An infestation of head lice

The head louse lives in the human hair on the head. It is an infestation that moves so fast it can take out a whole family in a matter of days.

How does this infestation occur?

Head lice find it easy to travel from child to child; this is because a child has a smaller personal zone so tend to get close to the other children they play with. The children then pass the lice on to their families, as parents get close to hug or kiss the child and then become infested, before passing it on to the other children in the family.

The easiest way for a head louse to move from person to person is from head to head contact, there is also the possibility of getting head lice from clothing and personal items like brushes, you can even get head lice from chairs and pillows where an infected individual has she hair.

Are some people more prone to infestation?

Yes, females generally get infestations more than males, this may have something to do with the fact that women have longer hair than men in most cases, making it easier for lice to gain a foothold and lay eggs.

Those of African or Caribbean decent rarely get head lice due to the thickness of their hair which lice find difficult to navigate.

What do head lice look like?

Well this depends, there are three different types of lice to look for, the first is the egg which is the size of a grain of sand and is laid within a centimeter of the scalp. The second type is the nymph (new born louse), which is half the size of a sesame seed, if not smaller. The third and final type of head louse is the adult, this looks like a tiny ant as it has a head, thorax and abdomen, the adult also has 6 legs and is about the size of a sesame seed.

What are the symptoms of infestation?

There are a few symptoms that can give away the signs of head lice infestation.

Some people may feel a tickling sensation, or even the feeling that something is crawling on the head, the reason for this is probably head lice roaming freely in their hair.

Excessive itching is another symptom of head lice infestation, this is caused by an allergic reaction to head lice bites. Head lice nymphs feed on the blood in the skin so they bite the scalp to feed.

Another symptom is sores on the head that can cause pain or become irritable. Head sores may be caused by more than one reason, sometimes it can be excessive dandruff but in a lot of cases this can be a head lice infestation. The reason for sores can either be the scratching of the scalp or from head lice bites.

How can I get rid of an infestation?

There are many simple treatments available from all good pharmacies, these normally come in the form of shampoos or crèmes or even a fine louse comb to brush the lice out of the hair.