Nit Wits – Lice Clinics of America® – Louisville

 Shares Safe Selfie Tips for National Selfie Day

National Selfie Day is June 21, and Nit Wits -Lice Clinics of America – Louisville wants families to know that while selfies can be fun, they have also been linked to an increase in cases of head lice.

“A pediatrician recently coined the term ‘social media lice’ because she was seeing so many teenagers with head lice, and she linked the cases to taking selfies,” said Amy Sharp owner of Nit Wits – Lice Clinics of America – Louisville.

The Louisville clinic is seeing more cases of head lice among teenagers, a significant change in clients. Historically, lice outbreaks typically slow as children get older, as teens don’t do as much sharing of clothing or sleep close together as younger children do. The selfie phenomenon is changing this.

“The problem comes when kids taking photos of themselves crowd their heads together in order to fit in the picture,” Amy Sharp said. “Head-to-head contact is the primary way head lice spread, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).”

When heads touch it’s a lot easier for lice to crawl from one head to another.

“Lice don’t fly or jump, so the only way that they can spread is by physical contact with another human’s hair or head,” Amy Sharp said. “Kids also get head lice from sitting close together in a car, hugging, or when they share hair utensils and accessories.”

“When taking selfies, be careful not to let heads and hair touch,” Amy Sharp said. “We know kids want to be 

spontaneous, but no one wants to get head lice.”

In addition to avoiding head-to-head contact, wash and sterilize combs and brushes that may have been shared. Any clothing that is suspected of carrying lice should be placed in a dryer on high heat for at least 20 minutes.

Nit Wits -Lice Clinics of America – Louisville is the area’s exclusive provider of lice treatment using the AirAllé® medical device. AirAllé is FDA-cleared and clinically proven to kill live lice and 99.2 percent of eggs through dehydration. Treatment takes about an hour and is guaranteed to be effective.

The Louisville clinic also offers a line of preventive products in the form of sprays and shampoos that service as a kind of lice repellent. The products are non-toxic and approved for daily use.

“We don’t want anyone to get head lice from selfies or anything else,” Amy Sharp said. “But if you do, come to our clinic and you will be lice-free in an hour, and we can help you stay that way, too.”

Nit Wits -Lice Clinics of America – Louisville is one of 330 clinics in the Lice Clinics of America network in 33 countries. AirAllé has treated more than 1 million cases of head lice worldwide with a success rate better than 99 percent.

Nit Wits – Lice Clinics of America – Louisville is located at 9302 New Lagrange Road and is open seven days a week by appointment. Call 502-365-9505 or email info@nitwitslice.com for more information or to schedule an appointment.