best done using a fine-toothed comb.” Nits are often confused with other particles found in hair such as dandruff, hair spray droplets, and dirt particles.

Don’t Panic

“The most important thing to remember is to not panic,” says Shannon. “While a case of head lice can be stressful and frustrating for parents and children, please keep in mind head lice do not cause serious health problems. In addition, lice infestations are completely unrelated to personal hygiene. The only reason your child has lice is because he or she had close contact with someone else that had lice.”

The good news is new technology now makes treating head lice fast and easy. Lice Clinics of America’s AirAllé device is an FDA-cleared medical device, clinically proven to kill live lice and more than 99 percent of eggs in as little as an hour, guaranteed. To learn more or to find a clinic near you, visit www.liceclinicsofamerica.com.

Lice Clinics of America has over 330 treatment centers in 35 countries, making it the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America – Jonesboro, AR is located at 3114 Fox Road, Suite D and is open seven days a week by appointment. Call 870-322-6056, email info@liceclinicsjonesboro.com, or visit www.LiceClinicsJonesboro.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Back-to-School Head Lice Prevention Checklist from Lice Clinics of America – Jonesboro

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Back-to-school time is a busy time for parents and students. The weeks prior to school are filled with shopping for clothes, backpacks and school supplies as well as last minute trips to squeeze every bit out of the summer. Parents often worry about how their children will like their teacher and whether they’ll get along with the other students or be bullied.

Brandi is a member of Lice Clinics of America®, the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. She says, “We see a surge in cases of head lice when kids return to school” and recommends some proven practices that can prevent and treat cases of head lice. The clinics offer everything families need to stay lice-free during back-to-school season and all year round with products and services for every situation and every budget.

Screen Early and Often

The best way to prevent head lice is for all children to be screened regularly. Lice can be difficult to identify by the untrained eye.  Brandi says, “We recommend professional head lice checks, especially at peak lice times in the fall, back-to-school and returning home from summer camp.”

An Ounce of Prevention

Lice Clinics of America’s clinic in Jonesboro offers products for home use that prevent head lice, including preventive shampoo, conditioner, sprays and hairbands that can be used daily or whenever children wash their hair. These products serve as an effective lice repellant. All are non-toxic, using essential oils that smell good to humans but not to head lice. “’Back to School’ is a great time to stock up on prevention products to help your kids stay lice free all year long,” says Brandi.

Have Hair Pulled Back

Another way to help kids prevent the spread of lice is keeping hair pulled back in a tight braid or bun. “Since lice need hair to hold on to so they can crawl from one head to another, it’s harder for them to grip hair pulled back into a braid or bun” says Brandi.

Sharing Items Like Brushes

While lice are much more likely to be spread by head-to-head contact than brushes, it’s good practice to let your children know that while we teach them to share most things, brushes shouldn’t be one of them.

Selfies 

What teen doesn’t love a good selfie with their friends to celebrate back to school? While amazing and fun, selfies can lead to head-to-head contact and a perfect environment for the exchange of lice. Let your teen know it’s okay to take selfies but it’s best to keep a little distance.

If you do get lice

Best-laid plans of prevention can be laid to waste by a bug who is literally designed to spread from human to human and back-to-school time is peak season for head lice. If your child does have head lice, Lice Clinics of America offers the safest, fastest, and most effective treatment technology available, the AirAllé® medical device. AirAllé is FDA-cleared and clinically shown to kill live lice and more than 99 percent of eggs (nits) in a single treatment using carefully applied heated air to dehydrate lice and eggs. This “one and done” treatment takes about an hour, doesn’t require any follow-ups and is guaranteed to be effective.

It’s common for families to struggle with head lice for weeks or months using traditional over the counter lice treatments or traditional combing. Lice Clinics of America guarantees that people leave their clinics lice-free and can provide tools to help them remain lice-free throughout the year.

Lice Clinics of America has over 330 treatment centers in 35 countries, making it the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America – Jonesboro is located at 3114 Fox Road, Suite D, Jonesboro, AR and is open seven days a week by appointment. Call 870-322-6056, email info@liceclinicsjonesboro.com, or visit www.liceclinicsjonesboro.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Why Schools Are Moving Away from “No-Nit” Policies

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When kids get lice, two of the most commonly asked questions parents ask at Lice Clinics of America® – Jonesboro are, 1) why wasn’t I notified that lice were found at my child’s school? And, 2) why aren’t kids with lice sent home from school until they are lice-free?

“The majority of schools have moved away from ‘no-nit’ policies that require students to stay out of school until they are lice and nit free,” says Jennifer Cavenaugh, Manager of Lice Clinics of America – Jonesboro. “The recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) have all stated that no-nit policies should be discontinued.”

The past decade has seen a significant shift in the medical and educational communities about how to deal with head lice. “Doctors, nurses, and teachers now recognize that head lice do not represent a serious health threat and a case of head lice does not warrant missing valuable school time,” Jennifer said. “Also, while some schools will notify the parents of children that are found with head lice, most schools don’t warn other families because of the panic and blame that often take place.”

The policy changes are designed to help keep children from missing class, shield children with lice from embarrassment, and protect their privacy. The CDC lists the following reasons for the change in policy:

  • Many nits are more than ¼ inch from the scalp. Such nits are usually not viable and very unlikely to hatch to become crawling lice, or may, in fact, be empty shells, also known as ‘casings.’
  • Nits are cemented to hair shafts and are very unlikely to be transferred successfully to other people.
  • The burden of unnecessary absenteeism to the students, families, and communities far outweighs the risks associated with head lice.
  • Misdiagnosis of nits is very common during nit checks conducted by nonmedical personnel.

