LICE

LICE & NITS IN A MINUTE

What are lice, exactly?

	Lice are tiny grey bugs that can thrive in any hair on a person's body: the head, eyelashes, body or pubic area. (Pubic lice does not always mean a person has had sexual contact.)
	The bugs hatch from white eggs (nits) and can cause severe itching. Lice is different from dandruff because it cannot be shaken off.

How does a person get lice?

	By sharing hairbrushes, caps, hats, scarves, clothing, towels or beds.
	By getting lice from other people. Since lice is common in school children, it is easily spread to other family members.

What are some signs of lice?

	Itching (sometimes severe) on the scalp, body or pubic areas where the lice is. Severe itching and scratching can cause sores which can become infected.
	Nits (white eggs) attach to hair. They are easier to see than lice because they are white and there are lots of them. (The hatched lice are tiny and grey.)
	Nits cannot be shaken off like dandruff.
	The back of the neck is a common place for the nits to be.
	Sometimes a red rash shows up, often on the scalp.

What should be done when lice are found?

	Check all family members for lice.
	Start treatments to kill all lice and nits.
	Have children stay home from school until the treatments are done.

NITS:

	Length: - 0.8 mm (about 1/4 length of a grain of rice)
	Hatch: - 7 days
	Color: - grayish white to brown
	Where found: - anywhere on the hair shaft, usually close to the scalp
	Nits stick to the hair and are difficult to remove

LOUSE:

	Length: - 1-2mm (about 1/2 length to whole grain of rice)
	Color: - grayish to brown (tends to be darker on person with dark skin)
	Matures: - in 8 to 10 days (immature louse is called a nymph)
	Eggs laid: - 3 to 4 per day by only the female (90 to 120 laid in a month)
	Life cycle: - 1 month

SYMPTOMS

Itching: is caused by blood sucking.

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SURVIVAL OFF HUMAN HEAD

	Nits: - viable up to 10 days
	Lice: - 1 to 3 days
	Host is a human (lice do NOT live on animals)

METHODS OF TRANSMISSION

	Wearing infested garments
	Using infested combs/brushes
	Lying on infested carpets/beds/furniture (fallen hair and nits may serve as vehicles of transmission)

DIAGNOSIS

Observing crawling louse/nymph and/or nits

LICE TREATMENT

Whatever treatment you use (either prescription or over-the-counter product), it's VERY important that the directions are followed.

To treat an infested person:

	Read treatment directions first before using (some are meant to be used on wet hair, some on dry hair.
	Perform treatment in a well lit room over the sink (not in the shower).
	Remove all clothing before performing treatment.
	Protect eyes with a clean dry towel.
	Apply treatment according to directions. Leave on for amount of time specified in the directions.
	Remove nits. Manual removal is the most effective method. Nit combs may be used for assistance, but will not remove all the nits. Combing hair toward the scalp may help to dislodge the nits easier.
	Put on clean clothing after the treatment and nit removal is complete.
	See list of alternative treatments, if conventional treatments aren't working.
	Check all household members for infestation.
	Wash sheets, clothes and towels in hot water and dry for 20 minutes in the dryer or hang the items to dry in the sun. Ironing wet, freshly washed items with a hot iron also kills the lice and nits.
	For items that can't be washed, keep them in a plastic bag for 1 month. The lice and nits will die after 3 weeks.
	Soak all combs and brushes in rubbing alcohol or anti-lice shampoo for 1 hour. Then, rinse with hot water.
	If lice are in the eyelashes, apply Petroleum Jelly twice a day for 8 days and the lice will die. Remove dead nits or lice from the eyelashes with a pair of tweezers.
	For body lice: Apply anti-lice cream to the body.
	ONLY THOSE INFESTED NEED TO BE TREATED!!!!!! TREATMENTS ARE NOT A PREVENTATIVE!!!!!

HINTS TO AVOID LICE

Head lice can easily be passed from one person to another.

Do's & DON'TS:

	Don't share combs, brushes, barrettes, hair ribbons, headbands, towels or other personal items.
	Don't share hats, sweaters, coats, scarves, helmets, headphones, pillows, or stuffed animals.
	Don't stack coats or hats with others.
	Do put your hat in coat sleeves.
	Do hang your coat so that it's not touching another person's coat or put the coat in a backpack or plastic bag.
	Do disinfect all of your combs or brushes before using them on hair.

For Alternative Lice Treatments Click HERE.

For more information contact your local health department or physician.

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