Attention All Schools
Vosene Kids is proud to sponsor the NSPCC Number Day for the second year running. To help keep your school full of happy heads, we’ve put together this page of useful information, head lice hints and tips with two downloadable A4 posters; a head lice myths poster and a nit awareness poster.
The first thing you can do for head lice prevention is to discuss the subject openly. Head lice are nothing to be ashamed of! They can affect anyone, regardless of background or hygiene.
Head lice are parasites inhabiting head hair, and feeding on human blood which they suck from the scalp. Head lice have 6 legs and are about 3mm long. They thrive at temperatures of 28 to 29 degrees C, so they like to stay close to the scalp, and often cannot be seen at a glance.
Head lice infestation has nothing to do with lack of hygiene, and anyone with hair on their head can get them.
Lice cannot fly or jump. They are normally transferred during direct contact from head to head which is why they are frequently spread in schools and nurseries, where children work or play with their heads close together.
The female head louse can lay up to 10 eggs (called nits) a day, and they glue them to the hair shaft close to the roots. The nits are less than 1mm in length, and almost opaque. The larvae come out after around 8 days and a new generation is born every three weeks.
The most obvious sign of head lice is a very itchy scalp, caused by an allergy to the lice but only in 30% of cases. If you suspect head lice infestation, you should look closely, and inspect the hair roots close to the scalp. A fine-toothed nit comb can be very helpful if you want to clarify whether there are lice or not.
The comb helps you discover nits which often might be mistaken for dandruff: whitish, shimmering nits are empty shrouds from which lice have already come out, while brownish-grey nits are in their development phase.
For those not infested with head lice, start using a preventative product on the family immediately, such as Vosene Kids. The 3 in 1 Conditioning shampoo and the Advanced Conditioning Defence Spray both contain natural tea tree and lemon eucalyptus oil to help repel head lice. Vosene Kids products are mild enough for everyday use and suitable for all the family, even when you’re not in direct risk of head lice infestation.
Head lice are not able to survive off the scalp for long so whilst it’s possible to catch them from clothing such as hats and bedding, it’s extremely unlikely. You may however still wash all bedding and clothes at 60°C.
If there is a head lice breakout in a school class, follow this advice:
Preventing head lice can be very difficult. You could take all the necessary precautions and your family might still end up with head lice. Our 3 top tips to prevent head lice are:
Avoid contact: The most common way of getting head lice is through head to head contact. Lice can’t live long when off the scalp so don’t share clothing like hats, jackets and scarves. If you avoid sharing clothing this will reduce your risk of catching head lice.
Prevention is better than a cure: start using a preventative product on the family, such as Vosene Kids. The 3 in 1 Conditioning shampoo and the Advanced Conditioning Defence Spray both contain natural tea tree and lemon eucalyptus oil to help repel head lice.
Regular combing works wonders for the condition of your children’s hair. Comb the hair first with a wide-toothed comb, then with a finer toothed comb, and finish off with a brush. Use lukewarm rather than hot water for hair washing, which will prevent the hair shaft swelling up and make the hair easier to comb. It’s also better for hair if you leave it to dry naturally, rather than blow drying.
It’s not usually necessary to wash kids’ hair every day as they have fewer sebaceous glands, and it takes much longer before hair gets greasy. It may be enough to wash it just once a week, although if you use a gentle shampoo like Vosene Kids, daily hair washing is not a problem and will not damage the scalp or hair shaft
You should be very careful when combing out longer wet hair as it can break easily. Tangles are hard to comb out, which can stress you as well as your child! Using a separate conditioner can take too long, so why not try Vosene Kids Extra Shine Detangler Spray or Vosene Kids Advanced Conditioning Defence Spray? It makes even the finest, frizziest long hair easy to comb, without having to rinse and, thanks to the mild, natural formula, with tea tree and lemon eucalyptus oil, it’s suitable for everyday use
To care for long hair, never use hair bands with metal parts as they can roughen and break hair. Try to avoid brushes and combs made of plastic, or with broken teeth. Cheap plastic combs are often poorly manufactured, with sharp seams that might damage the hair shaft. Brushes with natural bristles and wooden combs are much better.
Children’s hair is not as fully developed as grown-ups’ and their scalps are highly sensitive to things like UV radiation and cosmetic products. You should protect your child by ensuring they wear a hat when they’re out in the sun and choosing hair care products with mild formulas, which are kind to skin and specially formulated for children, such as Vosene Kids.
Regular combing works wonders for the condition of your children’s hair. Comb the hair first with a wide-toothed comb, then with a finer toothed comb, and finish off with a brush. Use lukewarm rather than hot water for hair washing, which will prevent the hair shaft swelling up and make the hair easier to comb. It’s also better for hair if you leave it to dry naturally, rather than blow drying.
