Head Lice - An Infestation

Head lice, like most insects are oviparous, which means that they lay eggs just like fish

, reptiles and birds do, with little embryonic development within the female louse. Head lice eggs contain a single embryo, laid close to the human scalp and are firmly attached to an individual hair shaft.

A female louse can lay between fifty and one hundred and fifty eggs during her lifetime, a lifetime which lasts about thirty five days. The eggs (nits) will hatch producing a nymph after seven to ten days. Over the next twenty odd days the nymph will moult in three stages and grow into an adult louse. The adult louse begins pairing with its mate just hours after becoming an adult louse. And with this cycle begins a new family unit of head lice and nits. The head lice life cycle can continue until the infestation becomes very heavy, and possible very irritable for the child.

To resolve a head lice infestation it is important to apply a treatment and comb the hair thoroughly from root to tip. Treatments available on the market today are designed to suffocate and effectively kill the head lice. The egg shell isn't penetrated by the head lice treatment which is the reason thorough combing is so important. Even after the nymph has hatched the shell of the egg remains firmly attached to the hair shaft. The egg shell will eventually disintegrate but this can take months, generally it will need to be physically removed.

Cover the hair and scalp completely with the head lice treatment and massage in for approximately five minutes. Leave as directed on the label and, if desired for ease of combing, apply a conditioning or combing solution to help detangle any knots.

Using a fine tooth comb, divide the hair into four centimetre sections and begin combing. Wipe any head lice and eggs off the comb and on to a tissue. Concentrate on areas of the scalp behind the ears and towards the back of the neck as the head lice eggs are generally laid here about one centimetre from the scalps surface. (The eggs are an off white colour and can sometimes be mistaken for dandruff). This process can take some time depending on the length and thickness of the hair. It is possible that some nits may be left behind after the treatment and it is recommended that you repeat the treatment process about a week after the initial treatment. This will tackle any undetected hatchlings and put an end to the cycle.

Head lice cannot jump or fly, they are transmitted by direct human contact. You should ensure that part of your routine is to check for head lice in your children's hair regularly once a week is ideal. Use the same method as the treatment combing detailed above with a fine tooth comb, apply a conditioning solution to help detangle knots and make combing a little easier. A conditioning solution can actually slow the head lice down allowing you to easily see where they are.

Head Lice - An Infestation

By: Melanie Franklyn

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