What do nits look like in the hair on a person’s head and what are they?

Black lice are one of the varieties of blood-sucking ectoparasites, the appearance of which is caused by the infection of a healthy person by an infected one. Depending on the species of parasites and the specifics of their localization, several types of parasitic diseases are distinguished - pediculosis, phthiriasis.

To remove black lice, it is permissible to use chemicals or safer folk remedies. How to promptly detect infection with pediculosis and phthiriasis, get rid of parasites, and prevent their appearance - we will consider further.

TOP 5 ways to treat dandruff

Various shampoos are mainly used to treat dandruff.
To effectively treat this disease, they must contain certain substances against fungi that cause dandruff. These include:

• selenium sulfide;
• ketoconazole,
• zinc pyrithione;
• tea tree oil;
• olamine piroctone;
• coal tar;
• salicylate.

IMPORTANT! Only a dermatologist can advise which product to use in each specific case for better treatment effectiveness. The best of these remedies are:

The best of these remedies are:

1. Garnier, Fructis 2-in-1 anti-dandruff shampoo - its active ingredient is zinc pyrithione. Green tea extract has an astringent effect and enhances the effect of the main medicinal substance. It effectively deals with dandruff. Removes it after the first use. Prevents the recurrence of dandruff for six months.
2. Vichy shampoo Dercos Technique - it contains a complex of active substances that fight dandruff (salicylate, bisabolol, olamine piroctone). The product not only has an antifungal effect, but also nourishes the scalp, restoring cellular metabolism.
3. La Roche-Posay, intensive anti-dandruff shampoo Kerium DS - it contains salicylate, olamine piroctone and lipohydroic acid. They help remove scales and have an antifungal effect. It can prevent the recurrence of dandruff.
4. Kiehl's, Zinc Dandruff shampoo – salicylic acid and zinc pyrithione contained in this shampoo help remove dandruff. To improve nutrition of scalp cells, herbal ingredients (rosemary oil, menthol, aloe juice) are added to the shampoo.
5. Janssen Pharmaceutica, NIZORAL shampoo - its active substance is ketoconazole. This is a substance that has a pronounced antifungal effect. As an auxiliary, it contains hydrochloric acid, which optimizes the acid-base balance of skin cells. And also imidourea, which has an antimicrobial effect.

If there is no improvement using these remedies, you should consult a dermatologist for further examination and treatment.

What do they eat?

Nits, even though they are lice eggs from which parasites then hatch, also need constant nutrition.
While the nits are in the shell, they have enough nutrients and microelements for the development of larvae. But after they leave the cocoons, they immediately start eating - they make small wounds in the scalp and begin to suck out blood drop by drop. These sores are often confused with hives or thought to be prickly heat or the result of an allergic reaction. Until a diagnosis is made, do not forget about possible infection through wounds. And even if you don’t want to think about lice and nits, no one is safe from them, especially children.

Nits or dandruff - how to distinguish

Nits or dandruff

Pediculosis is spread by lice. Small insects with a body length of no more than 4 mm. The disease develops rapidly, thanks to the natural physiological ability - the rapid reproduction of parasites. Every day, a louse lays about 4 eggs, which are called nits.

To thoroughly examine the head and hair, you need to choose a well-lit place, arm yourself with a magnifying glass and a fine-tooth comb. Determining the cause requires good vision.

What is the difference between dandruff and nits:

1. Lice eggs are always the same size - up to 1 mm in length. Scales can reach 5 mm. They peel off unevenly and form in different sizes.
2. Nits with live lice larvae inside are white with gray streaks. The shell of the egg is translucent, you can see the presence of a creature inside. Always round in shape. Empty nits change color from yellow to gray, flat. Dandruff is always white and unevenly bulging.
3. You can tell by the sound. When pressing on a live nit, a click is heard. Exfoliated scalp does not make any sounds.
4. You can distinguish dandruff from nits by quantity. The skin always exfoliates intensely. There are a lot of particles on the hair. The number of eggs is increasing every day. Only with severe infection do the strands become strewn with nits along their entire length.
5. The scales are easily shaken off, just lightly touch them with your hand or a comb. Nits are not washed off with soap and cannot be removed with a regular comb. It takes some effort to remove hairs from your nails.

It is not difficult to distinguish lice from dandruff. You can recognize it by location and appearance. It’s enough to take a little time and arm yourself with the necessary tools. Examine white grains with a magnifying glass. For a visual example, a photograph.

Development period and how many days do they hatch?

