Symptoms of Head Lice

Head lice infestation, otherwise known as pediculosis, is common among people across the globe. It has been observed that schoolchildren, especially girls and their family members, are found to be commonly affected by this condition. It is also found that women are more prone to pediculosis, than men. According to some studies, around six to twelve million children in the United States, under the age of 11, are affected every year with head lice infestation.

What are Head Lice?

Head lice are blood sucking parasitic insects that inhabit the scalp (rarely on facial hair too) of human beings. These head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) feed on the blood of humans. When detected in large numbers, in a particular person's scalp, the condition is called pediculosis or head lice infestation. These wingless insects, which cannot jump or fly, undergo three stages during their life cycle. They are the nits, nymphs and adults. Nits refer to the eggs laid by the adult lice and are attached to the hair near the scalp with a strong cement-like substance. Some people mistake these nits for flakes of dandruff. The nymphs are the young ones, which resemble the adults, but are small in size. They transform to adults within a timespan of seven days. Adult lice have six legs, with claws attached to the end of each leg. These claws help them to hold on to the hair. An adult louse can live up to thirty days and an adult female can lay up to eight nits in a single day. These adults feed on human blood at least five times a day and inject saliva during the process to prevent blood clotting. Head lice are mostly seen behind the ear and near the neck of the infested person.

What are the Symptoms of Head Lice Infestation?

Head lice are transmitted through close contact with the infested person or by using any of his personal items, like hairbrush, hat, pillow, bed, etc. Head lice may not cause any symptoms for two to three months, after they have started to spread. The most common head lice symptom is an itchy scalp, but it may be totally absent in some people. It is believed that itching is caused by the saliva of the lice, that is injected into the scalp, while feeding on human blood. The immune system of the human body, releases some chemicals to counteract the saliva, which is a foreign body. The action of these chemicals at the site in the scalp causes itching. But itching may occur after three or four months of infestation.

Symptoms of head lice infestation include sores, which can be red and pustular. Normally, these sores are harmless, but may become sites for bacterial infections. Such sores are caused by the excessive scratching of the scalp, due to itching. Apart from itching and sores, the infested person can experience some sort of crawling sensation on the scalp, which can be very irritating. If you notice the presence of lice, nits or nymphs on your scalp, then it is a sure sign of head lice infestation. Some of the severe cases of pediculosis may be characterized by hair fall and darkening of some areas of the scalp, which are infested with lice. It has been observed that no serious side effect is caused by head lice infestation and these insects do not spread any disease.

You can get rid of these blood-sucking parasitic insects with the help of relevant medications. You can also resort to some home remedies for head lice. Meanwhile, beware of people infested with head lice. Avoid sharing personal items with others and using the ones owned by other people. Start your efforts to eliminate these parasites, as soon as you notice the first one in your hair. Above all, hair care should be a part of your daily routine, in order to ward off head lice infestation.