Head Lice Overview
Head lice also Known as Pediculus capitis, are parasitic insects which live on the human head feeding on human blood. Lice are found most of the time on the humans but sometimes also on your eyelashes and eyebrows. Pediculus captis is known to live only on Humans and no other host, yet their near cousins live on chimpanzees and bonobos. There are other species of lice which also live on birds and other mammals. Head lice turn to affect children and are usually transmitted through hair to hair contact. Fully grown adult head lice have a length of about two to three mm.
signs and symptoms of head lice Infestation
Itching is usually the fest sign of a head lice infestation though you may not get any symptoms for the first three to five months. Below are other symptoms of head lice infestation?
- A feeling of something moving on your head which can also be tickling
- Lice move very fast and avoid light but you can spot them or their eggs on your head
- Finding sores on the head, neck and shoulders due the scratching, the skin becomes allergic to their saliva causing their bits to itch
People at risk of an Infestation?
For example in the US and UK infestations usually affect preschool and nursery school pupils, their caretakers and their siblings. No real data has been collected yet concerning infestations but children between 3 and 11 turn to be the target and girls are more exposed because of more head to head contact. Also infestations are less common with African and African Americans than with other races.
When do i need to see a doctor
Always seek the advise of a health care professional before treating, if you found symptoms of a lice infestation. Studies have shown that many children have been treated for head lice with non prescription drugs at least once when they hard no head lice.
syntoms which are often mistaken for head lice include:
- Hair Dandruff
- Residue left by hair products
- dead hair tissue found on the scalp
- another insects found on the hair and mistaken for head lice
Head Lice Transmission
Head lice can’t jump or fly, they move by crawling. Head lice often spread from one person to another by direct head-to-head contact, often within a family or among children who have close contact at school or play. Head lice move from person to person usually when people are in a gathering which allows head to head contact like school or family gatherings. In a few occassions head like can be spread using shared items like hair accessories like combs and brushes, hats and caps, headphones or pillows and towels.
How To Prevent Head Lice
- Avoid head to head contact on play grounds, or other gatherings at school, sports and camps.
- Do not share any kind of hair accessories like brushes, combs or hats
- Do not uses any facilities used by somebody who has head lice like beds, carpets, pillows and couches
Head Lice Treatment
If you have an infestation you will need to check other member of the house where you live if they are have head lice. Treat all the infected person and the people they share a bed with at the same time. Your best option is to go a treatment which kill both lice and their eggs so that you don not need to retreat. The treatments can be over the counter treatment or prescription treatment.
Medication Directions
- Remove any clothing that can be stain before applying the medication
- Use medication as describe on the treatment box or medical professional pay attention on how long the treatment should be left on your hair
- The infected person should put on clean cloths after each treatment
- Use a comb to remove any live or dead lice you find on the hair after treatment
- If you don find any dead head lice after 8 to 10 hours treatment, contact your health professional the treatment may not be working.