HEAD LICE TIPS
Head lice are not a health hazard or sign of uncleanliness and are not responsible for the spread of any disease. The most common symptom is itching. Individuals with head lice infestation may scratch the scalp to alleviate itching, especially behind the ears and at the nape of the neck, and there rarely may be a secondary bacterial infection.

Appearance:
1. an adult louse is 2-3mm long (size of a sesame seed)
2. pale gray to brown in color (may vary)
3. females live up to 3 – 4 weeks and lay approximately 10 eggs (nits) per day
4. nits are tiny, whitish and firmly attached to the hair shaft close to the
scalp with a glue-like substance produced by the louse
5. in general, nits found more than 1 cm from the scalp are unlikely to be viable
6. viable nits may be camouflaged with pigment to match the hair color of
the infested person; they appear to have an “eye spot”
7. Empty nit casings are easier to see as they appear opaque white against
darker hair
Viability:
1. Nits take 10 – 14 days to hatch and grow for approximately 9 – 12 days
2. the mature louse mates and the females lay eggs and if NOT treated may
repeat itself every three weeks
3. viability is on the human head only with feeding by injecting small amounts of
saliva and taking tiny amounts of blood from the scalp every few hours
4. lice survive for up to 24 hours off the human scalp at normal
temperature and eggs cannot hatch at an ambient
temperature lower than that near the scalp


Transmission:
1. lice crawl; they do not hop or fly
2. occurs in most cases by direct contact with the head of another infested
individual
3. indirect spread through contact with personal belongings of an infested
individual (combs, brushes, hats) is much less likely but cannot be excluded
4. lice found on combs are likely to be injured or dead, and a healthy louse is not
likely to leave a healthy head
5. most common in children ages 3 - 12

Prevention:
? It is probably impossible to totally prevent head lice infestations. Young
children come into close head-to-head contact with each other frequently.

? It is prudent for children to be taught not to share personal items such as
combs, brushes, and hats

? Affected children should be treated promptly to minimize the spread to others.

Treatment:

1. consult your health care provider for appropriate treatment and follow
directions.

2. use of a fine-tined metal comb may be helpful in removing nits for aesthetic
reasons.
3. all household members of the infected individual should be checked at home
and only those found with live lice or nits within 1 cm of the scalp should be
treated.

4. it is prudent to clean hair care items and bedding of the infested individual .
5. other items, furniture, clothing or carpeting that have been in contact with the
head of the individual with infestation in the 24 to 48 hours before treatment
should be considered for cleaning/vacuuming (louse survival off the scalp
beyond 48 hours is extremely unlikely).
6. washing, soaking, or drying items at temperatures greater than 130’F will kill
any stray lice or nits.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Health Office.