Since nits are lice eggs that are firmly attached to hair and clothing, their shell is covered with a protective layer with a cap on top. The shape of the cap has a systematic feature. The length of the nit reaches up to 2 mm. Pediculosis develops at temperatures from 25 to 37 degrees Celsius and lasts from 5 to 16 days.

For body louse, the development time increases when the temperature reaches 30–31 degrees with a duration of up to 7–10 days (if the underwear is not changed).

The complete development cycle of an individual from embryonic form to adulthood is 2–4 weeks. And during this period, the development of lice occurs in several stages:

1. an egg is laid;
2. the larva appears;
3. There is a rapid transformation of the larva into an adult parasite.

After a week (or a little more), the louse hatches from the larva. This ripening period usually depends on external conditions. The most favorable of them remains body temperature - 36.6 degrees (the difference in minor fluctuations is not significant).

The life cycle of parasites changes in winter or summer. Having escaped from the outer shell, the louse finds food for itself - human blood. And now a couple of days have passed since the female is ready to become fertilized again.

Dandruff - treatment

Dandruff, also known as seborrheic dermatitis, is a skin condition that causes the top layer of skin to slough off too quickly. This process results in a dry, scaly, itchy scalp. People with dandruff may also notice flakes of skin on their clothing. Yeast causes some types of dandruff, which tend to be especially itchy.

Lice are ectoparasites that live on the scalp and feed on human blood. Lice can cause severe itching. Lice do not spread disease, but they are highly contagious. Close contact with the head or hair of a person with lice—for example, from sharing combs or hugging—can spread the infestation. Young children often hug or touch each other, so lice are more common in children than in adults and families with children.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PIal_GFKBQ

Some important differences between lice and dandruff include:

• Location: Lice lay eggs called nits, and dandruff causes flaking of the skin. They look similar, but a closer look reveals key differences. Nits stick to the hair, while dandruff flakes off and falls out of the hair easily. While dandruff is visible on the scalp, lice lay eggs on the hair rather than the scalp.
• Infection: Dandruff is not contagious, but lice are easily transmitted from person to person. If a classmate, friend, or family member has recently been diagnosed with lice, they can cause a person to develop an itchy scalp.
• Itching: Dandruff and lice contribute to itching. Dandruff tends to be more itchy when the scalp is dry. People with lice may experience a crawling sensation on their scalp.
• Lymph nodes: Lice can cause bacterial infections, especially when a person scratches the scalp too hard and causes bleeding. Some people with lice notice that the lymph nodes in their neck or behind their ears are enlarged.
• Detection: Lice are tiny and people may need a magnifying glass to see them. If a person notices bugs or black or brown patches on their scalp or hair, this usually means they have lice rather than dandruff.

Lice cannot live long without a host. Washing items that make it easy for lice to return to humans can reduce the spread of these bugs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends:

• Washing clothing, bedding and other items in water at 130°F or higher.
• Rinse combs in water at a temperature of 55 ° C for at least 5–10 minutes.
• Vacuum all carpets and rugs at home.
• Avoid using insecticidal sprays or other poisons.

Dandruff often responds well to over-the-counter anti-dandruff shampoos. People can buy these shampoos from pharmacies.

The American Academy of Dermatology recommends washing your hair with anti-dandruff shampoo twice a week unless you are African American. African Americans tend to have drier hair and scalps, so it's best for them to only rinse with anti-dandruff shampoo once a week.

People with blonde hair should avoid shampoos with coal tar as it can change the color of the hair.

Some people believe that their dandruff will not go away when using anti-dandruff shampoo. If symptoms do not improve, dandruff may be caused by a yeast infection of the scalp, an autoimmune disease, or eczema.

Life cycle of lice

The life cycle of this parasite averages 35 days. First, the female lays eggs. Translucent oval nits are attached to the hair at the very base. They are very small and can be difficult to see. After 7 days, nymphs emerge from the eggs. They survive several moults and after 7 days they turn into an adult capable of reproduction. The female lays 4–5 eggs every day; in total, she lays about 120 eggs in her life. If you don't fight lice, they multiply very quickly.

Lice eggs are laid at temperatures above 32 degrees, that is, the temperature of the human body is optimal for their reproduction. When the temperature drops, lice do not reproduce, but their life cycle also takes longer. When the temperature drops to +10 degrees, the louse can live up to 10 days, hibernating. A nit can also survive difficult times even outside the human body, and then - when optimal conditions occur - hatch and continue to parasitize.

What are nits?

Nits are drop-shaped capsules that a louse produces to allow its larva to mature. That is, an adult lays capsules (cocoons, eggs), inside of which there are already offspring.

