Head lice salons are businesses that specialize in removing lice and nits from a client’s head. Using specially-designed, fine-tooth combs, employees of these salons manually remove lice and eggs attached to the hair shaft. In some head lice salons, a hot air device is used during a 30-minute process that may help kill lice. Other businesses advertise the use of natural oils to prevent lice when the risk of infestation is high. Prices for the various services usually depend on the length of hair being treated.
A common method of lice and nit removal in head lice salons involves applying a hair conditioner to tresses to make them slippery. The hair is then divided into small sections for combing. The special lice comb is wiped frequently and checked for nits or parasites, and this process is commonly repeated several times over the entire head.
It is important to note that lice do not spread diseases or pose any risk to a person's health. They are tiny reddish-brown parasites that can only move by crawling, and they attach themselves to human hair shafts using claws at the ends of their legs. Lice feed on blood at the scalp several times a day, and they lay eggs, which look like dandruff, that attach to the hair and do not fall off.
There are common misconceptions about lice infestations, which are called pediculosis, and head lice salons typically educate clients about the parasite. For example, lice do not prefer dirty hair and are not a sign of an unclean body or home. Additionally, they live worldwide and do not always cause itching. Infestations occur more often in warmer months, and lice cannot spread to animals.
Some customers who seek head lice salons are parents of pre-school and elementary school children. Lice commonly spread among children who play together in close contact. If hair-to-hair or head-to-head contact occurs, lice may crawl from one person’s head onto another’s. More girls than boys patronize head lice salons because they commonly wear their hair longer, which increases the likelihood of lice grabbing onto a hair strand.
Simple hair washing will not kill head lice or nits. They do die off with water at very high temperatures, but the level of heat required cannot be endured by humans. Parents often try over-the-counter chemical treatments to get rid of head lice before taking their children to a head lice salon. Several home remedies, such as vinegar, may loosen nits and lice to make their removal easier.