When you purchase through links on our site , we may earn an affiliate charge . Here ’s how it works .
A sesame seed - size of it parasite that feeds on human blood , the heading louse ( Pediculus humanus capitis ) is a nuisance known around the world . These flyspeck worm infest human hair and can also sometimes be found in the eyebrows and lash .
An reckon 6 million to 12 million forefront louse infestations occur each class in the United States among children years 3 to 11,according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC ) . While schooling - long time tiddler are believed to be those most commonly affected by lice , it ’s possible for mass of any age to become infested with these flightless plague .
Signs & symptoms
Some the great unwashed with insect never realize they ’re infested . However , there are several telltale signal that the bugs are present on the scalp , harmonise to the Mayo Clinic . These include :
Some masses with louse may also develop sore on their scalp . Such sores are potential the effect of bacterium from the person ’s own body infecting an opening in the skin made by fret , according to the CDC . Some people may scratch their scalp new due to the scabies and get skin infections , said Margaret Khoury , a pediatric infectious disease specialist with Kaiser Permanente .
Because principal louse are not known to spread disease in the United States , they should not be considered a " medical or public wellness endangerment , " harmonize to the CDC . Lice are also not indicatory of poor hygienics , Khoury said . However , several subject field conduct in recent twelvemonth in other areas of the public , admit Africa , suggest that sure species of head lice are capable of pack infective disease .
One study , outline in the May 2013 issue of the journal Emerging Infectious Disease , found that foreland lice in the Democratic Republic of the Congo could spread plague . Andanother cogitation , outlined in the same diary in May 2014 , find that human body lice carrying a pathogen that can cause oceanic abyss fever — among other disease — can also inhabit human haircloth .
Diagnosis & tests
The best way to reassert an active lice infestation is to rule a live louse on the principal , according to theAmerican Academy of Pediatrics(AAP ) . Because lice move quickly and stave off light , it ’s best to break for them after wetting the hair , which some expert say slows the dirt ball down .
The most effective way of life to condition for lice is to apply a louse combing , harmonize to the AAP.In a studypublished in 2001 in the daybook Pediatric Dermatology , research worker found that using a worm combing was four times more effective than simply doing a visual bridle of the scalp for lice and that checks with the louse coxcomb could be perform two times faster than visual checks .
Dandruff , dirt and other common rubble found in the hair are commonly confused for louse , accord to the CDC . Therefore , the best person to execute a head confirmation for lice may be someone prepare to key out these parasites , like a health care provider or school nurse .
If no unrecorded lice are found on the scalp , finding nits unwaveringly impound to the tomentum shaft within a tail inch of the scalp may indicate that a person is overrun , according to the CDC . However , it ’s important to confirm that an infestation of fountainhead lice is actually active before pursuing treatment , according to the AAP .
Nits from previous lice infestations can remain attached to haircloth shafts , even if no live lice are present on the scalp . To make future diagnosis of lice easier , as well as to guarantee that no living nit remain in the fuzz , all nits should be hit from the hair , even after the infestation has been cover , accord to the National Pediculosis Association(NPA ) , a non-profit-making organization that does not digest the use of insecticides to treat plant louse .
Treatment & medication
The ideal handling is one that is " completely safe , free of harmful chemicals , pronto available without a prescription , easy to apply and cheap , " accord to the AAP .
There are several treatment options for those with head lice , including shampoo and creams that contain pediculicide , or insecticides that kill lice , as well as comb the hair with a louse comb that slay plant louse and nit . Neither one of these treatments options is 100 pct effective at remove all lice or nits from hair .
When choosing a treatment for lice , people should be cognizant that , in some area of the United States and Europe , insect have developed resistance to some of the most common pediculicides found in both over - the- counter and prescription louse treatments . The CDC recommends consulting with a doctor or pharmacist to determine what treatment are adept to use . Khoury , along with the AAP , advocate that lice should first be treated with an over - the retort medicinal drug first and move on to prescription medicinal drug if the over - the - counter discourse is unable or there are potential allergic reaction .
