Expanding Your Knowledge Of Head Lice

Believe it or not, head lice facts are not common knowledge among the general public because people only learn about lice, head lice removal and head lice treatments when they are faced with a situation that forces them to deal with it such as their child bringing home an infestation. The key to treating head lice is to understand it. Understanding the basics of head lice eliminates the possibility of panic, taking drastic or dangerous measures and making it a bigger deal than it really is. The truth is, kids get head lice and it’s not a big deal. We get rid of it for you no problem and then it’s over with! We think it’s important for parents to understand head lice BEFORE they have to deal with it; that way they are prepared. Leave it to us, the head lice experts.

What Are Head Lice?

Head lice are parasitic insects. The singular term for lice is louse. Head lice need a human host to provide an environment where they can live and multiply by laying eggs. They eventually become one big happy family on your head. Head lice go back to ancient times. Could you imagine what head lice removal must have been like for ancient Egyptians? Head lice have evolved with humans for hundreds of thousands of years and have genetically mutated into stronger and more resistant lice, now being resistant to many head lice treatments. There are different types of lice but since we treat head lice, and head lice are most common, that is what we are going to focus on. Head lice can only survive on a human scalp where they feed on human blood. They are like tiny, little itchy vampires. They also must have hair to cling onto. Hair strands are where head lice and the scalp is their feeding source to survive. They have six little claws that allow them to claw their way around and attach to human hairs close to the scalp where they get blood.

How Does Someone Get Infested With Head Lice?

The most common way to contract head lice is through head-to-head contact. Children between the ages of 4 and 18 are most-likely to contract head lice and those in elementary school are even more likely. Since head lice cannot jump or fly, heads have to literally touch each other for lice to go from one head to another. Another way to contract head lice is by using a comb or brush off someone who has it or laying on a blanket that a louse has crawled onto. It can also happen by sharing a scarf, hat or item of clothing with someone who is infested. One of the biggest misconceptions is that head lice can jump from head to head. They don’t have grasshopper legs or wings. They only have little claws.

Lice Cycle Of A Louse

You know the cycle of life but do you know the cycle of lice? They start as a little nit (lice egg). A female louse lays about 6-7 eggs every day and within 7-10 days, those eggs hatch. Nits are tiny yellow/whitish specks that feel like grains of sand and they secret a glue-like substance that glues them to the hair, very close to the scalp. Nits are the most challenging part of head lice removal. In fact, that’s where the term “nitpicker” derived from. After about 10 days, a louse has grown into adulthood.

Breakfast, Lunch And Dinner

Just like us, head lice need to eat several times a day. Lice cannot survive without human blood for more than 24 hours so they can’t live in your home for more than a day. They will not survive on your pets, either. Nits need a human host to survive. They also need hair to latch onto. So if you’re bald, you don’t have to worry one bit. Your home cannot become infested with lice because they will die before they can hatch eggs.

Head Lice Removal

Our clinic specializes in head lice removal and we have the best treatment on the market. These days, super lice are making more and more appearances in elementary schools and parents are finding out the hard way that over-the-counter lice shampoos and treatments just don’t work. Not only is this a waste of money but it is also a waste of time. We use a revolutionary and FDA-cleared device that is guaranteed, safe and comfortable for children.

We know that lice are no fun. Give us a call and we’ll make you an appointment for the fastest and most effective treatment on the market.