How Much Do You Know About Head Lice?
Head lice are insects that are found, as the name suggests, on the head. They
are common human parasites. Learn more about head lice by taking this quiz, based
on
information from the CDC.
1. Head lice usually are found behind the ears or at the back of the neck along the
hairline.
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They only live on the scalp and human hair. They aren't found on other parts of the
body. Body lice, which are not common in the U.S., are related to head lice but live
mostly on clothing, near the skin. A third type of lice found on humans is pubic or
crab lice. These are usually found in a person's pubic area.
2. Head lice get their nourishment from human hair.
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Head lice are parasites that feed on human blood. They bite the scalp but cannot burrow
into it. Head lice don't pass on infections through their bite, but their saliva and
feces can prompt an allergic reaction in some people. Even without an allergic reaction,
an itchy scalp caused by the lice bites may make it difficult to sleep.
3. Someone with head lice probably has dirty hair.
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Head lice are not affected by hair hygiene. Daily shampooing will not prevent head
lice or kill them. The lice are looking for human blood and don't care if hair is
clean or dirty.
4. Head lice travel from one person's head to another's by jumping.
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Head lice cannot jump or fly. They travel to another person's hair by head-to-head
contact, or by contact with a hat or hair accessory that is infected. Preschool and
elementary children and their families are most often affected. Girls are more likely
to get head lice than boys. Head lice can affect people across the country and at
all income levels.
5. Nits are baby head lice.
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Nits are head lice eggs. They are yellow or white ovals found within a quarter inch
of the scalp firmly cemented to the hair shaft. Nits found farther up the hair shaft
mean an old infestation. The eggs hatch in 8 days and then take another 8 days to
mature into an adult able to lay more eggs. A female louse has a life span of about
one month and lays 7 to 10 eggs a day. Nits are often confused with dandruff and other
hair debris such as hair spray droplets. Adult head lice are the size of a sesame
seed and tan to grayish-white in color.
6. The best way to treat head lice is by using really hot water when you wash your
hair.
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Hot water will not kill lice. But water itself will slow head lice down, so wet hair
will make it easier to comb them out. Special shampoos containing pesticides are available
to kill nits and lice. But many lice have become resistant to the pesticide shampoos.
These shampoos also pose a threat to kids by exposing them to toxic chemicals, especially
when given again and again. You can use a nit-removal comb to remove the lice and
nits by hand over a period of several days. Be sure to thoroughly clean the comb before
using it again.
7. If a child in your family has head lice, you should bag all clothing and toys the
child has used, then wait several weeks before unbagging.
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Experts used to recommend this procedure, but they now say it's not needed. Head lice
die within 24 to 48 hours of leaving a human host, so any lice that may end up on
clothing or toys will not survive. What is recommended is to wash any bed clothing,
pillowcases, sheets, towels, and scarves in hot water, then dry them on a hot air
cycle. Lice and eggs are killed after 5 minutes of exposure to temperatures greater
than 128.3 degrees. (Make sure the items are able to withstand the high heat.) Items
that can't be laundered may be sealed in a plastic bag for 2 weeks or dry-cleaned.
You don't need to over-vacuum a house or to use insecticides in the home to rid it
of lice. You should vacuum furniture, rugs, cars, and any stuffed animals not able
to be put in the clothes dryer.
8. Tell your children never to share hats with a friend, as a way
of preventing head lice.
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Besides hats, they
also should not share combs, hairbrushes, hair accessories, or towels with friends.
Pets
and other animals don't get head lice and are not involved in passing them from one
person to another. Your child cannot get head lice from a swimming pool, but could
get
them from infested towels. Tell your child not to use chairs, pillows, couches, or
beds
of a person with lice.
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