It's that time of year - the hunt is on for the perfect Halloween costume, but be careful when trying on masks, hats, wigs, etc. or you may be in for a huge trick instead of a treat. A report from Channel 11 News out of Toledo, OH warns that lice could possibly be lurking in Halloween costumes.
Now maybe it's a baseless fear, but I have it - so much so, if I hear the word "lice" in my community, I break out the preventative shampoo for my seven-year-old son. I've never had a lice experience - ever - and don't want to have one based on the horror stories I've heard from people who have had to deal with such an outbreak.
The head louse, a parasitic insect found on the head, eyebrows, and eyelashes of people, feeds on human blood. Sounds worse than the creepiest of clowns, right? These nasty horrors are found worldwide, but here in the U.S., most infestations begin at the pre-school or elementary school level. According to the CDC, 6 to 12 million infestations occur yearly, targeting children in the age range of 3-11.
So, how are they spread? Lice do not hop, jump, or fly. They crawl and are spread by direct contact with an infected person. That means, quite simply, that if a kid with lice tries on a Halloween mask or hat, possible transfer of this critter occurs to the next person.
So what should you do if you have pediculophobia like me and are terrified of the thought of a lice outbreak? Wearing a swim cap could serve as a barrier when trying on hats and wigs. It might also be good to put purchased items in a sealed plastic bag for 48 hours to kill any lice. For costumes, it may be a good idea to put them in a dryer for 45 minutes on high heat to get rid of potential critters.
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