JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A new study found that Florida is one of 25 states with what health experts are calling a "super" lice that's harder to kill than regular lice.
The new strain is more resistant to insecticides, but Mandy Ottesen, the founder of Fresh Head Lice Removal, explained a form of treatment that can do the job.
"Head lice have mutated," Ottesen said. "The traditional pesticides, treatment that you get over the counter, are just not effective anymore."
The only treatment that can kill 'super' lice is a new FDA approved machine that uses warm, dry air to kill the bugs. Teresa Somaru, the lead lice technician at Fresh Head, said it's called the AirAlle treatment.
"It's one and done," Somaru said. "You don't have to do anything else at home. We do all the work here."
The second step is the comb-through.
"You keep the comb on the scalp because that's where everything is," Somaru said. "You just want to go all the way around the head."
The last step involves an oil, which is a lice neutralizer treatment that kills any remaining bugs.
Research shows lice affects nearly six million to 12 million children in the United States every year. While Fresh Head sees 600 to 700 patients every month, Ottesen said the numbers get even higher during the warmer months and patients should be aware.