Head lice are the bane of parents of school aged children everywhere as outbreaks are common in schools each and every year. However, armed with accurate head lice information, you can safeguard your family and your household from these harmless but bothersome parasites.
What Are Head Lice?
The first crucial bit of information you should know is that these tiny bugs are responsible for millions of outbreaks every year and they are far more common in children than adults. They are also a rare occurrence in African Americans as lice prefer hair that is shaped differently so they are able to grip the hair shaft easier.
Although being infested with lice can be rather embarrassing, especially for a school age child, they are not an indication of being dirty or unkempt and perhaps most comforting to parents, they do not pose any health hazards and are not capable of transmitting disease.
Head Lice Information about Stages and Life Cycles
Head lice, or Pediculus humanus capitis, have three life stages, nit, nymph, and adult with a life cycle that takes approximately one month to complete. Nits, which are lice eggs, are extremely small, about 0.8mm by 0.3mm, and oval shaped. Nits are laid on the base of the hair shaft by adult female lice where they attach tightly. The nits will hatch anywhere from six days to two weeks after being laid and then release a nymph.
Nymphs, which leave behind a white or gray colored shell that will eventually turn a dull yellowish color, resemble adult lice but are slightly smaller. Before a nymph becomes an adult louse it will go through a metamorphosis and molt or shed its outer exoskeleton three more times. And, the entire process of transitioning from nymph to adult louse takes anywhere from one to two weeks with most maturing after seven days.
The adult louse is rather active, which is very helpful information to know when it comes time to dealing with an infestation. Although they cannot fly, they do move quickly and can be hard to spot. In most cases, it is the nits or nymphs, or perhaps the itching from the adult lice, which will be the primary signs that the insects are present.
An adult louse has a lifespan of as long as one month or 30 days and a female adult can lay as many as eight nits each and every day, which explains why infestations can come about so quickly.
When checking the hair for head lice, looking closely to the scalp, no more than a quarter inch away, for nits, which will be difficult to remove unlike dandruff or flakes of dry skin. If the infestation is severe, you may need to ask your doctor for more help for treatments that may be needed for infection, but in most cases, it's possible to eradicate the household of lice with over-the-counter treatments or one of several home remedies.
What Are Head Lice?
The first crucial bit of information you should know is that these tiny bugs are responsible for millions of outbreaks every year and they are far more common in children than adults. They are also a rare occurrence in African Americans as lice prefer hair that is shaped differently so they are able to grip the hair shaft easier.
Although being infested with lice can be rather embarrassing, especially for a school age child, they are not an indication of being dirty or unkempt and perhaps most comforting to parents, they do not pose any health hazards and are not capable of transmitting disease.
Head Lice Information about Stages and Life Cycles
Head lice, or Pediculus humanus capitis, have three life stages, nit, nymph, and adult with a life cycle that takes approximately one month to complete. Nits, which are lice eggs, are extremely small, about 0.8mm by 0.3mm, and oval shaped. Nits are laid on the base of the hair shaft by adult female lice where they attach tightly. The nits will hatch anywhere from six days to two weeks after being laid and then release a nymph.
Nymphs, which leave behind a white or gray colored shell that will eventually turn a dull yellowish color, resemble adult lice but are slightly smaller. Before a nymph becomes an adult louse it will go through a metamorphosis and molt or shed its outer exoskeleton three more times. And, the entire process of transitioning from nymph to adult louse takes anywhere from one to two weeks with most maturing after seven days.
The adult louse is rather active, which is very helpful information to know when it comes time to dealing with an infestation. Although they cannot fly, they do move quickly and can be hard to spot. In most cases, it is the nits or nymphs, or perhaps the itching from the adult lice, which will be the primary signs that the insects are present.
An adult louse has a lifespan of as long as one month or 30 days and a female adult can lay as many as eight nits each and every day, which explains why infestations can come about so quickly.
When checking the hair for head lice, looking closely to the scalp, no more than a quarter inch away, for nits, which will be difficult to remove unlike dandruff or flakes of dry skin. If the infestation is severe, you may need to ask your doctor for more help for treatments that may be needed for infection, but in most cases, it's possible to eradicate the household of lice with over-the-counter treatments or one of several home remedies.