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Bug-Out sends lice packing

ead lice can happen to anyone, but a Nanaimo company has the expertise and tools to send the little critters packing.

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Head lice can happen to anyone, but a Nanaimo company has the expertise and tools to send the little critters packing.

Sandra Friess, owner of Bug-Out Lice, has operated the only mobile lice removal service in Nanaimo for the past year.

She removes the lice using a combing method she developed herself that allows for a more natural and organic way to get rid of head lice.

Sandra also offers free lice checks by appointment at her office in the Departure Bay area and sells do-it-yourself lice removal tool kits online at www.bugoutlice.com.

Anyone with hair can get head lice and personal hygiene is not related to the likelihood of developing an infestation – in fact, lice prefer clean hair.

“Lice aren’t going anywhere,” she says. “They’ve been around since humans have been around. They can be the darnedest to get rid of. My focus is on educating people about lice, breaking the lice life cycle.”

It can take four to six weeks to detect an infestation, as bites are generally painless. Sandra hopes parents will make combing their children’s heads for lice a once-a-week activity, as early detection lessens the spread of the bugs.

Sandra, who worked as a hairdresser for the past 30 years, got involved with the issue years ago when she became a lice check volunteer at her children’s school.

She grew frustrated with the tools she was working with at the time, and began researching different products and treatment methodologies.

She experimented with different samples until she found the right combs and then worked with an organic chemist in Victoria on a shampoo, conditioner and combing spray to create a painless lice removal process.

The products contain neem oil, a natural “soft pesticide” proven to be non-toxic and biodegradable that comes from a tropical evergreen tree native to the Indian sub-continent.

The lice removal method Sandra developed – combing the hair four times over two weeks – doesn’t require people to use chemicals to rid themselves of head lice.

“For some families, I’ve been their last resort – they’ve tried the chemical treatments over and over and they just couldn’t break the cycle,” she says.

For information, please go to www.bugoutlice.com or call 250-585-5423.