How do they look visually?

The size of nits is very small - 1 mm in length and 0.5 mm in diameter.

If there are a large number of nits, a person may confuse them with dandruff.

Features:

• The dandruff particles are of different sizes, but the nits are almost the same.
• Dandruff is very easy to get rid of from hair. In order to remove a nit from a hair, you need to make an effort: squeeze it tightly with your fingers and stretch it to the very end of the hair.
• The nit may be alive; if the larva has not yet emerged, then when you squeeze the capsule with your nails, you can hear a slight crunch.

Where are nits located on the human head?

Lice are blood-sucking parasites, meaning they constantly feed on human blood. Each insect bites a person 3-4 times a day. Without blood, lice can only live for two days, then they die.

Therefore, the female parasite lays her offspring closer to the scalp, no higher than 1.5 - 2 cm from the base of the hair. This is done so that after leaving the capsule the young individual does not have to look for a food source for a long time, but can immediately eat.

Nits are attached to the hair using a special sticky substance that is released by the louse along with the capsule. It hardens very quickly and becomes durable. The capsule seems to cover the hair and stick to it.

This attachment ensures the survival of the larva, so nature has provided that the sticky substance is not dissolved by water. Procedures such as washing your hair and frequent combing are completely harmless to nits.

Even special remedies for pediculosis, which instantly kill a living louse, cannot penetrate the protective layer of the capsule and destroy the larva in the bud. Only very toxic substances (dichlorvos, dust) or potent pharmaceuticals (Para Plus, Pedilin) ​​can do this.

Traditional methods (cranberry juice and vinegar solution) corrode the sticky substance and weaken the nits, but do not kill the larvae inside.

Can head lice live on people other than humans?

Yes, head louse can exist outside of human skin and hair. For example, they can live for some time in a pillow, blanket, bedding, clothing and hats, upholstered furniture, combs and hair accessories. They can live and move on any surface - even in water. You can catch lice, for example, on the beach - they can move on sand or pebbles.

The louse crawls quite quickly and can run about 50 cm in a minute.

The head louse is a human parasite. That is, it does not feed on the blood of dogs, cats, other animals and birds. They have their own parasites. But the louse can live temporarily on animals. For example, a dog can bring back a louse that has fallen on it from a walk, and an insect can pass from a dog to a person.

Adults can live outside humans for no more than two days. Usually they die earlier - within 24 hours, since they are left without food, and they need food every 3 - 4 hours. Nits can remain outside the human body longer - up to 4 days.

Lice live in a wide range of temperatures. When the temperature drops below 10 degrees, they hibernate. At temperatures below 8 degrees they die. At high temperatures they can survive if the heating is short-lived. If cooked for a long time, they die.

Dandruff and lice

How to distinguish dandruff from nits? There are several proven and simple methods for distinguishing dandruff from lice.

1. Combability.

How to distinguish dandruff from lice? Dandruff can be removed from hair quite easily using a brush or comb. At the same time, nits cannot be easily peeled off from the hair; they are firmly glued to it by the liquid secreted by the female.

Nits or dandruff? The difference between nits is their oval shape, various shades from light gray to dark brown, while dandruff is much larger and white. Moreover, its particles can be present on the same head of unequal sizes, while nits are always approximately even.

Location.

Female lice are more likely to lay eggs in warmer areas: closer to the skin, on the back of the head or behind the ears. Dandruff flakes can be scattered over the entire area of ​​the head.

Itching.

Accompanies both diseases, but during dandruff it is expressed a little softer. Lice bites force a person to literally scratch their head with both hands, the itching experienced is extremely severe.

Each of the diseases - dandruff and lice - has a completely different clinical picture.

How to distinguish lice from dandruff? Pediculosis of the scalp is characterized by:

• transmitted through contact with a carrier, also through household items (hats, combs);
• parasites can simultaneously settle on any hairline: eyelashes, eyebrows, hair, beard;
• in appearance, nits look like small whitish balls located at the very base of the hair and firmly glued to it;
• in most cases, nits are detected first rather than lice;
• the main sign of lice is severe itching, and constant scratching of the skin can cause inflammation and secondary bacterial infection;
• The disease in children can be accompanied by nonspecific generalized dermatitis, in which the sensitivity of the head to injections greatly increases.

