LEARN ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HEAD LICE HERE!

According to the CDC, between 6 and 12 million children are infested with head lice in the United States each year.
Very often parents and relatives contract head lice from their children.

Lice on a Dime

SOME INTERESTING INFORMATION

  • HEAD LICE

    Pediculus humanus capitis, more commonly known as the head louse, is a tiny insect of parasitic nature. They infest the human scalp and neck in masses and multiply by sticking their eggs at the base of hair strands. Contrary to popular belief, they cannot hop or fly and strictly depend on crawling for mobility.

  • HABITAT

    As an ectoparasite of the order Psocodea, humans are the only host of head lice. A close association with their host helps them maintain their body temperature, and they use human blood as an endless feed supply.

  • LIFE CYCLE

    The head lice life cycle is divided into nits, nymphs, and adults.

    • Stage 1: Each adult female louse lays eight nits (eggs) per day, barely 0.3 to 0.8 mm in size. They are hard to spot in hair because of their camouflaging capabilities. They retain the same color as your hair strand by releasing matching pigments.

    Nits hatch in 6 – 9 days or a week on average.

    • Stage 2: Nymphs look like adult lice but are small and barely visible to the human eye. It takes them roughly about a week or three sheddings to grow into adult head lice.
    • Stage 3: Adult head lice average size is 2 to 3 mm. They have six legs with claws and are gray, brown, and black in color, depending on your hair color. Female lice are bigger than males, but they all need human blood 2 to 3 times a day to survive.

    Adult head lice die after 30 days.

Transmission:

An infected individual can spread the lice infestation by close contact with an unsuspecting individual. Pets, pillows, caps, combs, or other items do not play any part in the transmission, primarily if any of these are used or touched after 24 hours.

Health Risks:

Apart from the constant itching and disgust factor, a head lice infestation has no serious health risks. Though if left untreated for long, constant itching can open wounds in the scalp and lead to other complications.

Treatments:

Most people use Permethrin as a lice removal treatment, but they are not affected against nits; therefore, it must be reapplied after nine days. Some rely on home remedies, but at Lice Consultants & Associates, we use a foolproof lice removal method to treat your lice infestation.

Our Heated Air Technology sucks the lice from your scalp, and the machine uses hot air to kill the collected nits and lice. The process is painless, quick, and hassle-free!

Learn more about our lice removal treatment here!

Common Misconception About Head Lice Infestation:

  • They are caused by bad hygiene.
  • They spread readily in some socioeconomic classes.
  • Itching is caused by their crawling. (It’s caused by their saliva)
  • Pets spread head lice.

Facts About Head Lice

  • African-Americans are less prone to contracting head lice because of their hair texture.
  • They cannot live without their host and will die in 24 hours.
  • They like the dark.

If your child is scratching their head continuously, you might have a lice infestation on your hand. Call us not at (803) 868-4733 or book a consultation here!