Lice

What are lice?

Louse (plural lice) is a parasite that attaches itself to human hair and feeds on human blood. The most prevalent kind of lice is head lice. The other kinds of lice are: Body lice and Pubic lice. Adult lice are about the same size of a sesame and can be very hard to see in the hair.

How do lice spread?

Lice infestations can happen to anyone, but they are a particular concern for school-age children. It’s important to emphasize that poor hygiene — such as skipped baths or showers or any other hygiene issue — is not typically the cause of head lice. Children who live in crowded conditions may have more of a problem with head lice. This is only because they’re living close to one another and may sleep in the same bed. There are only two ways head lice can spread from person to person. One is by direct head-to-head contact, as when children hug or put their heads together to look at the same book.

The other way is by sharing hats, caps, hair ties, hair nets, bonnets scarves, or any personal item such as combs or brushes. Body lice are spread by lice living on unwashed clothing. Unlike other kinds of lice, the spread of body lice can be prevented fairly simply. Clothes should be washed often after wearing, and you should avoid sharing clothing with others. Pubic lice (“crabs”) are spread through sexual activity. Children that contract pubic lice may be victims of sexual abuse.

Can lice be treated completely?

Getting rid of lice completely involves three steps. No matter what kind of lice you have, the treatment process is essentially the same:

• Kill the lice.
• Kill and remove the eggs.
• Decontaminate any affected areas and clothing.

The most common treatment product for lice involves pediculicide shampoo which is available in pharmacies. After applying this treatment to the affected area, hair should not be washed for up to two days. You can use a special comb called a “nit comb” to carefully remove the eggs that have attached themselves to the hair shaft. Apply olive oil to your hair before combing. This will help the lice and nits stick to the comb. Start combing at the scalp and work through the end of the hair. You’ll need to do this every 2 to 3 days until you have no more signs of lice or nits.

How do I treat my home to prevent reinfection?

There’s no need to use pesticides around your home. Lice can’t survive more than a couple of days off your head. The following methods can be used to kill lice on different items:

• Soak clothes and bedding in hot water before washing then dry in the hot sun.
• Soak hair brushes, combs, barrettes, and other hair accessories in hot water (54°C) — for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Sweep and mop floors, air out furniture in the sun.

If lice eggs aren’t destroyed properly during the initial treatment, or if you have repeated contact with a person who has not treated their lice infestation completely, you may find yourself experiencing repeated infestations. If this occurs, you should repeat the entire treatment seven days from your initial treatment date. Although getting lice is not a reflection of a person’s personal hygiene, it may be prudent to not share personal hygiene items with others to reduce your chances of getting head lice.