Useful information about lice in the video:

What is the difference between dandruff and nits? The clinical picture of dandruff is different, its signs are:

• inflammatory processes and peeling of the skin are accompanied by itching;
• gradually the pathology spreads to other hair areas: eyebrows, eyelashes;
• numerous scales are very small in size;
• peeling may have local focal boundaries, or be diffuse in nature;
• with oily seborrhea, the intensity of peeling increases, itching intensifies, bacterial infections occur, and inflammatory processes are caused by fungi and products resulting from the decomposition of sebum;
• the process of keratinization of the epidermis is disrupted, accelerated cell division is observed, which leads to an increase in desquamation of the stratum corneum.

Contributing factors to this are also an insufficient amount of vitamin B, the presence of chronic diseases, stress, mental disorders, digestive disorders, and wetting the hair while combing.

How to distinguish dandruff from nits: see photo below.

Dandruff on the scalp and hair:

Where do lice come from?

The main route of spread of lice is contact. Lice infection occurs through close contact between people, which often occurs in children's groups, in public transport, at public events, and when using other people's combs, hats, clothes and underwear.

Unfavorable sanitary and hygienic conditions are the main factor in the occurrence of head lice. Body louse is often a companion to unsanitary conditions. However, the disease also occurs in clean people. Outbreaks of pediculosis are recorded constantly. The peak of diseases is observed in the fall, when adults and children return from vacation (pioneer camps, resorts).

Pediculosis in our country today is an acute problem. Up to 35% of all cases of the disease are common among people 15 - 24 years old. 27% of cases are children under 14 years of age. 16% of cases are adults 35 - 60 years old. Children from orphanages, boarding schools and preschool institutions often suffer from pediculosis.

Body lice is more often reported among tramps, and pubic lice is more common among young people. Infants get lice from their mother.

Rice. 2. Lice infection occurs through close contact between people and clothing.

Rice. 3. A companion to unsanitary conditions is always lice.

How to distinguish dandruff from nits

To know how to distinguish dandruff from nits, you need to find out the nature of the origin of these problems. Dandruff is scales of the epidermal layer that appear as a result of increased exfoliation of the skin.

Most often appears on dry and sensitive skin, scales are present on various parts of the head.

Dandruff color and shape vary. If the skin is oily, the scales are yellowish in color and large in size. On dry skin they are small and light in color and can be easily removed with a comb or touch of your fingers.

Nits are eggs of blood-sucking parasites - lice. A typical location for nits is the hair shaft at the roots. When insects lay eggs, they attach their eggs to the hair using thick mucus.

Nits are gray or white in color and have the same round shape. After washing your hair, the parasite eggs do not change position.

By location on the hair

You can distinguish the signs of lice and dandruff by the nature of the localization of white scales. Dandruff is found directly on the hair and skin. When moving, the scales move along the entire length of the hair.

Nits are more often attached to the rod near its base. With severe infestation and a large number of parasites, they can be distributed along the entire length of the rod. However, this option is rather an exception, since severe forms of pediculosis are rare.

By size and external features

Dandruff differs from nits in a number of external signs, the main ones being:

• Particles of skin scales have different sizes, shapes, and convexities. If the skin is oily, they have a yellowish color; for dry skin, small light particles are characteristic.
• Lice eggs have the same round shape and a rich white color. If you look at the light, you can see a dark spot inside it, which is the larva of the future parasite. However, this is somewhat problematic due to the small size of the parasite eggs.
• Empty nits are different from live ones. They have a faded gray or yellowish color and a flat shape.

To distinguish grains, you need to take a clean sheet of paper and a sparse comb. Swipe through the hair in different directions, trying to comb out a certain amount of flakes.

After this, it is necessary to visually determine the identity of the pathogenic particles.

By itch

There are signs that distinguish nits from dandruff. The appearance of exfoliated skin particles is always the result of dermatological diseases or excessive dryness. The itching in the presence of such a problem is uniform and constant.

Parasite eggs do not cause any discomfort.

As an exception, we can name a large number of them or the development of an allergic reaction to the waste products of ectoparasites, that is, lice.

By combing

You can distinguish nits from dandruff like this: when combing, you can remove parasite eggs only by using a special sparse comb.

Otherwise, it is impossible to remove nits, since they are tightly attached to the hair shaft using thick viscous mucus.

Dandruff can be easily removed with the simplest comb. Particles of dry skin are separated from the hair even when making sudden movements or touching the curls with your fingers. It comes off especially easily on extremely dry skin.

In count

You can distinguish nits from dandruff by determining the number of pathogenic particles:

• in maximum quantities, eggs are located at the roots of the hair, while dandruff flakes can cover their entire length.
• The number of parasite eggs increases as head lice develops. In the early stages of invasion, their number is minimal. If the infection is severe, the eggs can cover the entire length of the hair shaft.

