Head lice can be confusing and difficult to eradicate. To learn more about safe treatment options, click the blog header today.
Head lice can be difficult to define, even for parents. For example, even adults may be unaware that a louse is singular for lice. Confusion exists about head lice for numerous reasons. For one, lice carry a stigma. Parents often believe that head lice only infest “dirty” people when, in fact, the insects prefer clean heads. Additionally, no-nit policies at schools make infestations embarrassing for children, even though nits, or lice eggs, refer also to eggs that have already hatched or eggs that will never hatch. This broad definition, which is challenged by some, adds to existing misconceptions about lice. Finally, the CDC does not classify head lice as an official disease. For this reason, it is difficult to determine how many people are affected by head lice annually. Experts believe that anywhere from 12 to 25 million people experience lice infestations every year.
In short, head lice are parasites that only affect humans. Other primates like chimpanzees, have their own types of lice, which are genetically distinct from human head lice. Head lice cannot infest household pets, like dogs and cats. The insects are wingless and live only on the host scalp, where they feed on blood for survival. In addition, head lice have small, stumpy legs with claws on the end, and therefore do not jump either. Lice infestations spread from direct contact, when the insects crawl to a new human scalp. Head lice differ from body lice because they lay their eggs on hair shafts instead of clothing. Head lice are prehistoric, and experts believe that the current human head lice species dates back to 110,000 years ago.
Like other bugs, lice boast three distinctive body parts: a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. On their head, lice have two antennas and two eyes. The insects also have mouth parts, which are specifically designed to easily puncture the human scalp for feeding. On the thorax, lice have six legs. On the end of each leg, head lice have a claw, which allows them to travel around the human scalp on hair shafts. The abdomen boasts numerous breathing holes called spiracles. Like many other insects, male lice are smaller than female lice.
A louse lays nits close to the host’s scalp for warmth and proper development. The precise location of nits is climate and temperature dependent, again ensuring healthy development. A louse attaches the nit to a hair shaft by secreting a glue-like substance. This forms a sheath around the nit, and the sticky material quickly hardens to protect the embryo. Head lice eggs are oval shaped and brown, although after hatching they appear white. Nits are commonly mistaken for dandruff, which can make diagnosis difficult. Hatched nits are referred to as nymphs, which are simply young lice that have not reached sexual maturity.
All head lice exhibit similar behaviors, like feeding, migration, and positioning on the human scalp. For example, lice feed on human blood four to five times per day. Because they are wingless and cannot fly, head lice migrate by crawling to different hair strands. Finally, lice prefer to begin an infestation by inhabiting hair at the nape of the neck, or the hair behind ears, because these areas tend to be warmer.
This article describes head lice. To start an effective treatment plan today, click the blog header