Information Head Lice

Head lice are small insects that lay eggs (nits) on the scalp. After 7-8 days, the eggs hatch. The empty eggshells look like small grains of rice that stick to the hair.

Treating head lice is very important because head lice is contagious. Human head lice cannot jump or fly but are passed from person to person by sharing clothes, brushes, pillows, toys, etc. Anyone can get head lice. You do not get lice because you are dirty or unclean. Having head lice is common for school-age children.

Since lice are hard to see, you can tell if your child has lice by checking the hair for nits. Comb through the hair to look for nits. You can use a magnifying glass to help you. Nits stick to the hair while things like dandruff and dried hairspray flakes can be blown away. Nits could be on the scalp, in the hair, behind the ears, or at the back of the neck near the neckline.

Head lice will cause an itchy scalp. It feels like things are tickling the head or crawling through the hair. Children who have lice will often scratch at their heads, creating sores. Infected sores will get crusty, ooze, and may cause swollen glands at the back of the neck.

Only use head lice treatment if you are sure the person has lice. Don't treat others "just in case." Continue to check your child's hair for nits. If nits are as close as 3/8 of an inch to the scalp, your child has active lice. If nits are further away than 3/8 inch from the scalp, your child has an old infection.

You can prevent the spread of lice by washing personal and household items. Warn your children not to share combs, hats, and other items with an infested person. Shaving your child's head or cutting his hair will not prevent lice or make the infection better.

Even if lice are found on an individual, careful consideration should be given before deciding to use a lice killing treatment because each person has unique health vulnerabilities. Lice treatment products are potentially hazardous to health and should not be used "just in case" a child or family member has lice or in an effort to prevent them.

Thoroughly check anyone suspected of harboring head lice to verify the lice are actually present before treating them.

Since Head lice are human parasites and require human blood to survive. They are not environmental pests so pesticidal sprays for furniture and bedding are unnecessary and a serious risk to health. Vacuuming is the safest and best way to remove lice or fallen hairs with attached nits from upholstered furniture, rugs, stuffed animals and cars.

Head lice can survive on a human host for approximately 30 days. They generally cannot survive longer than 24 hours off the host. A female louse lays 3-5 eggs a day. The eggs hatch in 7-10 days and it takes another 7-10 day for the louse to mature and lay their own eggs.

Head lice cannot be "caught" from pets and cannot survive on pets. They are human parasites and require human blood for survival.

Manual removal is crucial. Beyond snipping or pulling out the nits, you should also be screening for and removing live lice. Having at least two people check an infested person is important as one person cannot see the entire scalp. Lice move quickly and shy away from light when you are checking.

Don't spend hours on end cleaning your environment. Head lice need human blood to survive. Vacuum surface areas only. Save your time and energy for what will benefit you most, delousing the individual. NEVER USE A LICE SPRAY!

A thorough disinfecting of clothes, bedding and soft toys likely to harbor lice or their eggs should be carried out concurrently with hair treatment. It is recommended to wash hats, scarves, clothing, pillow cases, sheets, towels and bed linen in hot water and dry in a hot dryer. Tie up non-washable items in a plastic bag for 10 days.

Disinfect brushes and combs and other items in 130 F. hot water for 15 minutes. Thoroughly check all family members at the same time and treat only those who are infected.

Spraying classrooms or homes with insecticides is not recommended. Floors, rugs, pillows, and upholstered furniture should be vacuumed. The lice die when they are away from the warmth of a human body for more than 48 hours.

My child is under 2 years old and has been diagnosed with head lice. Can I treat him or her with prescription or OTC drugs? No. For children under 2 years old, remove crawling bugs and nits by hand. If the problem persists, consult your pediatrician.

Do not use extra amounts of the lice medication unless instructed. Drugs are insecticides and can be dangerous when misused or overused. Do not treat the infested person more than 3 times with the same medication if it does not seem to work. See your health care provider for alternative medication. Do not mix head lice medications.

Information on Head Lice