Those who find themselves facing their first lice infestation, whether they are moms and dads or teachers and camp counselors, always have a lot of questions about Lice. And it is no wonder with all the misinformation and ineffective products out there! For direct answers to some of a lice victim’s most common inquiries, you’ve come to the right place.
If you have any futher questions, or would like to schedule an appointment with Nit Nabbers, please contact Barbara at nitnabbers@gmail.com
FAQs
What are head lice and nits?
Head lice, or Pediculus humanus capitis, are tiny parasitic insects that live on human heads and feed on human blood. They require human blood in order to survive. When head lice live long enough on a person’s scalp to multiply, it is referred to as an infestation.
Nits are head lice eggs. They take 6-9 days to hatch, but the hollow nit ‘shell remains glued to hair shaft.
What do head lice look like?
Lice are tiny; smaller than a grain of rice. An adult louse can be grey, tan, white, or reddish brown in color. A younger nymph louse is even smaller, about the size of a sesame seed, and is transparent except for a dark center.
Lice have six equally sized legs, but no wings. Because they have no wings, head lice can not fly. And their equally sized legs (no enlarged hind legs like crickets) make it impossible for them to jump either. Instead, a louse’s legs have a “hook” on the end that allow specially designed for climbing up a hair shaft.
What do nits look like?
Nits are the size of, or even smaller than, a poppy seed. They are oval and usually white or yellowish white in color. They change color as the louse develops inside.
An adult female louse can lay 3-10 eggs per day.
My child has nits, but I don’t see any bugs. How can that be?
After emerging from their egg as a nymph, lice only live another 25-30 days. It is possible that your child has the nits of a louse that has already died, or one that has moved on to another head. However, if you have nits, you have to have had adult bugs at some point. Also, adult lice will avoid light and move closer to the scalp and out of sight during a head check. It is very easy to miss the bugs, even with combing.
How do people get head lice?
Lice are generally transmitted by head to head contact. Remember, head lice do not jump or fly, so an adult louse can only crawl from one hair to another. Children ages 2-16 are more susceptible to head lice because of their close contact during play and interaction.
Lice can also be spread by sharing personal items such as combs, brushes and hair accessories, or towels, hats and clothing. It is also possible to contract lice by lying on a pillow, bed, couch, chair, carpet, or anywhere else that was recently used by an infested person, although this is far less likely than by head to head contact. It is estimated that less than 10% of lice infestations are picked up through the environment.
Where are children most commonly exposed to head lice?
Schools are often blamed as breeding grounds for lice, but head lice are no more common in schools than anywhere else. Children are equally likely to come in contact with lice outside school; at camp, sleepovers, sports activities, theater troupes, birthday parties, daycares, etc.
Should I be concerned about the rest of the family?
Nit Nabbers recommends head checks for the entire family if one member is infested. Furthermore, in order to control the spread of head lice, it is also important to inform anyone who has been in close contact with the infested person during the previous two weeks including classmates, teammates, and friends. Ideally, all infested individuals should be treated at the same time.
How do I know if my child has head lice?
The most common symptom of head lice is an itchy scalp. If you notice your child itching more frequently than normal, you should check for head lice.
Upon inspection of your child’s head, look for nits on the hair shafts within a quarter inch from the scalp. Unlike dandruff or residue from hair products, nits cannot be brushed or flicked off and are even difficult to manually pull out of the hair. You can also look for bugs that will be in the hair close to the scalp. They are tricky to find as they usually blend in with the hair color. If you are still unsure whether or not your child has lice, you can always contact us for a head check.
Can head lice live on any other part of the body?
No. There are other types of lice that are human parasites, and they are closely related to head lice. However, a head louse, or Pediculus humanus capitis, can only live on the head.Lice do not cause health problems but untreated have the possibility of a secondary infection due to deep scratching from an allergic reaction.
How is head lice treated?
Head lice have commonly been treated with over-the-counter shampoos that contain pesticides. However, these over-the-counter shampoos are becoming less and less effective against head lice, and many people find that they no longer take care of the infestation as they claim. Nit Nabbers does not use these shampoos, but rather uses 100% safe and natural products in conjunction with manual lice and nit removal techniques.
Why should I use your service instead of treating the lice infestation myself?
Nit Nabbers understands how difficult and frustrating treating a case of head lice can be, especially when it affects the whole family. Our trained lice removal professionals will take the worry and frustration out of your head lice infestation. We will treat your family as we would our own, thoroughly removing the head lice and nits in a timely manner without the use of pesticides.This sensitive predicament may be new to you but we have over 10 years experience at lice removal.We do ask that you wash at least 2x to get out any OTC toxins before we come.
How should I prepare for your appointment?
Please let your child know we are coming! You should also have the hair combed out as much as possible prior to the appointment. Our lice removal professional will bring everything that she needs for the appointment, but will need to set up near a sink in an area with sufficient lighting. The kitchen is routinely where we end up. In order for the treatment to be effective, Nit Nabbers would like to perform head checks on all the family members. Therefore, it is best if all family members can be home at the time of the appointment.We will start with family members whom we believe to be less likely and get them out of the way.