What are head lice?
Head lice are parasitic insects found on the heads of people. Having head lice is common.
Who is most likely to get head lice?
Anyone who comes in close contact (especially head-to-head contact) with someone who already has head lice is the most likely to get head lice. You can get head lice from having contact with clothing (hats, scarves, coats) or other personal items (brushes or towels) that belong to a person that has head lice. Preschool and elementary school children ages three to 11 and their families most often have cases of head lice. Girls and women get head lice more often than boys and men. In the United States, African-Americans rarely get head lice. Personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school has nothing to do with getting head lice.
*What do head lice look like?
There are three forms of lice: the egg (also called a nit), the nymph, and the adult. Lice do not jump or fly and cannot stay alive for long when not on a human head.
- Egg/Nit: Nits are head lice eggs. They are very small, about the size of a knot in thread, hard to see, and are often confused for dandruff or hair spray droplets.
- Nymph: The nit hatches into a baby louse called a nymph. It looks like an adult head louse, but is smaller.
- Adult: The adult louse is about the size of a sesame seed, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white.
Where are head lice most commonly found?
They are usually found on the scalp, behind the ears and near the neckline at the back of the neck. Head lice hold on to hair with hook-like claws found at the end of each of their six legs. Head lice are rarely found on the body, eyelashes, or eyebrows.
What are the signs and symptoms of head lice infestation?
- Tickling feeling of something moving in the hair.
- Itching, caused by an allergic reaction to the bites.
- Irritability.
- Sores on the head caused by scratching. These sores can sometimes become infected.
How did my child get head lice?
Contact with a person who has head lice is the most common way to get head lice. Head-to-head contact is common during play at school and at home (sports activities, on a playground, slumber parties, at camp). Other sources include:
- Wearing clothing, such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, or hair ribbons, recently worn by an infested person.
- Using infested combs, brushes, or towels.
- Lying on a bed, couch, pillow, carpet, or stuffed animal that has recently been in contact with an infested person.
How does a person know that they have head lice?
A person will be able to tell they have head lice by having someone look closely through the hair and scalp for nits, nymphs, or adults. It may be hard to find a nymph or adult. There are usually few of them and they can move quickly from searching fingers. If crawling lice are not seen, finding nits within a 1/4-inch of the scalp confirms that a person has head lice and should be treated. If you are not sure if a person has head lice, you should see your health care provider, school nurse, or a professional from the local health department or agricultural extension service.
How can I treat my child’s head lice?
Wash clothing and bedding of the person that has head lice that has been used two days before starting treatment in hot water and put them in the dryer for at least 20 minutes. Clothing and bedding that cannot be washed and dried should be dry cleaned or put into tightly sealed plastic bags for 14 days. Combs, brushes, etc, should be soaked in a pan of 150oF water for five to 10 minutes. Treatment involves using an over-the-counter (OTC – one you can buy without a prescription) or prescription medication. Follow these steps:
- Before applying treatment, remove all clothing from the waist up.
- Do not allow children to apply lice medicine to themselves. Apply lice medicine according to label instructions. If your child has hair longer than shoulder length, you may need to use a second bottle. Pay special attention to instructions about how long the medicine should be left on and whether or not to rinse the hair after treatment. Do not use a creme rinse or combination shampoo/conditioner before using lice medicine. Do not re-wash hair for one to two days after treatment.
- Have the person who has head lice put on clean clothing after treatment.
- If a few live lice are still found eight to 12 hours after treatment, but are moving more slowly than before, do not retreat. Comb dead and remaining live lice out of the hair. The medicine may take longer to kill lice.
- If after eight to 12 hours of treatment no dead lice are found and lice seem as active as before, see your health care provider for a different medication. Follow treatment directions.
- Nit (head lice egg) combs, often found in lice medicine packages, should be used to comb nits and lice from the hair shaft (base). Many flea combs made for cats and dogs are also effective. Dispose of nits by dipping them into a small jar of rubbing alcohol or warm soapy water. Wash your hands thoroughly afterward.
- After treatment, check hair and comb with a nit comb to remove nits and lice every two to three days. Continue to check for two to three weeks until you are sure all lice and nits are gone.
- If using OTC lice medicine, repeat treatment in seven to 10 days. If using the prescription drug malathion, repeat treatment in seven to 10 days ONLY if crawling bugs are found. Do not repeat treatment a third time. See your healthcare provider if you think you need more treatments.
