are parasites that live by infesting humans and sucking their blood. There are several types of lice including:

Head lice that cause intense itching on the scalp, especially behind the ears and at the nape of the neck. They are highly contagious and frequently affect school children because they can easily jump from child to child. The lice are about the size of a sesame seed and can be easily seen. However, their eggs are not so easily seen.

Body lice that cause unexplained scratch marks on the body, hives, eczema, and red pimples. They are nearly identical in appearance to head lice but are more difficult to find. They occur less often than head lice and need to feed regularly. They thrive in conditions in which the person does not change clothes very often. When not feeding, they tend to hide in clothing and bedding.

Pubic lice that cause continual itching around the pubic area. They are crab like insects which cling to the pubic hair and transmitted by close personal or sexual contact.

Cause:
Contrary to common belief, lice are not related to poor hygiene, except occasionally in the case of body lice. Lice will transfer from host to host and especially thrive in densely populated areas.

The female head louse lives for about 14 to 20 days, laying about 200 eggs in a lifetime. The female louse lays eggs (known as nits) on the hair shaft itself, as close to the scalp as possible. The eggs are attached to the hair with a cement like bond that allows the nits to adhere to the hair shaft despite regular combing and washing. The eggs normally hatch in 7 to 10 days. Following its birth, the louse must obtain a blood meal from the host within 24 hours or it will not survive. The louse matures sexually in 7 to 10 days, meets a louse of the opposite sex and the cycle begins all over again. This is why mechanical removal of the nits is critical in treating head lice.

Head lice are small, wingless insects that feed on human blood and need human blood to survive. They are crawling insects. They cannot hop, jump or fly.

Head lice are clear in color when hatched and develop a reddish-brown color after feeding.

Nits (the eggs of the head louse) are oval shaped and grayish-white in color. They can be found attached to the hair shaft at an angle.

Do not confuse nits with common hair debris. Nits are always the same shape and are smaller than a sesame seed.

It takes approximately 7 to 10 days for a nit to hatch and then another 7 to 10 days for the female to mature and begin laying her own eggs.

Head lice are usually found on school-aged children, between the ages of 5 to 12. Kids this age are usually affectionate, physical and like to share hats, scarves, combs, hair accessories, helmets, baseball hats, headphones and clothes. Young girls are especially prone to head lice because they are sociable and like to trade clothes and hair implements.

Head lice do not thrive on pets; they need human blood to survive.

Many people associate head lice with uncleanliness or poor personal hygiene, but anyone can get head lice. Actually head lice prefer clean hair to dirty hair.

Scratching is one of the first signs of head lice, especially behind the ears and the nape of the neck.

Head lice are not harmful, but they are an annoyance and are contagious. An estimated 6 to 12 million school children a year get head lice in the US.

If head lice are found on your child's head, please contact the school or daycare.

Several products kill adult lice, but NO product kills 100% of lice eggs (nits). The best method of eliminating lice is MECHANICAL REMOVAL. To be sure that no nits survive and hatch, you must remove them completely from hair, clothing, bedding and towels.

Vacuuming is an important safeguard that can be done on areas or items that may have been in contact with those infested. Washing clothing, bedding, towels and stuffed animals in hot water and drying with heat is another precaution. Combs, brushes and other hair accessories should be washed in hot water daily to remove dead lice.

Traditional Treatment:
Your doctor can attempt to remove the lice - this can take time as they can also be in clothes and bed linen.

There are treatments available in pharmacies that will get rid of head lice. They are usually in the form of a shampoo.

In the meantime, it is advisable that people infected with lice stay away from others to avoid spreading the lice. Continually wash and sterilize all bed linen, clothing and towels and face cloths.

To treat body lice, wash the entire body with soap and water. If this is not effective, you may have to use an insecticide preparation, which usually kills all the lice. As above, wash all clothing and bed linen, towels and face washers.

Prevention:
It is vital to try to prevent major outbreaks of this condition, especially head lice. Notify your school authorities if you suspect your child has head lice.

Seek medical advice when:
You are unable to get rid of lice or if scratching has led to infection.

The information offered in this web site is not intended for self-diagnosis or as a substitute for consultation with a medical practitioner. Unless otherwise indicated, the information offered has not been evaluated by the FDA or Health Canada.

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