Another wave of so-called super lice has hit 25 states in the US, health authorities warn. Here’s how to make sure your stuffed animals are lice-free.
Lice don’t tend to have a very long life cycle when they are living on clothes, stuffed animals, furniture and etc. Still, it may be long enough for them to jump across from one person to a toy then onto another person. So taking good care of the house is very important.
It is especially important now as this super lice can’t be treated with most over-the-counter treatments, scientists report. Pyrethroids used to work 100 percent of the time back in 2000, but by 2013, it only worked in 25 percent of cases. The Lice Clinics of America are using a new treatment called AirAllé, King 5 reports.
“We use heated air and we dehydrate the lice and the eggs in a single treatment,” Claire Roberts, CEO, Lice Clinics of America said. “It takes about an hour, and we guarantee it.”
It’s FDA approved, costs about $170 and may be covered by insurance. Prescription medication or nit-picking and combing can still get rid of these nasty creatures, but both options take time and multiple treatments. However the best treatment is prevention. Lice experts say parents should teach their kids a few basics.
“Don’t share hats, don’t share hairbrushes,” Roberts said. “Try to avoid the actual contact with hair or another head. That’s how the lice are transferred.” If your child does get lice, experts say you don’t have to go crazy sanitizing your house. Just vacuum, especially anywhere hair might have fallen. Wash bedding in hot water and throw stuffed animals and clothing in a hot dryer for 20 to 30 minutes. Lice can’t live without a blood supply after 24 hours.
If you still find the little critters in stuffed animals, there are other ways to remove them (the lice, not the stuffies). Simply check out our special guides.