To distinguish dandruff, you need to note the number of flakes before and after washing. If the volume of pathogenic particles has decreased significantly, this is most likely what we are talking about.

Incubation period

The incubation period for the appearance of lice from nits is called by biologists the time of development of lice eggs. In medicine, the incubation period is considered the time between when the lice infection occurred and its obvious symptoms. An entomologist determines the incubation period of nits and lice from five to eight days, and if a person has contracted the disease, then the period increases to four weeks.

Due to lice and nits settling on the head, a person immediately begins to itch, even if the number of parasites is small at first. At first, this process does not cause much discomfort. And another three to four weeks pass before the patient begins to sound the alarm. Especially if the signs of uninvited guests settling on your head are already difficult to visually hide.

If we consider that nits are still the initial stage of the development of pediculosis, and lice begin to develop within 2-4 weeks to adulthood, then it becomes clear why in many people the disease often takes on an advanced nature.

It is important to remember that it takes about a week for an insect to develop from a larva to an adult male or female. And the ripening period depends on external factors, such as temperature. Comfortable body temperature for mass development of parasites is 36.6 degrees. And even if you go out in the cold without a hat, and walk in the heat in the summer, the life cycle of lice and nits will slow down, but will not stop.

As soon as the larva emerges from the cocoon, it begins to feed intensively, and it is enough for it to gain strength for another two days so that the female is ready to reproduce. At the most comfortable external temperature (about 30 degrees), up to 150 parasites can be found on the head in a couple of days. And if the disease lasts for months, then their number increases tens of times.

Pediculosis and dandruff - general characteristics

For a correct diagnosis, it is necessary to understand each concept.

Seborrheic dermatitis (popularly called dandruff) of the scalp is a disease caused by a fungus. As a result, the stratum corneum peels off and cell division accelerates. Seborrhea is characterized by itching, the appearance of lumps or small grains. The reason for its appearance is an internal failure in the body caused by various reasons.

Pediculosis is the appearance of lice and nits in humans. Most often the disease occurs in children, less often in adults. Previously, pediculosis affected disadvantaged sections of the population, as well as during the war. The main reason is non-compliance with sanitary standards, hygiene rules, and close contact with the carrier.

Dandruff is not transmitted by contact and is not an infectious disease. Lice are infectious, multiply quickly, and can be carriers of other diseases.

How to deal with head lice

First you need to examine the head and assess the extent of the damage. A fine-tooth comb will help you find lice. It is necessary to comb wet hair with it. Insects will remain between the teeth or on the comb. You can also comb dry hair, but it is easier to do it on wet hair. You need to comb your hair from the very roots.

Lice can be seen in good lighting and without additional equipment. Detecting nits is more difficult. They may look like hair product residue or dandruff. Nits are usually located behind the ears, along the hairline on the neck.

Combing hair is not only a way to detect parasites, but also one of the ways to combat them - mechanically. It only works in one case - if there are very few insects and their eggs in the hair, that is, immediately after infection. Careful brushing can remove all adults and individual eggs. But if even one nit remains, in a few days everything will repeat itself, the insects will multiply.

Important: if the disease is detected in one family member, it is necessary to check all other household members for the presence of head lice and nits.

It is impossible to wash off lice with regular water. They are not afraid of water and can live in it for up to two days. Regular shampoos don't help either.

If the hair is short, the treatment will be faster and more effective. With a short hair length, there is little space left for laying eggs, so the rate of parasite reproduction decreases. And it's much easier to process short hair. Shaving your head has always been the most effective way to control lice. But this is not always possible for aesthetic reasons.

Distinctive characteristics

It is not very difficult to distinguish nits from dandruff. You just need to provide good lighting (it is better to use a lamp to direct the light flux in the desired vector), arm yourself with a fine-toothed comb and, preferably, a magnifying glass. Take half an hour of free time to make sure that you are not infected with parasites.

By location

Nits are located at a distance of 1–3 cm from the hair roots. Since high temperatures are required for the offspring to mature, female lice instinctively lay eggs in warm areas - on the back of the head, behind the ears. Dandruff is located throughout the hair.

By type, size

The appearance of nits resembles whitish oval-shaped balls. They have a light gray and even brown tint. Dandruff, in turn, has a color close to white. The peeled scales always have different sizes, but the nits are almost the same.

Nits are elongated white translucent capsules.

By itch

Itching is a companion to both diseases, but with dandruff it is not felt so clearly. If there are nits and lice, a person scratches his head vigorously, one might say, until he bleeds.

