Meet: Lice Happens:

On-demand cootie removal, free of shame

Michelle Lohrli, co-owner of Lice Happens, a mobile lice-removal service, demonstrates her technique on her daughter at her home Sunday, July 28, 2013. The business is part of a national franchise system.

Lice Happens

Michelle Lohrli, co-owner of Lice Happens, a mobile lice-removal service, demonstrates her technique on her daughter at her home Sunday, July 28, 2013. The business is part of a national franchise system. Launch slideshow »

Name of business: Lice Happens

Address: Based in Henderson, serves all of Clark County

Phone: 800-9676

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.LiceHappens.com

Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday; weekend and evening appointments available

Owned by: Michelle and Craig Lohrli

In business since: June

Describe your business.

Lice Happens is a professional mobile head lice removal service. Our proprietary head lice removal protocol ensures efficient and thorough removal of head lice in a single visit, right in the comfort and privacy of your own home, using safe, eco-friendly, all-natural and pesticide-free products.

Lice Happens was co-founded by a registered nurse and quality assurance professional in Annapolis, Md. After years of successfully helping hundreds of families get rid of head lice back east, it has grown into a highly sought-after service that answers a need among families with school-aged children.

Customers can call our 24-hour LiceLine in confidence and know that we can come to your house quickly and ready to tackle the problem. Often, when parents call us, they already are frantic because they have tried more than a few over-the-counter products or home remedies that did not work. Our service guarantees that we will eradicate head lice, and in the process, educate families. There are a lot of misconceptions and myths about head lice, and we want to demystify and de-stigmatize the occurrence.

Who are your customers?

Children ages 3 to 13 are most commonly infested with head lice, although older kids and even adults get it. It takes only one bug to start an infestation in classrooms, camps, play gyms, day-care centers and even play groups — wherever there is close interaction among children.

Head lice infections, called pediculosis, are very common. It is estimated that one in every 10 schoolchildren contracts head lice at some time.

How can people avoid lice?

Parents should check their children’s heads once a week, paying close attention to the scalp, behind the ears and near the neckline at the back of the neck.

Avoid head-to-head contact while playing with other kids. Pull hair back into a ponytail, pigtails or braids. Avoid sharing personal items, such as hairbrushes, hats, scarves and helmets.

What makes your business unique?

Our service is a need, not a want. When you get a desperate call from a mom or dad who has been struggling to get rid of head lice for days or sometimes weeks, you know it took a lot for them to finally let their guards down and call the experts for help.

Our lice removal method is proven, and the products we use are 100 percent safe. We will not waste your time or sell you something that you don’t need. We guarantee that we will do it right the first time.

What is your business philosophy?

Treat each and every family with care and compassion and empower them with the right tools and information so they can be one step ahead in dealing with head lice.

We want to turn an otherwise stressful situation into a positive experience.

What’s the most important part of your job?

Being able to help families deal with the often time-consuming battle with head lice and providing them the knowledge and tools to turn the tables on these bugs once and for all.

There is a great level of satisfaction when I leave a home knowing that the family’s lives are back to normal and they are better informed to stop the cycle of infestation so they won’t have to waste more time and money because of head lice again.

What is the best part about doing business in Las Vegas?

The city is home to some of the most fascinating, diverse and vibrant groups of people, and residents are resilient to even the most challenging of times.

The Clark County School District, the fifth-largest in the country, also gives us one of the best markets to serve.

What obstacles has your business overcome?

Since we just recently introduced our service, we are diligently working to spread the word about Lice Happens.

Right now, the Internet presents folk remedies and methods that simply do not work. We want to be the go-to resource when parents have to deal with head lice.

What is the hardest part about doing business in Las Vegas?

The housing collapse and its huge ripple effect are still obstacles. The recession has brought about long periods of unemployment and reduced income for some residents, and people are still losing their homes. Accommodating the cost of our service into a household budget, however badly it is needed, may not be possible for some families.

How can Nevada improve its business climate?

Our government leaders need to maintain the environment that has attracted people from all over — a lower cost of living, affordable homes, no state income tax and a business-friendly structure, especially for small businesses.

Our educational system also needs to be overhauled to better address the needs of an ever-growing population.

What have you learned from the recession?

That a business that is innovative and serves a unique need can endure even the most difficult downturn.

As parents to a 6-year-old, getting into this business even when the economy is still uncertain, was a no-brainer for us because we believe in the business model. We know that it will survive and even thrive, because parents will always want the best for their children.

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