Stop Scratching Your Head!

Caroline Duell got the call all parents dread last week from her daughter’s daycare center. “They said Isabella has (head) lice, and I was immediately in denial… I thought to myself, 'We’re clean, normal people, and she’s only 4 years old! Why does she have lice?'”

Overwhelmed and in tears, Duell was given a flyer for “” on Mercer Island when she picked her daughter up that day.

“I called and spoke to Nancy Gordon, the owner, and she was so calm and helpful, she got us in right away and explained that having head lice has nothing to do with hygene.”

Tucked away in the Globe Building near , Lice Knowing You uses all-natural, organic products to remove lice and comb the product through children's hair to remove all the nits and eggs. A 30-day guarantee that the treatment will leave patients bug-free has kids from all across the Eastside visiting the clinic, says business-owner Nancy Gordon.

A former Anti Defamation League lawyer-turned stay-at-home mom, Gordon had just turned 40 in 2007 and was wondering what to do with the second half of her life.

“Because my kids had all had lice, my family and friends kept coming to me for advice on what to do when their kids had lice, and they knew that I wouldn’t use any chemicals on my autistic son,” she said.  “Since I became the resident expert on lice, I decided to start a mobile delousing business, driving to people’s homes and helping them. But we grew fast, and there were too many people farther away who needed help, so this salon location became more feasible.”

Gordon and her staff, who were trained at the Shepherd Institute for Lice Solutions, also spend time debunking myths about head lice and handing out lice education flyers at schools. Because they’re the only trained and certified lice experts in the state, LKY staff help people understand that lice are not transmitted from pets to people, nor do they transmit disease, like fleas. According to PubMed Health, a federally-funded online medical resource, Lice are common in close to 1 in 10 children before the age of 11. Gordon said only 60 percent of people who have head lice itch their scalp as a reaction to the saliva of the louse. Others detect no signs or symptoms until they find a bug crawling on their forehead.

There are a reported 6 to 12 million infestations of head lice each year among children in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control, which is one reason why Gordon’s business is so busy — she's opened three other LKY salons in Federal Way, Mill Creek and Portland, Ore.

Back at the Mercer Island Clinic, Duell said she was surprised that the LKY facility looks more like a high-end hair salon with two large treatment rooms, a playroom and an inviting lobby that has a selection of candy for kids and free doughnuts and coffee for adults. She was also gratified to note that LKY checks other family members for free, and have all clients come back a week later for a final check to make sure they’re lice free.

“Regular lice removal products you find at the store and the ones you can get by prescription are all pesticide-based,” said Gordon. “They’re worse than spraying a can of Raid on your head. Our products are phenomenal at doing the most important work of getting the nits off the head, because lice live on blood. They’re spread mostly by head to head contact, and they can’t fly or jump.”

That’s why we tell people to “sneak a peek, once a week” to check for lice once their kids are in school. Then if you find lice, come and see us… we’ll have you fixed up in no time.”

Treatments at Lice Knowing You range from $50 to $200, depending on length of hair and severity of infestation.