Head lice are tiny six- legged blood- sucking wingless parasites that live in your hair. Their bodies are translucent with a hard eco- skeleton shell. Lice have 6 legs; each leg is equipped with a crab- like claw enabling them to grab onto a single strand of hair. All 6 legs are at the top of the body so lice can’t jump. They can vary in color from greyish white to reddish brown. A lice will tend to adapt to the color of the hair that they are living in. a single adult hair lice is usually 2-3 mm long. Adult female lice are usually longer and wider than the male lice.
Where does head lice come from?
Head lice has been around for thousands of years. In Brazil they have uncovered a mummy with nits in the hair dating back 10,000 years. Lice combs have been unburied dating back to 1,500 B.C. As long as human being existed, lice have been around as well.
How do we get head lice? How are lice spread?
In almost all cases, lice are transmitted from one human head to another. A lice has antennae located in front of their eyes. This enables them to detect odor, humidity, and temperature. Once a lice feeds on a particular blood type they must stay with that blood type.
The chances of contracting head lice from your environment are about 2%. It is always good practice to communicate with people you have been in close contact with and let them know they should check their heads for lice. We would recommend informing anyone that you have had close contact with within the previous 2 weeks. This will decrease the chance of contracting lice again.
How many eggs will a female lice lay in a day?
The female lice only needs to mate once in her lifetime and will remain pregnant until she dies- her lifespan is typically 30-35 days. 24 hours after mating the female will begin to lay her eggs. A single female lice will lay 4 to 5 eggs (nits) in a cluster twice a day. When the eggs are laid the female lice will secrete a liquid over the nits that cements them to the hair shafts. A healthy female will lay approximately 200 eggs during her lifetime.
How fast does lice accumulate?
Week 1: 1 adult / 60 eggs / 0 nymphs.
Week 2: 1 adult / 60 eggs / 60 nymphs
Week 3: 61 adults / 3660 eggs / 60 nymphs
Week 4: 61 adults/ 3660 eggs / 3660 nymphs
Week 5: 3660 adults / 219,600 eggs / 3,660 nymphs
Head lice life cycle:
The female lice will begin to lay eggs within 24 hours of getting pregnant. She will lay 4-5 eggs twice a day until she dies, which is about 20 days after becoming an adult. The eggs are cemented on the hair shaft closest to the head scalp. 7-10 days after being laid the egg hatches and a baby lice emerges. The baby lice (nymph) will go through 3 stages, each stage lasting 3 to 4 days.
Can head lice transmit diseases?
Head lice have a relatively short lifespan of 30-35 days, and they typically remain on a single host for their existence. As a result, the chances of these parasites transmitting diseases are exceeding low. Nevertheless, it’s important to note that secondary infections can arise from scratching and inadequate treatment, which may pose health concerns.
Do household pets get lice?
No – pets cannot get human head lice. There are over 3000 species of lice, but they are host-specific – meaning they cannot transfer to/from different species. In other words, the head is lice human-specific and pet lice would be in the form of fleas.
Does race and ethnicity play a role in contracting head lice?
Head lice do not discriminate – as long as you have hair on your head, you can get head lice. However, because an African American hair strand is a different shape, it is somewhat difficult for lice to attach to the hair strand, but this does not exclude African Americans from contracting head lice.
What are the common symptoms of head lice?
Rash-like bumps on head (behind ears, crown), neck and shoulders.
Itching – sometimes more at night (as lice are nocturnal)
Increased itching day by day
Immune system lowered due to lack of REM sleep
First-time infestations may not show any signs for up to 2 weeks
Why do we itch from lice bites?
A single lice will feed every 3-4 hours. When they bite us, they secrete a small amount of saliva. As this saliva builds up due to numerous bites, most of us will develop an allergic reaction to the lice saliva in the form of itching. The itch will be more prevalent in the morning and at night and will increasingly get worse the longer the lice is left untreated. A small percentage of the population is asymptomatic to the lice bites and will not react. Once you have contracted lice the first time, any future infestations will cause symptoms to surface earlier.
Will head lice go away on its own?
There is a slim possibility that an unfertilized female or a lone male. In most lice cases it is required to treat as you wouldn’t know if eggs were laid or not.
