In the News
head lice make headlines
Houston Chronicle – “A head-scratcher: Lice treatment turns into Houston business” – October 15, 2018
This section includes news articles that have been published about Lice Clinics of America locally and nationally.
Lice Clinics of America Reports Lice Activity Increased 95 Percent in Houston
Though not life-threatening, lice are highly contagious and have built a resistance to over-the-counter remedies
HOUSTON, TX, March 29, 2019 – Lice Clinics of America reported that their Houston clinics saw an increase of 95 percent in lice activity collectively this spring. This data was gathered and compared from the organization’s bookings and treatments in March 2018 and March 2019.
“Lice Clinics of America has a unique opportunity to gather its data to help identify trends. We believe we can attribute the increase in lice infestation bookings and treatments in our clinics to three things,” said Lice Clinics of America CEO Claire Roberts. “First, it’s a fact that many over-the-counter products are no longer effective in treating the “super lice” of today, so people are seeking professional help. Second, there is a true lack of understanding by the public on the life cycle of lice and how they spread. And third, people are becoming increasingly aware of the more effective, technologically-advanced treatment methods offered by Lice Clinics of America.”
Lice are highly contagious. According to the CDC, “Head-to-head contact with an already infected person is the most common way to get head lice. Head-to-head contact is common during play at school, at home and elsewhere, such as sports activities, the playground, slumber parties, and camps.”
Dr. Krista Lauer, medical director of Lice Clinics of America, reports, “If you have school-age children in a region where lice infestations have been reported, it’s important to take some immediate steps to either prevent your children from being infested or properly treat and kill the lice before they spread to others in your family and social group.”
Dr. Lauer says, “First, don’t panic, and second, don’t be embarrassed. Those pesky lice have nothing to do with personal hygiene.” She recommends the following to make sure lice aren’t living in your child’s hair:
- Inspect your child’s head at home, especially if your child has an itchy scalp. Look for eggs, nymphs and adult lice. One adult louse can lay about 100 eggs during her life span. That’s a lot of new lice.
- Call the parents of your child’s friends and have them check for head lice, remembering that earlier intervention can help to reduce the infestation level.
- If you see lice—or if you are unsure whether you have lice—visit a professional lice treatment center, such as Lice Clinics of America.
- Remember, traditional over-the-counter treatments contain pesticides that are no longer effective. Lice have evolved into “super lice” and have developed resistance to those pesticides. Find a treatment that is safe and effective. Lice Clinics of America has many from which to choose.
- Be safe this season by starting your child on a lice prevention regimen using trusted lice prevention products such as shampoos, conditioners, sprays and hair bands that will help to keep lice away from your child’s scalp.
With more than 330 clinics in 35 countries, Lice Clinics of America is the world’s number-one service brand for treating head lice. The company’s revolutionary heated-air treatment is guaranteed to kill lice, lice eggs and super lice in a single, one-hour treatment. Lice Clinics of America also offers professional lice screenings and a full line of top-rated lice prevention products.
For those who prefer to do treatments on their own, the same precision-controlled heated air technology is available in a hand-held device for consumer use. Lice Clinics of America’s OneCure™ Treatment Kit is available at Lice Clinics of America clinics and on Amazon.
For more information visit www.liceclinicsofamerica.com.
One Mom’s Lice Nightmare Becomes Business Dream that Helps Other Moms with New Lice Clinics of America Treatment Center in Kingwood
New clinic provides guaranteed, one-and-done lice treatments using FDA-cleared medical device
Kingwood, Texas
Jen Mortensen’s lice nightmare began when hosting relatives who brought head lice with them to her home in California. Little did she know it would lead to a new business opportunity. “I freaked out,” she admits. “My husband went to the drugstore and bought every lice-killing treatment available. I cleaned the house like a maniac and put everything made of fabric outside.”
The family thought they had solved their lice problem. But when the group traveled to Utah to visit more family members, things took a turn for the worse. “The lice weren’t gone after all,” Jen said, “so we repeated the whole process with the drugstore shampoos and the cleaning. Once again, it didn’t work, and we were all frustrated, exhausted, and getting angry.”
Finally, the families found Lice Clinics of America®. “We took 11 people to Lice Clinics of America,” Jen said. “They patiently checked all of us, and four of us had lice. They took care of the issue in less than an hour per person and restored our sanity and our peace of mind. We were overjoyed, and my husband said we could do this for other people.”
Lice Clinics of America is the exclusive provider of head lice treatment using the AirAllé®, an FDA-cleared medical device clinically shown to kill live lice and more than 99 percent of eggs (nits) using heated air to dehydrate lice and eggs. Most treatments take about an hour and are guaranteed to be effective.
Jen has since opened Lice Clinics of America – Kingwood, a serendipitous opportunity as the family had been considering moving to the area. The clinic provides screening, diagnosis and treatment options for people infested with head lice and is staffed by certified operators of the AirAllé medical device.
“I am determined to advocate for parents to prevent them from going through what we did,” Jen said.
Many parents, like Jen, try and fail to treat head lice with traditional head lice treatment products. Head lice have become immune to the chemical pesticides in the most popular products. A recent study in the Journal of Medical Entomology found that 98 percent of so-called ‘super lice’ in most U.S. states are resistant to the active ingredients. The pesticides used in traditional lice products have also been linked to developmental and behavioral problems in children.
A former teacher, Jen is aware that many schools and healthcare providers continue to recommend treatments that are no longer effective. “We always sent people to the drugstore,” Jen said. “I’m on a mission to make sure people don’t relive our lice nightmare.”
The AirAllé medical device is effective against ‘super lice’ because it doesn’t rely on pesticides. The device has treated more than 1 million cases of head lice worldwide with a success rate better than 99 percent.
Lice Clinics of America – Kingwood is located at 2330 Timber Shadows Dr., Suite 102. The clinic is open seven days a week by appointment. The AirAllé treatment comes with a 30-day guarantee when all family members are treated or screened for head lice.
With more than 350 clinics in 36 countries, Lice Clinics of America (www.LiceClinicsOfAmerica.com) is the largest network of professional head lice treatment centers in the world. Lice Clinics of America and AirAllé (www.airalle.com) are brands owned by Larada Sciences™, Inc., which is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.
NBC Charlotte
‘Super lice’ invade North Carolina