Sea, Sands and Sneak-Attacks: How To Keep Lice Out of Your Beach Trip

There’s nothing like some time on the beach to get some respite from the hustle and bustle of school and work life, and get benefits of fresh air and sunlight in between. Problem is, in addition to beach balls, sandcastles and surfboards, you got another thing to look forward to on the beach—head lice!

Yep, head lice love beaches too.

And why not? You’ve got kids running around, huddling together to play in the sand, people taking selfies, people sharing sunhats and caps, and lice love it all. Beach activities give these critters plenty of chances to move among heads, especially kids’ heads.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 6 million new cases of lice infestations in the U.S. each year, and the majority of the suffering population consists of kids.

Here are a few things you need to know about head lice and the beach:

¥ Exposure to sunlight does not kill lice

You might believe that there’s no way lice can survive out in the open sun, and you couldn’t be more wrong. In fact, head lice thrive in hot and humid conditions.

¥ They don’t “drown” easily either

We’re talking several hours of staying latched on to your hair, alive and well. Lice have many talents, and surviving underwater for lengthy periods of time is unluckily one of those.

¥ You won’t be aware of an infestation for some time

Once you contract lice, it can take a couple or so weeks till the single louse turns into a full-blown infestation. It’s likely that you will not experience any symptoms of head lice till the infestation has grown.

All these reasons are why you need to stay alert during beach time. And the first step to tackling a lice infestation is making sure it does not occur in the first place.

Advise your kids against sharing any of their wearable belongings on the beach, and definitely avoid any direct head-to-head contact. Conduct lice checks both before and after going to the beach. Use a nit comb and divide hair into sections before checking and combing. If you are lucky, you might even catch and kill a few, but for a job well done, some professional intervention is necessary.

At Lice Busters USA, we offer safe and effective lice removal Orlando services throughout Orlando.

Visit us as one of our lice clinics, or call us at 800-403-5423, and we will help you avoid the frustration of lice epidemics to make the most of summer season and the fun activities it offers.