Even though Halloween may look different this year due to COVID, many families are still celebrating with close friends and family. What you may be wondering is if the same risks for Halloween costumes and head lice still exist.
For the record, it’s extremely unlikely that your child will catch lice from a secondhand costume. Lice die within a day or two if they don’t have a host, which means costumes packed away from last year won’t have any live lice on them, even if they were infected. But it’s still worth knowing about the risks of head lice and their potential to spread during Halloween.
Head Lice and Halloween Costumes
During Halloween, it’s common to try on clothes, costumes, masks and hats. The reason why this can spread lice is because people are trying these items on one right after another. If one person with lice tries on a wig and then another person tries it on, they can contract lice.
However, it needs to be the perfect combination of things for this to happen. A person must have lice, and several lice or a single louse carrying eggs must leave their host and wait for a new one. So, while it is possible to catch lice from trying on Halloween costumes, it’s not likely.
When shopping for Halloween costumes, we recommend not trying on anything at the store. If you must, wear a shower cap. If you purchase something that others may have worn, toss the item in the dryer or leave it in a sealed plastic bag for 48 hours. This ensures that any lice that are on the costume will die.
Head Lice and Halloween Parties
The majority of Halloween festivities are cancelled due to COVID, so you’ll probably have an easier time keeping your child away from lice. Nevertheless, it’s smart to review these tips with your child:
- Avoid head-to-head contact
- Don’t share items like hats, wigs, face paint, hair accessories, etc.
- Pin your child’s hair up and use a lice repellent mist spray
- Have children stand apart when taking photos
Lice Before the Holidays? Treat Them with My Hair Helpers
If your child does end up with head lice, either from Halloween or something else, rest assured that lice are easier to treat than ever before. While it’s true that lice are often resistant to drugstore treatments, there are other products that deliver safe, effective treatment right in your home.
My Hair Helpers has a full line of head lice removal products that will eliminate lice and prevent your child from getting them again. If you’re worried about your child picking up lice during Halloween, you can be proactive by using our lice repellent spray and combing through your child’s hair using our lice eliminator comb. With our 100% Lice Guarantee, you can expect the head lice to be gone by the holidays!
Visit our Amazon store or shop for our head lice products directly on our website. If you live locally, schedule an appointment at our salon for top-notch head lice treatment for the whole family!
