One possible sign of head lice is when you see your child scratching his head as he goes home from school. Before proceeding with any treatment, it is best to identify if it is really head lice. It is quite hard to see head lice as they can move fast and can get away even with a trained eye. We have this thinking that the lice cause itchiness. Actually, it is the saliva of the louse that initiates the reaction as it sucks the blood on the head.
Not all people experience this reaction. There is just one positive way to know if there are head lice or not. 5 safe and effective ways to cure head lice It is best to check the hair of your kids on a regular basis. Remember that if a child has nits, then he or she might also have lice.
What kinds of insects are you expecting to find?
Head lice are very small insects that have the ability to change color and may be very hard to find. It is greyish in color and has 6 legs with hooks. This is known to be a bloodsucking insect that feeds only on human blood. Once it takes its meal, then it changes into red. The usual measurement of an adult louse is 2-4mm and it lives on the scalp of humans. Their favourite areas are behind the ears and the nape since these are the coolest parts of the head. The louse lives in an environment between 28-32 degrees Celsius. Its life span is about 6-8 weeks.
The legs of a louse have hooks that it enables it to hang on to the hair and not fall of even with brushing. However,there are times that it falls and can transfer from one person to another. When talking about nits, these are being laid by the female louse. Its size is about one millimetre. Others might mistake it as dandruff but it actually sticks very well to the hair, even if the person shakes the head.
How can you easily know if it is a head lice?
It is easy to identify head lice if you use a very fine comb, which is a lice comb. You just have to wet your hair and use the comb to remove the lice. If you suspect of head lice but can’t find the actual culprit, you can also make us of anti-lice shampoos. However, one of its disadvantages is the strong chemicals in it which can intensify the itching on the head.
It is best to comb and look for lice in the areas mentioned below.
- Near the scalp: Usually, nits and lice are about an inch away from the scalp. This is the area where you should comb carefully and do it in sections.
- Back of the Ears – This is the favourite place of nits and lice. This is also the area where the female lice usually lays majority of the eggs.
- Nape/ Above the neck: For the same reason that lice loves to stay behind the ears, this is also their favourite place.
-Top of the head: Usually, a number of lice stay on top. Therefore, you should comb that area carefully to remove the nits and lice.
Once you are already confirmed of the presence of head lice, it is best to find a treatment for the person right away. There are so many great home remedies that you can try so that the lice will be removed and be ensured that they won’t be back.