About Head Lice
What are head lice?
Head lice are tiny wingless insects that feed from the scalp by sucking blood. About the size of a sesame seed, head lice:
- Don’t jump or fly.
- Inject saliva into the skin, which can result in irritation and scratching.
- Crawl quickly and use six strong legs to cling to hair shafts.
- Are transparent as nymphs (newly-hatched) and turn a brownish colour after they ingest blood.
- Don’t transmit diseases or illness, so are not considered a health hazard.
Head lice life cycle
- A female louse lays five-to-six fertilized eggs each day then uses a sticky adhesive to glue the eggs to the hair shaft close to the scalp.
- The eggs hatch 9-10 days later.
- Nymphs look like adult louse, but are transparent until they feed on blood. Nymphs experience three stages before becoming a full adult in 9-15 days.
- Lice live approximately 30 days on a human head.
Nits
Head lice eggs are called nits.Smaller than head lice, nits:
- Are easier to detect because they can’t move.
- Are tear-drop shaped.
- Can be found in the warmest places on the head:
- Close to the scalp at the nape of the neck
- On the crown (top of the head), or
- Behind the ears
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How Head Lice Are Spread
Head lice are mainly spread via direct head-to-head contact.Head lice can also be spread indirectly when they are dislodged in:
- bed linen
- clothing
- combs
- earphones
- hats
- scarves
- sheets
- towels
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Head Lice Signs and Symptoms
- Unrelenting scalp itch
- Persistent head-scratching
- Scratch marks or a rash on the neck, crown of the head or behind the ears
