Head Lice
Head lice are tiny, crawling insects that live in the hair on your head. The most common symptom is itching, especially in the back of your head and neck and near your ears. Special medicated shampoos that contain a substance called pyrethrin's are available to kill lice.
What are head lice?
The hair on a person's head is home to small, crawling insects known as head lice. The lice attach their eggs, known as nits, to the hair that is exposed at the surface of your skin after sucking blood from your scalp to feed (hair shafts). A pediculosis is an infestation of head lice.
Who does head lice affect?
Although head lice can affect anyone, they tend to affect families with young children most frequently (ages 3 to 11). Children are more at danger because they play with other kids head-to-head and might exchange items that come in contact with their hair.
How common are head lice?
An estimated 6 million to 12 million persons worldwide are affected by head lice infestations each year. School-aged children are more likely to share combs, brushes, caps, and other items that come in contact with the hair, or to be in close proximity to one another.
What are the symptoms of head lice?
The most common symptom of head lice is itching, especially on the back of your head and neck and near your ears — areas where lice are more likely to live.
Symptoms of head lice include:
Feeling like something in your hair is moving (tickling).
Itching.
Sores from itching and scratching.
Difficulty sleeping.
Head lice are most active at night, which can disrupt sleep.
Frequent itching can break the skin on your head, which can lead to an infection.
How do you find and diagnose head lice?
By ocular examination, head lice are identified. You might be able to see the little white nits clinging to the hair shafts if you look closely at your child's hair on their scalp. While nits are similar to dandruff, they are harder to brush or shake out of the hair. Adult lice are challenging to see and can move swiftly.
If you think your child may have head lice, you can check them at home by slowly combing your child's hair with a fine-toothed comb or a head lice comb to look for nits or live lice.
How do you treat head lice?
Treatment for head lice includes using over-the-counter medicated or prescription shampoos, lotions or creams that eliminate head lice. Over-the-counter medicated shampoos contain a substance called pyrethrin or permethrin that kills lice and nits.
Lice and nits attach to the strands of your hair and can be hard to remove unless you use a fine-toothed comb to loosen them. After using a comb or brush, soak the comb in hot water for 10 minutes.
Make sure you follow the directions on over-the-counter medicines. The treatment is only successful if you follow the instructions on how to apply the treatment, how long you should leave it in your hair and how often you should repeat the treatment.
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