Head lice have probably been around as long as humans. That said, there are few useful statistics available for estimating the prevalence of head lice infestation.
Head lice can make the most stoic adult squirm and itch. According to the Canadian Paediatric Society, one to ten per cent of elementary school children in Canada are infested with head lice at any given time.
What Do Head Lice and Nits Look Like
Adult lice are wingless parasites about two to three millimeters (mm) long, about the size of a sesame seed. They have claws for grasping and a pair of “chitinous” jaws to bite into the scalp. They live for 23 to 30 days. Females produce up to 140 eggs before they die.
The eggs, or nits, themselves are less than 1 mm in length. They range in color from creamy brown to grayish white, and glue themselves to the hair shaft close to the scalp, most often above and behind the ears and at the nape of the neck.
For more information and detailed pictures of head lice, nits, and other lice go to the Harvard School of Public Health web page.
By the way, lice don’t fly or hop, but crawl from head to head, preferring a clean dry head. And, anyone can be infected with head lice.
Do Head Lice Cause HarmThe Harvard School of Public Health indicate head lice rarely (if ever) cause direct harm, and they are not known to transmit infectious agents from person-to-person.
That said, the presence of head lice may cause itching and loss of sleep. And for some people, the louse's saliva and feces may sensitize people to their bites, thereby exacerbating the irritation and increasing the chance of secondary infection from excessive scratching.
Head Lice Developing Resistance to Some Anti-Lice Shampoos
Some mortified parents have learned these tiny blood sucking bugs have become immune to over-the-counter shampoos used to treat them. Studies have indicated nits, the bugs that hatch from lice eggs, have developed resistance to permethrin, the active ingredient in most anti-lice shampoos.
Resistant nits have been reported in other parts of the world and there is a very real concern Canadian lice could also develop resistance to over-the-counter anti-lice remedies.
Alternative Treatments for Head Lice
There are alternative treatments you can try to treat head lice. Consult your local pharmacist, or other health care professional. The following remedy may help:
- Mix equal amounts of mineral or vegetable oil with white vinegar, and then soak the hair with the solution. Then cover the hair with a shower cap for about one to two hours before rinsing and washing with regular shampoo.
- Nits should then be removed manually by stripping the hair using fingernails or a nit comb with teeth spaced less than 0.3 mm apart.
- Manual removal of head lice and nits is safer and more effective than chemical lice medicines.
Parents can pick up a pamphlet on: “How to Find, Treat and Prevent Head Lice” from their local Department of Health, Public Health Services, or Pharmacy.
Tips on how to prevent the spread of head lice:
- Check your child’s head regularly, about once a week as part of your routine, as well as after every sleep over and every day during lice outbreaks at school.
- Keep long hair tied back or braided.
- Teach your children not to share personal items that are used on the head. This includes: brushes, combs, barrettes, headbands, elastics, towels, hats, helmets, touques and scarves.
- Teach your children to put their hats and scarves in their coat sleeves or backpacks when they take them off at school.
Cheryl La Rocque - I have been a health writer and health columnist for over 19 years. I have enjoyed every moment informing readers on the latest in health ...
Join the Conversation