Lice Busters

What Lice Busters does

Lice Busters is a chemical-free head lice removal service founded in 1984 in Brooklyn, New York by Dalya Harel, operating today as a family-owned private business under CEO Daniel Harel with operations across two NYC clinics (Brooklyn Park Slope and Manhattan Gramercy) and in-home mobile service covering all five NYC boroughs. The company's underlying method is a proprietary 7-step manual removal protocol using professional-grade combs and non-toxic products to perform strand-by-strand lice and nit extraction, deliberately avoiding pyrethroid-based chemicals given the rise of treatment-resistant "super lice." Technician training follows a structured pipeline of 40+ hours of foundational training plus 20+ supervised client treatments before independent certification, with the most senior technician (Esther Guzman) holding 30+ years of experience. Pricing is deliberately flat-rate and unbundled rather than hourly, distinguishing the offering from competitors.

The business operates a multi-channel D2C and B2B model. Core transaction revenue comes from individual lice removals ($250 in-clinic, $400 home visit including a $150 travel fee), professional head screenings at $50 flat rate, and free follow-up rechecks. A $12.95 per-person-per-month membership with a 12-month commitment ($95 early cancellation fee) provides recurring revenue and unlimited clinic screenings and treatments, excluding home visits. A B2B channel serves NYC schools, camps, and daycares with tiered group screenings ($6-10 per student) and 24-48 hour outbreak response, with the company claiming 500+ educational institution relationships. Education sessions ($200-550 per session) for parents, school nurses, and camp counselors are sold as an add-on professional service. Distribution is purely service-based: walk-in and appointment clinics plus dispatched mobile technicians, with no digital product, no app, and no API.

Cumulatively the company claims 50,000+ families served since founding, a 99% success rate, and a 4.9/5 rating across 1,200+ verified reviews. The business has expanded to 20+ locations nationwide (nature of affiliation unclear), though revenue-generating operations appear concentrated in NYC. Lice Busters markets itself primarily through educational content, organic search, and reputation-based word-of-mouth rather than paid acquisition. No external capital, acquisitions, M&A activity, or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

Name

Lice Busters

Legal name

Lice Busters

Website

https://licebustersnyc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lice Busters is a family-owned Brooklyn lice removal service founded in 1984, operating clinics in Manhattan and Brooklyn with in-home coverage across all five NYC boroughs, serving families, schools, and camps via chemical-free manual removal, B2B screening programs, and a monthly membership.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Brooklyn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Lice Treatment Services: One-time service fees for lice removal: in-clinic treatment at $250 flat rate, home visit at $400 ($250 + $150 travel fee). Includes complete lice and nit removal, school clearance letter, aftercare instructions, and free recheck within 10 days.
2. Lice Check/Screening: Professional head screening service at $50 flat rate. Includes thorough examination, professional assessment, written report, and treatment recommendations.
3. Lice Busters Membership: Subscription membership at $12.95 per person per month. Includes unlimited visual screenings and free lice treatments at treatment centers. Auto-renewal with 12-month commitment. 45-day activation period.
4. School/Camp Group Screenings: B2B service for schools and camps: $6-10 per student depending on volume (1-50 students: $10/student, 51-150: $8/student, 150+: $6/student). Includes arrival day screenings, weekly monitoring, and outbreak response.
5. Education Sessions: Expert-led education sessions for families and schools: in-person $300-500, virtual $200-400, hybrid $350-550. Duration-based pricing with volume discounts available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Lice Busters provides manual, chemical-free head lice and nit removal services using professional-grade combs and non-toxic products. Services are delivered through company-owned clinics in Manhattan and Brooklyn, in-home visits across all five NYC boroughs, and on-site group screening programs for schools, camps, and daycare centers. The offering also includes professional head screenings, free follow-up rechecks, prevention education sessions, and a monthly membership plan for unlimited screenings and treatments.

