What Lice Can Do to Your Health

 

Head lice can be very unpleasant. They come in an array of colors, some more than others. It is important that head lice be treated in a quick manner, as they can be very difficult to get rid of. Lice live on human hair almost exclusively. Head lice usually live up to 28 days, but can live longer. They grow in 3 stages: nymph, egg, and adult lice.

Nymphs or egg lice only live up to three days but may live up to six days if they are well-nested. Nymphs are small, usually no bigger than a grain of sand, but grow quickly, reaching full size in just a few hours. Adult lice usually live for one to two weeks, but can live up to a month.

Egg Lice can be difficult to kill because they lay their eggs in long, even strips of skin. The egg-lice take up residence in the scalp, generally between the base of the hair and the tip of the tail. Lice eggs, which are called nits, are white or yellow in color and are quite small. As adults, adult lice usually spread to other areas of the body very quickly, spreading from head to head.

Head Lice Look closely at any scalp area where you might see the head-lice. They tend to cluster at the front of the ears. They usually look like very fine hairs. They are easy to miss, but you'll know they're there if you see them floating around in the breeze. For best results, swab the entire scalp with a lice-preventant gel. It works great on head lice.

Flea Lice are another problem that can present themselves on a child's scalp during the school year. They are very small, about the size of a grain of salt, and can easily be transferred from one person to another through a scratching process. You can easily identify these parasites by observing that they have pinpointed-shaped heads, somewhat like sandpaper-rounded ticks. You can treat young children with an oral treatment containing fenbendazole once a week and/or using a topical treatment containing nitrates, either together or separately.

Scratching Lice can be very troublesome, especially when it comes to children and the awkwardness of having to constantly swipe the infested Scalp with a moist cotton ball. Although lice can not really be seen, they can still be extremely irritating. The constant itching can lead to further scratching, which leads to more lice. It can be hard to get a lice-free scalp when you are always dealing with itching. If the itching is particularly bad at night, remember to apply a heat-adhesive head-saving swab that contains permethrin.

Head Lice A person can become infected with lice if he or she is in close contact with a person who has it. However, it is important to note that head lice can not be transmitted through any kind of bodily fluids, such as blood. Human blood is the only fluid that can carry the parasite. This is why the person having the lice is not contagious-they simply have it stuck in their scalp! To prevent a head lice infestation, keep your home clean and clothes clean. Make sure that you always use a disinfectant on your floors and mattresses.

Lice are not harmful and do not spread disease, but they are unsanitary and embarrassing for a lice-afflicted individual. Once an infested person has been diagnosed, there are steps that can be taken to rid the home of lice. These include washing all clothing and combs in hot water, disinfecting all clothing and bedding with permethrin, and using a lice-killing head-saving comb.