According to the AAP, “Most cases of head lice are acquired outside of school.” That’s why “the AAP continues to recommend that a healthy child should not be restricted from attending school because of head lice or nits (eggs). Pediatricians are encouraged to educate schools and communities that no-nit policies are unjust and should be abandoned. Children can finish the school day, be treated, and return to school.”

The reality for most school districts is that the effort involved in keeping schools entirely lice-free would be a futile use of their limited resources. The CDC estimates that there are 6-12 million cases of head lice in children between the ages of 3-11. This means that at least 1 in 5 students have lice at any given time. In the early stages of a case of head lice, many children display no symptoms as nits, and adolescent lice, don’t bite and don’t cause the itching sensation that indicates the presence of head lice.

Keeping a school lice-free would require constant checks of the entire student body, which is unrealistic and unnecessary for a condition that is not considered a health problem. That’s the conclusion that the CDC, AAP, and NASN have come to, and many school districts are following these recommendations.

“No-nit policies were developed because traditional lice treatments can take several weeks to be effective,” Jennifer said. “The first treatment is designed to kill live lice but doesn’t kill eggs, or nits. Since nits can hatch over ensuing weeks, combing and nit-picking are required with traditional treatment.”

“The good news for families in North East Arkansas is that there are new lice treatments available that can kill live lice and nits in a single session,” Jennifer said. “Lice Clinics of America offers head lice treatment using a first-of-its-kind, AirAllé® medical device, which has been cleared by the FDA, clinically proven to kill live lice in more than 99 percent of nits in a single treatment, and takes about an hour.”

The AirAllé device uses carefully controlled warm air to dehydrate lice and eggs, and in the company’s network of 300+ clinics around the world, nearly 400,000 cases of head lice have been successfully treated.

“With the AirAllé device, your lice nightmare is over in about an hour, guaranteed,” Jennifer said. “Regardless of your school’s head lice policy, kids can go right back to school the same day.”

Lice Clinics of America has over 330 treatment centers in 35 countries, making it the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America – Jonesboro is located at 3114 Fox Road, Suite D and is open seven days a week by appointment. Call 870-497-2980, email info@liceclinicsjonesboro.com, or visit www.liceclinicsjonesboro.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.

Modern Lice Treatment and the AirAllé

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With more than 600,000 successful treatments and having its technology and treatment methods featured on prominent television shows such as “The Doctors,” Lice Clinics of America is without a doubt leading the way in today’s modern approach to lice treatment. Rather than try a variety of old-fashioned treatment methods that only lead to frustration and failure, let Lice Clinics of America do it right the first time. With a variety of treatment methods that can be customized to fit a patient’s needs and budget, removing lice is now easier than ever.

 

Revolutionary Technology

At Lice Clinics of America, we take advantage of the latest technology available today by using our revolutionary AirAllé device. An FDA-cleared medical device that is safe and effective, AirAllé is able to kill head lice and eggs in only a single treatment, all without the use of pesticides.

 

“I got into the lice business when a couple of close friends of mine were treating lice on their own kids. I saw how stressful it was, how painstakingly long the process was when using traditional over the counter treatments. These moms were doing everything they had been told to do, but it wasn’t working therefore there were reoccurrences and my sweet friends almost had nervous breakdowns.,” said Brandi, owner of Lice Clinics of America – Jonesboro.

 

Treatment Options

While in years past there were only limited options for lice treatment, modern medicine and technology have changed all that, and Lice Clinics of America has been at the forefront of making sure children and their families are lice-free. Because of our dedication to this area of medicine, we are known around the world as the leading authority on killing lice and their eggs. To help our patients even more, we offer a variety of treatment options. One of our most popular is booking an appointment at one of our conveniently-located clinics, where our patients receive an easy and effective treatment using our signature AirAllé device. However, for others who prefer to conduct their treatment at home, we offer in-home treatment kits which can be purchased.

 

Brandi said, “No matter your budget or your infestation level, one of our certified technicians can help you determine your best treatment options to fit your needs”

 

Years of Proven Science

While the Lice Clinics of America brand has been around since 2014, the science behind what we use today was years in the making. Thanks to Dr. Dale Clayton, who made his revolutionary discoveries while a professor at the University of Utah, he was able to form Larada Sciences in 2006, which enabled this state-of-the-art technology to go to market. As they say, the rest is history.

 

Since the most frequently used over-the-counter lice treatments have been shown to be effective less than 50% of the time, it makes no sense to waste your time and money on these products. Instead, contact us here at Lice Clinics of America, where you can be assured of getting the effective and efficient lice treatment you and your family deserve.

 

“I was so amazed when I started researching lice treatments and came across the AirAllé. The fact that the AirAllé kills the bugs and the nits is what won me over with this technology. No other treatment is easier, time saving or cost affective on killing the nits.”

 

Let us take care of the lice in your life. Lice Clinics of America has over 330 treatment centers in 35 countries, making it the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. Lice Clinics of America – Jonesboro is located at 3114 Fox Road, Suite D and is open seven days a week by appointment. Call 870-497-2980, email info@liceclinicsjonesboro.com, or visit www.liceclinicsjonesboro.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.