Product overview

Lice Busters offers a suite of lice removal services as a single unified service offering. The core portfolio centers on manual, chemical-free lice and nit removal delivered through in-clinic treatments at Manhattan and Brooklyn locations, or in-home visits across all five NYC boroughs. Supporting services include professional lice screening (Lice Check), free follow-up rechecks, school and camp on-site screening programs, and prevention education sessions for schools and families. A subscription membership plan provides unlimited screenings and treatments for families seeking ongoing peace of mind. All services utilize the same proprietary manual removal methodology with professional-grade combs and non-toxic products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Lice Treatment Complete in-clinic lice removal service at Brooklyn and Manhattan clinics. Includes full head screening, manual removal of all lice and nits, school clearance letter, aftercare instructions, and a free recheck within 10 days. Priced at $250 flat rate for a 30-90 minute session. Targeted at NYC families with school-age children.
• Lice Check Professional head screening service providing thorough examination, professional assessment, written report of findings, and treatment recommendations. Priced at $50 for a 5-minute session. Targeted at families seeking confirmation of head lice presence or absence.
• Home Visit In-home lice removal service bringing the full clinic treatment to the customer's location across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, and Staten Island. Same scope as in-clinic treatment plus a $150 travel fee, for a $400 flat rate total. Targeted at families preferring convenience, privacy, or treatment of multiple family members at home.
• School & Camp Screenings Professional on-site lice screening programs for schools, summer camps, daycare centers, and after-school programs. Includes arrival-day screenings, weekly monitoring, and outbreak response within 24-48 hours. Priced at $6-10 per student depending on volume. Targeted at NYC schools and camps managing facility-wide lice prevention.
• Prevention Education Expert-led education sessions for families and schools covering evidence-based lice prevention strategies. Delivered as in-person talks ($300-500), virtual sessions ($200-400), or hybrid formats ($350-550) lasting 30-90 minutes. Includes professional handouts and ongoing school nurse support. Targeted at schools, camps, and parent groups.
• Lice Busters Membership Monthly subscription plan priced at $12.95 per person providing unlimited visual screenings and free lice treatments at treatment centers. Requires a 12-month commitment with a $95 early cancellation fee and a 45-day activation period. Excludes house call services. Targeted at families with recurring lice exposure or those seeking ongoing peace of mind.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99% success rate
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• NYC Schools & CampscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProfessional on-site lice screening programs for schools, camps, and daycare centers across NYC. Services include arrival day screenings, weekly monitoring, outbreak response within 24-48 hours, and staff training. 500+ schools and camps served.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Lice Squad: Mobile and clinic-based lice-removal brand offering professional comb-out services and prevention education for families and schools. Comparable service mix including school/camp screening programs.
• Lice Clinics of America: Largest US franchised network of professional lice-removal clinics using the AirAllé device plus manual comb-out. Directly competes with Lice Busters on chemical-free, professional lice removal for families in clinics and on-site.
• Fairy LiceMothers: NYC-based professional lice-removal service offering in-home and clinic-based manual removal with prevention education. Direct local competitor in the same NYC market with comparable chemical-free methodology.
• Hair Fairies: Multi-location lice-removal salon chain offering in-salon and in-home head-lice removal services for children and families. Closely comparable service offering, target customer (parents of school-age kids), and salon-based delivery model.
• Nitorious Lice Removal: Professional lice-removal service using non-toxic, manual comb-out techniques targeted at families and schools. Comparable chemical-free methodology and family-school dual customer base.
• Lice Happens: Mobile, in-home lice-removal service operating in multiple US metros with certified technicians and chemical-free manual removal. Closely comparable mobile delivery model, premium per-visit pricing, and family-focused positioning.

Broad incumbents

• Terminix: National pest-control incumbent whose service portfolio includes some lice and parasite-related offerings alongside general structural pest control. Comparable pest/parasite domain but as part of a much broader residential services portfolio rather than a lice-removal specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/licebustersnyc
• Facebookfacebook.com/LiceBusters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lice-busters-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Lice Busters