Heads Up Philadelphia: College Students in Area at Risk for Head Lice Infestation

Philadelphia, PA, September 30, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Philadelphia is a city of higher learning; there are 20 colleges and universities in the area. Students living in the dorms there are at risk of contracting head lice and LiceDoctors Lice Treatment and Nit Removal Service has been called in to treat students. It is close proximity to other people that facilitates the spread of head lice.

According to Karen Sokoloff, owner of LiceDoctors Head Lice Treatment and Nit Removal Service, that makes house calls in the Philadelphia area, reports "We are called into dorms to treat students. In one instance, a mom called us to treat her daughter and her room mate. When we arrived at the college, we checked other kids on the floor in the dorm and discovered that several others had lice as well. Not everyone with lice has symptoms of itching so most did not realize that they had picked up the case." Lice are very contagious and while it is impossible to prevent head lice spreading within dorms, LiceDoctors offers some precautions that students can take:

1. Students should check each other for nits (eggs) or live bugs on a semi-regular basis. Many unwittingly bring lice with them from home especially if they have younger siblings. The most effective way to do this is to place the person near a bright window or under a bright light and search for translucent eggs that stick to the hair shaft. The nits are the size of sesame seed and are round on one side and have a point on the other side.

2. While the majority of lice cases are spread through direct head to head contact, lice can live off the head for a day. Therefore, it is best not to share brushes or hats with fellow room mates. Be careful if you are hanging out on a room mates bed.

3. If you play sports at college, do not share helmets or caps.

4. Students with long hair should put gel, mousse, spray or a lice repellent on their hair as a protective coating against lice. Lice like clean hair as it is easier for them to adhere to the hair more easily. In addition, LiceDoctors recommends that students with long hair wear it up in a bun or braid to make it harder for lice to find the hair.

These precautions will help in preventing the spread of lice, however, they do not guarantee that your child will remain lice-free. If despite taking care, your child presents with a case of head lice, LiceDoctors will treat her in her dorm or in off-campus housing at her convenience.

LiceDoctors treatment protocol was developed by the company's on staff medical doctor, Dr. Stephen Beck, nearly 20 years ago. Dr. Beck's all-natural treatment has been used to treat over 115,000 clients safely and successfully. LiceDoctors is a national company and it has a comprehensive training program for technicians who methodically comb and and then hand pick nits from the hair. The National Pediculosis Association in Cambridge, Massachusetts recommends combing and manual extraction as the safest, most effective way to eliminate lice.

LiceDoctors has an "A" rating with the Better Business Bureau and can be contacted in Philadelphia and surrounding areas at 215-344-1413 or at www.licedoctors.com. In Pennsylvania, LiceDoctors also provides in-home lice treatment to families in the Pittsburgh area and can be reached at 41-328-2201. LiceDoctors is available day or night every day of the week and weekends. The company accepts Flexible Spending Accounts.