Does your child complain of an itchy scalp? If so, he or she may just have lice.

It’s true. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, an estimated 6 million to 12 million infestations occur each year in the United States among children 3 to 11 years old. And, because it isn’t mandated for all schools to report outbreaks, that isn’t even the full picture.

Furthermore, as “dirty” as these pesky critters may seem, they don’t just reside in places of filth. In fact, it isn’t even dirt that attracts them; it’s silky hairs they can cling on to and a head full of nice, juicy blood vessels, making your freshly shampooed child a prime target.

So, now that we’ve got your attention, we thought it might be time to bring you some ways on how to prevent these critters from setting up camp on yet another unassuming person’s scalp, brought to you by Great Clips.

1. Do regular scalp checks

While many schools will do regular lice checks, there are many that don’t. This is where you need to be the vigilant inspector.

If you notice that your child is scratching their head often, this is a good indicator to check. And while at this point you may not be preventing your child from getting lice, checking will prevent more eggs from hatching, as well as halting the spreading.

And, if there is a good thing about head lice it’s that they’re pretty easy to spot. Part the hair in different areas either with a comb or your hand, and if present, you will see little tiny bugs scurrying busily along the scalp. You may even see little red sores that come from your child scratching.

2. Style the hair accordingly

If you do hear of an outbreak in your area or school, there really isn’t a need to keep your children home, since lice don’t carry diseases. However, since nobody wants to bring lice home, you can always make your child’s hair less appealing to the bugs by styling it accordingly.

Experts, like Ladybugs Hair Care co-founder Rachel Knutson, suggest putting little girls' hair in a ponytail or braid can prevent the spread of lice. When long hair spreads out, it allows for a closer head-to-head contact, and gives more hair for the lice to cling to. Additionally, adding hairspray will cause the hairs to stick together, keeping stray hairs in place.

For boys with shorter hair, you could always try buzz cut, or go extra thick on the styling gel that day.

3. Keep things clean

While it is true that lice don’t discriminate and are present in any type of home — clean or dirty — cleanliness is always a good practice to stop the spread, especially if someone in your home has already been affected.

Take time to not only make sure the people in your home take regular baths and showers, but clean your clothes, carpets, combs and brushes as well. It’s just good practice.

4. Use preventative products

Whether you experience louse in your home or are in the preventative mode, there are several products on the market directed specifically toward them. Unfortunately, some of the products on the market today not only contain harmful pesticides that are not good for your health, but as it seems, some types of louse are actually immune as well.

Fortunately, the creators of Ladybugs Hair Care came up with a line of products including shampoo, conditioner and mint spray that are all natural, effective, pesticide-free that actually kill the lice.

So, if you find yourself faced with these tiny bugs, or even the prospect of them, Ladybugs Hair Care has many products you can choose from that will make your experience with lice a little less unpleasant.

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