Let’s Talk About Lice
Learning that your child has lice or has been in contact with another child who has lice can feel overwhelming—but take a deep breath. While lice are definitely a nuisance, rest assured they’re not dangerous. Here’s what to keep in mind.
Head lice are very common, especially among children. They feed on tiny amounts of blood from the scalp; however, they are not known to spread disease. And despite the stigma, lice are not a sign of poor hygiene or cleanliness – they actually tend to prefer clean hair.
Lice have a life cycle that unfolds over a few weeks in three stages:
Eggs (nits): Hatch in about 6-10 days.
Nymphs: Young lice that grow into adults in about 5-8 days.
Adults: Live for a couple of weeks, during which females can lay up to 8 eggs per day.
Lice are most commonly acquired through head-to-head contact, sharing of hairbrushes, combs or accessories, or sharing head coverings like hats or scarves. They cannot jump or fly. While lice can appear year-round, they’re more common during certain times of the year—especially back-to-school season (late summer) and early in the winter months, when kids spend more time in close quarters.
Your family may be more susceptible if:
You have children attending daycare or elementary school.
Your kids participate in sports or activities where they’re more likely to share items worn on their head (e.g., hats, costumes, helmets, brushes).
Your children are attending sleepovers and are sharing blankets, pillows, towels, etc.
Once Someone in Your Home Has Contacted Lice
Seek Treatment Right Away. Options include over-the-counter remedies, physician-recommended treatments, or specialized Lice Treatment and Removal Centers for more stubborn cases.
Notify Other Parents. Let families whose children have recently been around yours know, so they can check early and help stop the spread.
Check the Whole Household. There’s a strong chance that other family members in your household may also have lice.
Wash or Replace Personal Items. Dispose of or wash items your child used while infected such as brushes, combs, hair accessories, hats, bedding, pillows, clothing, etc.
What You Can Do at Home to Help Prevent Lice
Avoid Sharing: Remind your child not to share brushes, combs, hair accessories, hats, or anything worn on the head with anyone outside of your home.
Use Caution While Shopping: Remind kids not to try on hats, wigs, or headpieces in stores, as lice can linger on these items. Be especially mindful during Halloween season when costumes and costume accessories are frequently handled and tried on.
Bring Your Own to Sleepovers: Encourage them to bring their own pillow and blanket. And do head checks before attending – encourage your host to do the same.
Style Hair Up: Lice have a harder time clinging to updos. Braids and ponytails are great options – add a spritz of hairspray or gel for extra protection (lice prefer clean hair over hair with “product” in it).
Wash Hair Every Other Day: It’s a common misconception that washing your hair daily will prevent lice. In fact, lice prefer clean hair. Instead of shampooing every day, aim for every other day (about 3–4 times per week). Your child can still bathe or shower daily—just skip the hair wash on some days.
Use Lice-Repelling Sprays: Look for rosemary or tea tree sprays at your local store. Or stop by POSH and pick up one of our kid-friendly, sweet-smelling Hair Shot sprays — the very same that we use at our parties. They’re vegan, gluten-free, safe for daily use, and popular with local schools and dance teams. Available at POSH in Cupcake, Cotton Candy, Watermelon and Strawberry scents.
What We Do at POSH
One Sanitized Brush Per Child: Each child gets their own brush, which is thoroughly cleaned and sanitized with Barbicide after every use – just like at hair salons and barber shops.
Lice-Deterring Hair Scents: Our scented Hair Shots don’t just smell amazing—they help deter lice, too! Made with minimal ingredients, they’re vegan, gluten-free, and safe for daily use. We finish every hairstyle with your choice of one of eight signature scents, and they’re also available in our retail store. Apply on wet or dry hair—clean or not—for fresh-smelling hair ALL. DAY. LONG. They won’t leave hair oily or dry it out, and you can even spritz them on hats, helmets, headbands, or caps.
Partner with the Parents: September through December, we kindly ask that parents check their child’s hair for lice prior to party drop-off (see the checklist below). This will help avoid an uncomfortable situation for both the child and parent. Even outside of parties, it’s a good habit to keep an eye on your child’s scalp—early detection makes treatment easier.
Trained Staff: Since many of our hairstyles involve parting the hair, we have a clear view of the scalp. If our team sees any indication of lice on a guest, we will not perform hair services and will immediately contact the child’s caregiver for pick-up.
NOTE for POSH Party Hosts: Let us know before your party if a guest has recently had lice, even if they’ve already been treated. Additionally, if you or one of your guests would prefer to bring your/their own brush, it must be clean.
What Am I Looking for When I’m Checking My Child’s Head?
Helpful Tip: Use a bright light and a fine-tooth comb for the best check.
Live Lice
Tiny bugs (about the size of a sesame seed)
Brown or grayish-white
Move quickly and avoid light
Nits (Lice Eggs)
NOTE: If the lice have been active for some time, they will attach their eggs, called nits, to the hair. In dark hair, these white eggs are easier to spot, but in blonde hair, they can be more difficult to see.
Small, oval, yellow/tan/white specks attached to hair shafts
Found close to the scalp
Looks like dandruff (and can be mistaken for it), but unlike dandruff, they don’t brush off easily
Common Spots
Behind the ears
Along the hairline
At the nape of the neck
We hope you find this information helpful. We know how stressful lice can be, and we take it just as seriously. Thank you for helping us keep POSH clean, safe, and fun for everyone! 💖