By sound

Sound makes it possible to distinguish living nits from non-living ones. If you press your fingernail on the capsule in which the insect is located, you can hear a clear cracking sound. This way you can check for parasites.

By combing

So nits or dandruff? You can find out very easily. Dandruff can be easily combed out with a regular comb, but nits are difficult to remove from hair in this way, since they are firmly glued to it.

In count

The scalp always flakes off in large quantities, which is why you may notice a large amount of dandruff. Nits usually appear in small quantities. Only if you are too infested with lice can you see a significant number of capsules.

According to the intensity of the discomfort experienced

Both trichological pathologies are accompanied by unpleasant sensations. Itching is also a faithful companion to neurosis and allergies. Sometimes it is impossible to determine what exactly is happening to the head without a good specialist.

Trichologists believe that dandruff is accompanied by less intense, intense itching. The head does not always itch, and not as violently as with the development of lice. There are no strong scratches, and there are no specific crusts either.

If a person is attacked by lice, then he scratches his head almost constantly. Against this background, he develops nervous disorders and sleep is disturbed. In 40% of cases, bloody scratches are present.

There is another reliable method of identification - sound, with which you can distinguish a dead pest from a living one. Having found the capsule, you need to press on it with your fingernail. If there is a live bloodsucker in it, the person will hear a clear crackling sound. Dandruff never cracks.

Preventing lice infestation

As mentioned above, no one is immune from head lice. Most often, children are susceptible to it after being in a group. It is easy to pick up parasites at a health camp and even at school. One person can spread pests many times over. Children bring lice home from children's institutions and infect all family members with them. It is impossible to guarantee yourself protection from this, but some measures should be taken to get rid of pests immediately and prevent a severe infestation.

What you need to do to avoid getting lice:

• Do not under any circumstances wear other people’s hats;
• do not use other people’s combs and hair accessories;
• avoid direct contact with people who do not maintain personal hygiene and lead an antisocial lifestyle;
• regularly inspect children’s heads for nits and lice;
• If you suspect an infection, comb your hair, you can use weakly concentrated anti-parasitic shampoos.

You can use parasite repellents. It is believed that they do not like strong odors, for example, tea tree, geranium, caraway, mint, etc. You can use herbal decoctions to rinse and flavor your hair. This will not protect against infection 100 percent, but it may repel insects.

The main thing when detecting pests in your hair is not to turn a blind eye to the problem and start fighting immediately. This way you can get rid of them faster and without harm to your health.

What does dandruff look like?

This is the increased peeling off of skin particles on the head over a period of time. The pathology is provoked by a violation of the processes of desquamation of the upper keratinized layer. The main provocateur is the incorrect functioning of the exocrine glands.

The resulting scales have different shapes. They cover the entire length of the hair. To a greater extent they accumulate in the upper part.

It can be oily and dry. Oily skin is characterized by gluing of scales. The head is very itchy, the person feels constant discomfort. Washing your hair brings temporary relief, but the hair still doesn't look its best. He is dull, painful, lethargic. The only “advantage” of oily dandruff is that it is almost invisible to the naked eye.

Dry dandruff is always accompanied by painful itching. A specific whitish “powder” appears on the hair in large quantities. At the slightest movement of the hair, as well as during combing, the powder falls off.

Severe peeling of the skin is caused by Pityrosporum oval. This is a very harmful microorganism that begins its activity against the background of dysfunction of the sebaceous glands.

Dandruff has the following differences:

• increased hair oiliness,
• the presence of small scales, somewhat similar to snow,
• loss of shade brightness (hair becomes faded and dull),
• hair loss (intensity may vary),
• peeling, which is accompanied by itching.

In the absence of treatment, the dermis begins to keratinize even more intensely. This leads to an increase in the number of whitish grains.

If the condition is very advanced, dandruff can be observed on the eyebrows, as well as between the eyelashes.

Not everyone gets dandruff. The risk group includes those with dry skin, brittle, weak and split ends. Also, its occurrence should be expected by people who have experienced severe stress or changed their diet. In some cases, it is one of the manifestations of allergies.

Photos of head lice

Here you can see head lice on clothing.

Head lice are six-legged parasites that live on the human head. They are often grayish or brown in color, but some may become darker as they feed.

This picture shows head lice eggs left in a person's hat.

Because head lice reproduce so quickly, they are very difficult to get rid of and spread quickly.

A head louse can camouflage itself to match the color of your hair, making it difficult to detect with the naked eye.

