Head lice and how to beat them

The nasty critters can strike all year round but as everyone goes back to school in September, you're more than likely to receive the dreaded head lice letter home in the autumn term

Head lice. Two words that will make any parent shudder.

The tiny, wingless parasitic insects live among human hairs and feed on extremely small amounts of blood drawn from the scalp. We grant they sound gross, but in reality, head lice are just a very common and contagious nuisance.

School provides an ideal opportunity for spreading head lice, as close contact by children allow the lice to crawl from one head to another. In fact, around one in three children, between three and 12, will catch head lice at some point during the school year. 

And sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but adults can catch head lice too – all it can take is a quick cuddle with a head lice-infected child to start you scratching your head.  



What are head lice? 
Head lice are grey-brown coloured insects – when hatched, they’re around the same size as a pinhead and when fully grown, the size of a sesame seed. Unless you are looking for them, they can be hard to spot in a head of hair.

A female louse will lay eggs close to the hair root, where they are kept warm by the scalp. After seven to 10 days, the lice hatch and the empty white-coloured eggshells, or nits, remain. As the hair grows, these become more noticeable as they get carried away from the root. 

Head lice take six to 10 days to become fully grown. They are most contagious here, as they can crawl from head to head. To break the cycle, head lice must be removed within seven days of hatching. 



How can you spot head lice?
The first symptom is most likely itching, caused by an allergy to the lice. Excessive scratching may cause a bacterial infection, causing the skin to become red and tender. If this happens, take your child to the doctor, who can prescribe antibiotics. Children may complain of things tickling their heads. By parting the hair into small sections, you may see the lice or nits. Check behind the ears and around the nape of the neck, too. They can be tough to spot, however, as adult head lice tend to move fast.
The best way to find head lice is by using a special fine-toothed comb, available in most local chemists. Combing works better on wet hair, but can be used on dry hair. If you find a louse in your child’s hair, be sure check other family members too.
There are lots of myths surrounding head lice, but in reality most are false. Head lice don’t prefer dirty or clean hair, and it doesn’t have anything to do with poor hygiene, either. They’re simply after the scalp (aka dinner). Other false myths include their ability to fly, jump and swim, but in reality head lice can only crawl and spread through contact. Underwater, head lice cling onto hair for dear life, but will only drown after a long time (so don’t try this at home).

Your child has head lice, now what?

Firstly, write a note to the school. The school can then advise other parents to check their child’s head too – there is no point treating your child’s head for them to go back to school and become infected again. There is also no need to keep your children out of school when infected – they probably caught it there anyway.



Treating head lice

There are a number of medicated lotions or sprays, though it’s worth remembering not all products are 100% effective. These products are available at your local pharmacy, or prescribed by the doctor and come in two types:



1. Synthetic chemical insecticides –easy to use and with good outcomes in various studies. However, they can be prone to resistance. Products include Full Marks Mousse and Lyclear Creme Rinse. They also tend to be ‘once’ products, which is handy for busy families.



2. Natural insecticides – less prone to resistance, but often are not as comprehensive as their chemical counterparts – this includes Boots Head Lice Remover and Nitty Gritty solution. 

Speak to your pharmacist about which type is suitable for your child and experiment with different treatments. But remember, only use these treatments if you or your child actually has head lice, they’re not designed to prevent them. There are some shampoos that promise to prevent the lice appearing but take these with a pinch of salt as there’s really little you can do.

Yahoo Lifestyle

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