Head lice – symptoms, diagnosis, treatment. How to prevent head lice?

Proven content

Head lice can be infected through borrowed combs, headgear, less often through direct contact. It is a parasitic disease that is caused by both human and pubic lice. Head lice is commonly referred to as vagabond disease or vagrant disease.

What is head lice?

Head lice is caused by parasites that feed on blood sucked from the human body. Just because someone has head lice in their head doesn’t mean they are dirty and don’t care about personal hygiene, although there is still a belief. There are stereotypes that portray lice as a problem of dirt and poverty. However, the truth is slightly different – head lice can occur in any person, even those who are obsessive about hygiene, direct contact with an infected person is enough. Head lice infection can occur as a result of direct contact with a sick person, but also through the use of the same towels, dishes or hair accessories. Lice are transmitted when they come into contact with the head of an infected person. Very often, lice can be observed with the naked eye, because lice lay eggs (nits) during their development. Head lice is a problem that mainly affects children, it is very easy to get infected, for example, at school, kindergarten or nursery. The presence of lice often forces children to scratch excessively, putting themselves at risk of developing an infection.

Head lice – how do we get infected?

We become infected with lice mainly during contact with a sick person, most often lice are located on the hairy scalp. Everyone has the same risk of contracting head lice. Parasites have the ability to spread from children to parents or other people nearby. Head lice is more common in girls than in boys because they come into contact with other people’s hair more often while playing. Lice can easily get from one head to the other, although they cannot jump, they move very quickly. It is worth noting that lice can also spread to various items, such as a towel, brush or hat, which come in contact with our hair one after another. Lice most often attack in the warmer seasons of the year.

As mentioned above, head lice infection can happen even when we use someone’s towel, comb or borrow a scarf. Also, sleeping in the same bed with an infected person is a high risk, and the same applies to sleeping on an infected pillow.

To reduce the risk of head lice, try Lice Out – a spray to prevent head lice. You should spray it on dry hair, and the essential oils will effectively repel lice.

What are the symptoms of head lice?

A patient with head lice feels:

1. itchy scalp; parting your hair, you can find the parasite itself, the hair is covered with oval lice eggs, the so-called nits;
2. the need to scratch due to persistent itching of the skin;
3. lice bites can cause small reddish lumps on the scalp; itching and scratching become the cause of secondary lichen;
4. a strange feeling that something is moving in the hair and scalp;
5. enlarged lymph nodes in the neck;
6. yellow or brown nits that often stick to the hair;

Important! Itching of the scalp is a very obvious symptom of head lice, but it does not always indicate this ailment. Dandruff or dry scalp also make us feel the need to scratch constantly. In addition, it happens that our scalp begins to itch even several weeks after being attacked by lice.

Diagnosis of head lice

Recognizing the problem of head lice is possible even at home. All we need is a simple comb to gently comb the hair over a white sheet of paper or other similar material. In this way, we are able to observe mature specimens. If we want to check if our child has head lice, we should place them under a lamp with bright light, and then part the hair slowly combing. Thanks to this, we can observe not only mature lice, but also nits, which are easier to find because they are firmly attached to the hair and are difficult to remove.

It is also worth checking the skin just behind the ears and on the nape of the neck, as very often nits are located in these places. The eggs are yellow or brown in color, while adult lice are light brown and move very quickly.

Treatment of head lice

Head lice can be treated at home with preparations prescribed by a doctor, remembering to repeat the treatment, because anti-lice drugs do not work on nits. Useful in treatment are also over-the-counter shampoos, whose task is to destroy mature lice (try, for example, the Lice Shampoo SILENT, which you can buy at Medonet Market at a promotional price). You should see a dermatologist if you notice that the shampoos have no effect. In addition, we can get various types of balms with malathion or benzyl alcohol and lindane shampoos on the market. After washing the head with a special shampoo, thoroughly brush any dead individuals and nits from the hair. It is best to do this with a special comb with very dense teeth. Buy the lice comb QUIET now at Medonet Market. We also recommend Vitamma Fino’s lice and nits comb set.

In order for the parasites not to spread, all personal items should be cleaned and disinfected, such as hair brushes, combs, hair care accessories or headphones – they are a cluster of head lice. Items that may have come into contact with lice in the last two days are best sealed in a plastic bag and placed in the freezer for one day. In addition, pillows, sheets, towels, blankets etc. that have recently come into contact with lice should be washed in hot water (in a washing machine). It would be a good idea to put these things in a high temperature dryer afterwards.

As more than 50 hairs fall out of our heads every day, we must not forget to thoroughly clean and dust the floors, furniture and carpets. This is important to make sure the lice or nits are gone.

Prevention of head lice

To avoid contracting head lice, follow the advice below.

1. Explain to your child that they should not share personal items with other people. This is especially true for brushes, hats, combs, hair styling accessories, towels, scarves – lice can often be found in these items.

2. Both children and adults should not touch sofas, chairs or pillows if there is a person infected with head lice in the environment.

3. If parents have received information about the presence of head lice at school, they should carefully observe their child’s scalp. Prophylactically, it is worth buying products impregnated with essential oils that repel lice, for example, hair bands for lice. Lice-quiet or Lice patches.

4. Check your baby’s scalp and hair regularly.

5. Make your child aware that they should not touch the hair or scalp of other children with head lice.

6. Take an overview of the clothes your child has worn in the last few days.

7. Check for any items in your home that may have lice or nits on them

Read also: Pubic lice