Lice hatch in this shell, and head lice eggs take hold of the hair.

Dandruff or lice? The main external differences between dandruff and nits

Seborrhea (or dandruff) is small particles of the upper stratum corneum that separate for various reasons.

The mechanism of itching is associated with the peeling of large layers of necrotic (dead) dermis.

A characteristic sign of dandruff is white, flat flakes that are difficult to hide under the hair. The scales affect the entire scalp, fall on the curls, and fall off when combing.

Among the common causes of its appearance are improper functioning of the sebaceous glands, allergies to shampoo, and dermatological diseases.

Dandruff: what does the problem look like?

There are 2 types of dandruff: oily and dry. With the first type, the scales stick together, the curls look dirty even after washing, and the person suffers from itching. The flakes often clump into soft clumps. With a dry type, the hair becomes dull and brittle, but has a clean appearance. The scales are small and resemble white “powder”.

Dandruff is not spread from person to person and is not contagious. The main danger of seborrhea lies in a decrease in psycho-emotional background (low self-esteem, mood problems).

Nits

Nits are the main method of lice reproduction. The problem is called pediculosis. Most often it manifests itself in children of preschool and primary school age. Nits are left on the hair of lice. They attach close to the roots and remain there until a new individual hatches. It is difficult to distinguish them from dandruff due to their external similarity and the same color.

What is the difference between nits and seborrhea?

1. Dandruff is more easily removed from hair (you can simply run your hand and the flakes will fall off). Nits are firmly attached to the curls with the help of small paws and an adhesive substance; they can only be removed with the help of a comb.
2. The flakes have a chaotic location (at the root part or along the entire length of the hair). The eggs are usually localized strictly at the roots.
3. The nits have the same elongated shape (length no more than 1 mm). The size of the scales varies from 1 to 5 mm.
4. Characteristic sound. When pressing on the nit, a loud click is heard.
5. Volume. With seborrhea, the scales peel off intensively and rapidly. Nits reproduce less actively. A sign of a complex and dangerous infection is nits on the hair along its entire length.

How to distinguish dandruff from nits?

A practical way to pinpoint the problem. Wet hair needs to be removed with a comb: if the white flakes come off easily, it is dandruff.

If you see tiny oval “beads” that fall from the hair only after repeated combing, this is a sign of lice.

Structure and nutrition of parasites

The mouthparts of lice are capable of piercing the skin and sucking blood. The soft tube-trunk of the parasite is equipped with piercing needles, with the help of which the skin is pierced. The proboscis penetrates deep into the skin using rotational movements. The teeth of the terminal corolla cut through the stratum corneum of the epidermis. In the area of ​​the dermal layer, flexible stylets of the proboscis search for blood vessels. The wall of the discovered vessel is cut through the teeth of the stylets and the proboscis is inserted into the vessel.

Next, the insect begins bloodsucking, during which the pharyngeal pump contracts several times per second. Blood sucking lasts several seconds. During this time, about 1 mg of blood enters the female’s stomach. Thanks to the production of anticoagulant secretion, the blood does not clot. The louse feeds only on sedentary areas of the body.

Parasites often have no eyes, or resemble 2 black dots. The mouthparts lack palps. Antennas are short. The tibiae of the legs are short, the tarsi are single-segmented, the forelegs end in a sickle-shaped claw, thanks to which the louse is firmly held on the hair and body of the owner.

Rice. 7. The photo shows a head louse under a microscope (top view).

Rice. 8. The photo shows lice under a microscope.

Rice. 9. The head of the parasite is separated from the chest. The body segments form a monolith.

Rice. 10. The body of the pubic louse is shortened (photo on the left), while that of the head and body louse is elongated (photo on the right).

Rice. 11. The front pair of insect legs ends in sickle-shaped claws, thanks to which they are firmly held on the hair and body of the owner.

Rice. 12. The mouthparts of parasites lack palps. Antennas are short.

Rice. 13. In the photo on the left are body lice during feeding. In the photo on the right, the parasite sucked on blood, causing its belly to swell.

Rice. 14. The photo shows body lice. After feeding, the insects acquire a dark color and look like bedbugs.

