STUDIO CITY (CBS) — Schools across Southern California are in full swing, and that means regular checks for lice are taking place as well.

Risa Barash — Co-Founder of Fairy Tales Hair Care and a self-proclaimed “lice expert” — was in the KCAL 9 studio at noon on Friday, discussing ways to prevent and treat head lice.

Risa says there are more than 15 million cases of head lice each year in the U.S.  There is also an increased risk during back to school months — 85% of all school districts report at least one outbreak of lice every year.

Here are some of Risa’s tips for preventing lice:

1. Don’t wash your hair every day.
2. Do weekly head checks — you can never be too safe.
3. Keep your hair in a ponytail and/or use preventative herbal products (Rita recommends a spray a day of Fairy Tales Rosemary Repel Leave-In Conditioning Spray).

And here’s what Risa says to do if you or your children have contracted lice:

1. Have a glass of wine and take a deep breath, it’s not the end of the world!
2. Look for a natural product — enzyme formulas are better to fight next generation “super lice.”
3. Don’t use olive oil or Cetaphil — they don’t kill the nits (eggs).  Use rosemary, citronella, lavender and geranium oils instead!
4. Think hard before heading to a “Nitpicker.”  It’s a booming industry with a high price tag — but are they really “specialists?”
5. Remember — anyone can be a skilled nitpicker — it doesn’t have to cost you hundreds of dollars!

“The Facts of Lice” is the first and only iPhone app that provides real time alerts of lice outbreaks at the local level — and it’s free.  Risa’s hair products can be viewed here.