Head Lice Information
If you believe you have head lice, then make sure to read all the head lice information you can about it.
If you're worried after reading all the information and would like a second opinion, consulting your doctor would be the next step.
Head lice can occur anywhere in the world.
They are parasitic insects that will live in the hair of human beings.
The medical name of head lice is pediculosis.
They can develop in three different forms, including nits, nymphs, and adults.
Nits are smallest, and they are often mistaken for dandruff.
They attach themselves to the shaft of hair, are oval in size and yellow to white in color.
Nits hatch to become nymphs.
They grow into adults after seven days of hatching.
They feed on blood for survival on the scalp.
Adults are rather large, have six legs and are tan in color.
If the person it is feeding off of has darker colored hair, the adults will be darker in color to match.
They can live up to 30 days on a human head.
They also feed on blood from the scalp.
If they fall off the head of the person, they die within two days.
Itching and irritability are both signs of having the parasites and should be examined if thought to have them.
These parasites in any form can be spread easily from one person to another from direct contact, including even coming into close contact with another person.
Spreading head lice is most common in young children, as they play, have classroom activities, and group close to each other.
Wearing clothing that has been infested by the head lice is also another way to spread lice, and infested towels, combs, brushes, pillows, couch, carpets will further spread them.
They do not jump or fly to heads, and they cannot be transferred through pets or animals.
Anyone is able to get them.
It is diagnosed by finding them on the person's head by searching through the hair.
The treatment needed to get rid of the infestation includes using over-the-counter remedies.
Treat only the person who is infested.
Make sure to follow all instructions on the box, because it is a pesticide and can be harmful if not used correctly.
Make sure to check in a week or two after treatment to ensure the lice are removed.
You will also want to machine wash all the items the infected person has been around to ensure that all lice are removed from the house.
Dry clean the items that cannot be machine washed.
Vacuum all carpets thoroughly.
If you're worried after reading all the information and would like a second opinion, consulting your doctor would be the next step.
Head lice can occur anywhere in the world.
They are parasitic insects that will live in the hair of human beings.
The medical name of head lice is pediculosis.
They can develop in three different forms, including nits, nymphs, and adults.
Nits are smallest, and they are often mistaken for dandruff.
They attach themselves to the shaft of hair, are oval in size and yellow to white in color.
Nits hatch to become nymphs.
They grow into adults after seven days of hatching.
They feed on blood for survival on the scalp.
Adults are rather large, have six legs and are tan in color.
If the person it is feeding off of has darker colored hair, the adults will be darker in color to match.
They can live up to 30 days on a human head.
They also feed on blood from the scalp.
If they fall off the head of the person, they die within two days.
Itching and irritability are both signs of having the parasites and should be examined if thought to have them.
These parasites in any form can be spread easily from one person to another from direct contact, including even coming into close contact with another person.
Spreading head lice is most common in young children, as they play, have classroom activities, and group close to each other.
Wearing clothing that has been infested by the head lice is also another way to spread lice, and infested towels, combs, brushes, pillows, couch, carpets will further spread them.
They do not jump or fly to heads, and they cannot be transferred through pets or animals.
Anyone is able to get them.
It is diagnosed by finding them on the person's head by searching through the hair.
The treatment needed to get rid of the infestation includes using over-the-counter remedies.
Treat only the person who is infested.
Make sure to follow all instructions on the box, because it is a pesticide and can be harmful if not used correctly.
Make sure to check in a week or two after treatment to ensure the lice are removed.
You will also want to machine wash all the items the infected person has been around to ensure that all lice are removed from the house.
Dry clean the items that cannot be machine washed.
Vacuum all carpets thoroughly.
