Symptoms of Head Lice

What Are Head Lice?
Head lice are grayish brown insects generally measuring from 1 to 3 mm long. Though they do not have wings, they move quickly through the hair and then lay their eggs near the roots, close to the scalp. After a 7 to 10 day incubation, the eggs then hatch, with the newly born lice growing to adulthood in another 10 days, ready to lay new eggs. When a louse hatches, it leaves behind its empty shell, called a nit. Nits look like dry, flaky skin and stick to the hair, making them almost impossible to remove with normal shampoo. Head lice are commonly found on children's scalps and are transmitted from head to head contact, regardless of whether hair is dirty or clean.

Symptoms
Head lice feed on human blood, living on the supply from the scalp, behind the ears and on the neck. You may not notice their existence for up to 3 months before your head feels itchy. If you do not feel an itchy sensation, you may notice that your pillow is especially dirty or that nits are stuck to hair in your brush or comb. If you feel the sensation of itchiness it is important to treat the lice immediately as scratching can break your skin, causing potential infection.

Treatment
Head lice cannot live away from your scalp. Because they cannot fly, hop or swim, they will stay in place until they are removed. Since lice proliferate quickly, it is best to kill them as soon as possible. Check all members of your household for head lice. One way of removing head lice is to comb them out with a special fine tooth comb. Wet your hair and cover it with hair conditioner or olive oil to prevent lice from moving around. Comb your hair from the roots to the ends, preferably over paper or a bowl of water. Repeat this process every few days for a minimum of 2 weeks. Another more foolproof way of removing head lice is to use an insecticide, which can be bought over the counter as a water- or alcohol-based shampoo. Washing your scalp and hair with an insecticide will kill the living lice, but the eggs may remain. It is important to repeat the treatment a week later to eliminate any newly hatched lice. As lice can become resistant to treatment, you may have to change insecticide brands for the best results.

Risks
If you suffer from eczema or asthma, using an alcohol-based insecticide is not advisable. It may also be too strong for young children. In both cases, use a water-based formula or try rubbing the scalp and neck with tea tree oil, a natural insecticide. Consult your local health store experts for other homeopathic and herbal alternatives.

Expert Insight
Make sure you check your head and scalp on a regular basis, especially where school-age children are concerned. If lice are found, contact everyone you know who might have come in contact with the affected person. Since head lice cannot survive away from the scalp, you do not need to disinfect hats, towels or sheets. And last but not least, do not blame your pet, as they cannot spread human head lice.