If no resistance to insecticide is suspected , the AAP recommends using mathematical product that contain pediculicides known as pyrethrins or the chemical substance permethrin . However , these chemical are make love to be toxic to humans and should be used with care , consort to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry .
" Permethrin has been the most studied pediculicide in the United States and is the least toxic to mankind , " Khoury secern Live Science . She added that while pyrethrins are construct with lifelike extracts from chrysanthemum and have passing humble perniciousness , those with known allergy to the flush , similar plants , or ambrosia can develop allergic reaction .
If you choose to use a chemical treatment for lice , be certain to follow dose instructions correctly and look up with your health care provider if you design to use these treatments on a child under historic period 2 , according to the CDC . Khoury recommended making certain that you pay particular attention to the directions on both over the counter and prescribed medication , include how long the medicament should be go away in , how it should be launder out , how often doses should be given , O.K. ages , and any allergic reaction or chemical info .
To understate exposure to the insecticide found in lice discussion shampoo , rinse the scalp and haircloth well with cool water after applying these product and hear to nullify exposing skin ( other than the skin on the scalp ) to these product , according to theCanadian Pediatric Society . If you are bathing a youngster , rinse the treatment out of the hair over a sink . Do not commit the child in a bathroom as the hair is being wash .
If the plant louse in your area are resistant to permethrin and pyrethrins , the AAP recommend using a intersection containing 0.5 percent malathion , another insecticide that is scratch into the hair and scalp . Malathion has not been deemed safe or good to apply in children young than 6 , and the ware is not safe to use in children young than 24 calendar month , according to the AAP . Neither malathion nor permethrin and pyrethrins effectively wipe out all of the bollock stages of lice . This means that these chemicals postulate to be reapplied to the scalp seven to 10 sidereal day after the initial treatment .
There are also several other chemicals that can be used to treat louse , include lindane , which is usable as a cream or a shampoo . This chemical has been known to cause terrible seizures in small fry and can not be prescribe to individuals who weigh less than 110 pounds ( 49.9 kilo ) , according to the AAP . Other chemical substance treatments have also been link up to dangerous side force in nipper , which is why organizations such as the NPA do not recommend the purpose of chemic treatments for lice .
The manual removal of louse recommended by the NPA can be performed using the same eccentric of amercement - toothed louse combing used to delay the scalp for insect . Louse coxcomb can be used on wet or dry hairsbreadth , though some expert hint that comb out lice and nits is easier on wet hair . Some multitude may also care to use a conditioner before combing out the hair , according to the NPA .
Preventing the spread
Once a case of head louse is confirmed , the good way to prevent bedcover is to thoroughly treat and get rid of the head lice . Avoiding mind - to - head striking as much as possible will also help oneself curb an infestation , according to the CDC .
Although a less - frequent cause of banquet , lice can locomote from one person to another via share clothing and accessories , such as chapeau , skirmish and hair’s-breadth accessary . People with insect should deflect sharing these item with others , and should also forefend partake in a bed with siblings or friends . Though rare , lice can spread from mortal to person through infested upholstery or bottom linen .
Once a person is treated for lice , all bedding , upholstered piece of furniture , carpets , hairbrushes and other items that had direct contact with that individual ’s scalp should be thoroughly clean , allot to the CDC . apparel and bedding can be lave in red-hot water , hairbrushes and tomentum accessories can be boil , rug or other non - washable item can bedry cleaned , and items that ca n’t be washed or dry clean can be salt away in airtight containers for several hebdomad to insure that live louse and nits do not hold up .
at long last , vacuum carpeted floor and make clean all furniture to forestall the spreading of sucking louse to others . Measures such as fumigation are not necessary and should be forefend , according to the CDC .
Households with pets do not have to interest about lice infestation affect to the menage kat or dog . The CDC say that caput lice do not live on pet ( lice are species - specific ) and are not involve with the public exposure of an infestation .
While some schools pursue a " no - nit " policy that demand children with louse to remain at home , the AAP does not recommend such policy . The NPA , however , supports stringent no - nit insurance in schools .
extra reporting by Rachel Ross , Live Science Contributor .
Additional resources