Folk remedies for lice

Photo: Ran Yuping et al.
/ (CC BY-SA 3.0) For a long time they fought against lice by any possible means and by now many folk remedies have accumulated:

• Shaving the head and treating the head with tar soap;
• Tar soap (works due to the high concentration of alkali);
• A mixture of sunflower oil and kerosene in a ratio of 1:1;
• A mixture of laundry soap and kerosene in a 1:1 ratio; before applying to hair, you must dilute the mixture with water in a ratio of 1 part of the mixture to 10 parts of water (100 ml of solution per 1 liter of water);
• WD-40 liquid (a mixture of kerosene and machine oil);
• Cranberry juice (acts mainly on nits, since the acidic environment of the juice corrodes their shell);
• Vinegar (9% table vinegar is diluted with water twice to obtain an acid concentration of 4.5%);
• Dust soap (not used since the 60s due to the extreme harm of DDT to humans and the environment);
• Essential oils (tea tree, lavender) - apply a few drops to the hair not for treatment, but to prevent lice infestation, for example, for uninfected family members;
• Ironing the child's hair with a hair straightener (lice cannot tolerate high temperatures);
• Combing out lice (if your child is allergic, this is one of the few remedies that can help);

Disadvantages of folk remedies

• Kerosene and kerosene-containing products are flammable, do not wash off well, damage hair (it becomes sticky and dirty in appearance), and make it difficult to comb;
• Vinegar dries out hair, and a concentrated solution can cause severe burns;

Folk remedies are usually less effective than pharmaceutical drugs, are inconvenient to use and require a long walk with a bag and a towel on your head.

They also require repeated use, since it is impossible to destroy all insects with their help at one time due to their low efficiency.

Well, and most importantly, the child will then remember for a long time all the horrors that were done to him, and will walk around with a red, itchy neck and head.

Children are the main risk group

Children are the main risk group for head lice infection. There are several reasons:

• failure to comply with personal hygiene rules. In a child, bloodsuckers may appear as a result of using one comb;
• close contact with each other. The child is sociable due to his age. Kids prefer group games in which contact between hairstyles is almost inevitable. And if one of them has lice, then soon the entire team becomes infected;
• increased frequency of close contacts with peers. A child has a wider social circle than an adult, and the risk of close proximity with a carrier of the disease often increases several times;
• lack of selectivity. A child will play with equal pleasure with a child both from a prosperous family and a poorly cared-for one (and even a tramp).

When to go to the doctor?

In most cases, lice infestation does not necessarily require medical attention. However, there are some cases where head lice cannot be cured with home remedies alone. You may need to see your doctor for treatment, especially if you have the following symptoms:

• If you experience inflammation, pain and redness of your skin and skin.
• If all home treatments have failed and you don't see any improvement with over-the-counter medications.
• In cases where lice are suspected to be the result of a sexually transmitted disease, especially when they are found in the pubic area.

To get rid of nits or eggs, you should use a medicated shampoo as well as a hair brush that has a fine-toothed comb. This helps remove nits from hair. Your doctor may also suggest anti-lice pills.

Steps to take to completely get rid of nits.

Step 1: Confirm the presence of lice

It is not recommended to use anti-lice shampoo if there are no lice in your hair. First, get confirmation of the presence of parasites in your hair before acting against them. You need to seek help from specialists or experienced people.

Step 2: Use special shampoos that can kill lice and nits

This is a type of shampoo in lotion form. It can be used to completely remove lice and nits. For proper use, follow the instructions on the bottle.

Step 3: Using a comb with teeth strong enough to remove nits

When nits get into the hair, they are firmly attached to it, and sometimes washing with shampoo does not affect them. Even lice eggs may be present in the hair, which needs to be cleaned using a beautiful and effective hair brush.

Prevention of lice and nits

Even if only one person has head lice, the entire family should still be treated with preventative treatment. It is important to wash bed linen at a temperature of at least 60 degrees. However, it is best to boil it. You also need to wash all towels, hats, and wipe the places where we rest (the headrests of sofas or chairs) with a solution of acetic acid.

In case of poisoning, the entire operation must be repeated at least two or three times (the packaging of all means of combating these parasites contains detailed instructions for use).

As you can see, hygiene alone is not enough; prevention and sometimes very specific actions are needed. Unfortunately, lice do not give up easily, and nits are extremely resistant to some agents. Therefore, you need to do everything possible to avoid situations that lead to infection.

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The problem of lice and nits today

The problem of head lice around the world is so serious that in many countries, illegal regulations prohibit nurses from checking children's hair without written parental consent. This contributes to the spread of lice because most educators do not agree to solve the problem in a kindergarten or school group.

Lice are small insects that are ectoparasites of humans. They parasitize (feed and maintain their vital functions) on various parts of the human body

The fight against head lice is difficult - the parasite does not choose a host according to any criteria - neither the climate zone, nor the color of the skin, nor the state of personal hygiene determine the attack. To make matters worse, lice also attack pets!