nits When I was in Scotland last year, I discovered that nit is what Head Lice are known as. Here in the U.S. we have been calling them head lice, or simply lice.

Do dogs and cats contract or transmit head lice? No, head lice do not like your family pets and they cannot contract head lice. Head Lice like humans. Lice like our scalps and they like our hair. Head Lice are only able to survive on human scalps where their entire life cycle takes place.  Head Lice are called “obligate” parasites.  Obligate means the parasite is specific to one particular host, and one specific area on that host.  An obligate parasite is not interested in other hosts such as cats or dogs or hamsters, etc. It turns out that your pets have separate, and different, obligate parasites such as ticks, fleas, and mites.  We have three different types of lice that are specific to humans. Head Lice, Body Lice and Pubic Lice.  These different lice have differentiated DNA making them genetically distinct from one another.  Head lice are not able to become body lice. Body lice are not able to become head lice. Head lice are not able to become pubic lice. Pubic lice are not able to become head lice or body lice.

Head Lice have specific environmental needs. The human scalp is the only place with the temperature, humidity, light, pH, hormones, food (human blood) that head lice need to survive. In the same way head lice are adapted to be able to travel efficiently and quickly, and to lay eggs, on the human hair shaft.  A successful head lice colony loves human hair, particularly the hair of a school aged child. School kids have more hair and warmer scalps, making them even more appealing to lice.  You will notice that many parents run to CVS to purchase ineffective head lice products, which are possible unsafe for use on your child’s scalp. Head lice enjoy extra time for procreation while we waste our time thinking the problem is taken care of.

nits Better known as head lice eggs, can be confusing because they are hard to see and it is easy to bypass a of these lice eggs when you are searching for them. Head Lice seem to know that we will miss a few of their eggs and this will allow them to continue to thrive in your hair!

nits have been found on ancient mummies in South America, so we know they have been around for a while. This shows us that head lice are highly adaptable. We know that lice are adaptable because they are thriving in 2015, and have become resistant to the most common pesticides available

nits