“We want moms to know we’re here for them on Mother’s Day and all year,” said Heather Purtle, owner of Lice Clinics of America – Greenville. “We know how much stress and pressure moms face under normal circumstances, and when head lice enter the picture, it can feel like fuel to the ‘fire.’”

Indeed, many Lice Clinics of America treatment centers were launched by moms after dealing with head lice in their own families. It’s no wonder the clinics are champions of moms everywhere. “Experiencing head lice can be an exercise in futility for moms because there’s so much misinformation and confusion about how to treat infestations, what works, and what doesn’t work,” Purtle said. “Most of us have experienced it in our own lives and we see it every day in our clinic.”

“We want to educate and support moms with the facts about head lice,” Purtle said. “The two most important facts moms need to know is that head lice have nothing to do with hygiene, and that most head lice are now immune to the pesticides used in the most popular lice products.”

“The stigma that head lice are caused by dirty homes or hair keeps people from seeking treatment which then results in worsening and persistent infestations,” Purtle said. “And when moms try to treat head lice on their own, they often fail with products that no longer work and grow even more stressed and frustrated.”

Purtle first and foremost message to moms whose children have head lice is this: You didn’t do anything wrong. “Most moms are embarrassed that their children have head lice, and that feeling can prevent them from seeking treatment, which just makes things worse,” Purtle said. “We tell them the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said that ‘personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice.’”

The second fact about lice treatment is that most popular head lice products rely on pesticides, but most lice are now immune to those pesticides. A study published in the Journal of Medical Entomology in 2016 found that 98 percent of head lice in the United States and other countries have developed a genetic resistance to pyrethroids, the class of pesticides used by popular lice products. Pyrethroids have also been linked to developmental and behavioral problems in children.

The Greenville clinic is the area’s exclusive provider of lice treatment using the revolutionary AirAllé® medical device. It’s an FDA-cleared, Class I medical device clinically proven to kill live lice and more than 99 percent of eggs (nits) using microprocessor-controlled heated air to dehydrate the bugs and eggs. Most treatments take about an hour and are guaranteed to be effective.

“Our most important message to moms is that a pesticide-free cure is just an hour away,” Purtle said. “The joy and relief moms express when they leave our clinic lice-free makes every day feel like Mother’s Day.”

The Greenville clinic also offers pesticide-free, guaranteed home lice treatment and prevention products.

With 330 clinics in 35 countries, Lice Clinics of America is the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. The AirAllé medical device has treated more than 950,000 cases of head lice around the world with a success rate better than 99 percent.

To learn more or to schedule an appointment, visit https://liceclinicsupstatesc.com, email info@liceclinicsupstatesc.com, or call (864) 484-7087.

Every year on Earth Day the world focuses on environmental protection. Lice Clinics of America – Greenville reminds the Greenville community that all of its products and services are 100 percent pesticide-free. The clinic’s signature treatment using the FDA-cleared AirAllé^® medical device is clinically proven to kill live lice and more than 99 percent of eggs (nits) using nothing more than heated air to dehydrate the bugs and eggs. Treatments take about an hour and are guaranteed to be effective.

“Many people don’t realize that traditional lice products rely on pesticides to kill head lice,” said Heather Purtle, owner of Lice Clinics of America – Greenville. “This means that parents are shampooing their children’s hair with toxic chemicals.”

Pyrethroids, the class of pesticides used in popular over-the-counter head lice products, are neurotoxins that kill lice by paralyzing the bugs’ central nervous system. Pyrethroids are also common in home and garden pesticide products such as bug sprays and fogs. A study by Cincinnati Children’s Hospital found an association between pyrethroid exposure and ADHD, particularly in terms of hyperactivity and impulsivity. A separate study presented at the 2017 Endocrine Society national meeting linked pyrethroids to early puberty in boys.

“The most frustrating part of this is that the products are no longer effective,” Purtle said. “They have been overused for so long that head lice are now resistant to them.”

Purtle is referring to the advent of so-called “super lice” that have developed a genetic resistance to pyrethroids. Research published in the Journal of Medical Entomology found that 98 percent of head lice in the United States and many other countries are now immune to pyrethroids. The AirAllé treatment is effective against super lice because it doesn’t rely on pesticides at all.

“Time after time, we see parents after they have tried these products several times,” Purtle said. “We want the community to know that there is no reason to use harmful and less pesticides on their children when there are faster, safer, more effective alternatives available.”

Scientists have also found high levels of pyrethroids in U.S. watersheds. The U.S. Geological Survey said that it has “detected pyrethroid insecticides in stream waters in urban and agricultural areas,” a report said. “Highly toxic to fish and invertebrates, the occurrence of pyrethroids in aquatic environments has become an ecological health concern.”

“Our message is this: Do yourself and the planet a favor and don’t use pesticides to treat head lice,” Purtle said. “Come to our clinic and you will be lice-free in an hour with no risk to your health or to the environment.”

Lice Clinics of America – Greenville also offers a complete line of non-toxic home lice treatment products, including preventive sprays, shampoos, and conditioners that can keep children from getting head lice in the first place. The products are pesticide-free and also guaranteed to be effective when used as directed.

With 330 clinics in 35 countries, Lice Clinics of America is the world’s largest network of professional lice treatment centers. AirAllé has treated more than 950,000 cases of head lice around the world with a success rate better than 99 percent.

To learn more or to schedule an appointment, visit https://liceclinicsupstatesc.com, email info@liceclinicsupstatesc.com, or call (864) 484-7087.