Be careful - pediculosis! What is it, where do parasites come from, what do lice and nits look like and treatment rules

Both dandruff and lice exhibit the same symptoms – severe itching and redness of the skin. It is important not to miss this moment - to inspect the affected area to ensure the development of the disease - pediculosis - and take action. It is not so easy to get rid of nits, if only because these creatures are very tenacious and spread quickly and for a long time.

Due to the unpleasant sticky secretion, it will not be possible to comb out all the nits with a simple comb at one time. You need to use chemical compounds and be sure to seek help from a dermatologist. But you can alleviate your condition by regularly combing out the affected areas with fine-toothed combs, removing nits with your nails, pulling them off the hair.

In general, modern people have several ways to combat such a scourge as pediculosis. The main thing is to know who you are dealing with.

What is it and what do parasites look like, what color are they?

Nits can look like dandruff. Due to their very small size, parasites go unnoticed for a long time until suspicions arise that they are lice. Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the surface of the head is strewn with eggs, and not adults. Unlike the latter, being constantly on the hair, nits (aka lice eggs) do not move along the skin like adult lice.

• Nits can reach up to 0.4–2.0 mm in size.
  The small pests are commonly called head lice. Pediculosis is immediately diagnosed in children. All eggs have a characteristic white shell and are shaped like a twisted rope. In linen lice, nits measure about 0.5 mm. They have a more oblong shape. Survivors can be found in the folds of clothing and furniture fabric. The darkest color of nits is characteristic of pubic lice with sharp edges.
• Lice are nasty blood-sucking parasites that live on the body of all mammals, including humans. Varieties of harmful insects have been identified in the natural environment, each of which is capable of parasitism in its habitat. For example, lice never spread from a person to a dog's fur.

To combat such a disease as nits, you need to decide which lice are dead and which are alive. It is necessary to carry out a number of preventive measures so that living individuals do not pass from one person to another. And it is important to carry out educational preventive work with children and parents to identify the disease and combat nits.

Lice, or pediculosis, a common diagnosis in modern children, can also spread to adults. And you shouldn’t think that lice are the lot of asocial individuals, people without a fixed place of residence. Anyone can face this problem.

The troubles that nits can cause depend on the type of lice. They are usually divided into several groups:

1. Head lice they like to live on the scalp, usually at the back of the head or at the temples. The parasites have a translucent appearance - they are a small obligate type of insect, a common parasite from the order Puchoidae. Their main diet is human blood. The female parasite is capable of laying about 10 eggs (nits) per day and living for more than a month. Nits are attached to the base of the hair with a sticky secretion.
   So, at one time you can detect up to 4-5 nits in one area. Lice have a strong mouthparts, so they bite through the skin and suck out blood. But at the same time, an irritating substance is released at the site of the bite, which causes severe itching of the head.

   After such bites, a person simply feels an incredible desire to scratch, scratching the area until there is blood and wounds, introducing infection into them. This is how the local inflammatory reaction manifests itself, redness and thickening appear, a crust appears at the site of scratching. And the infection is already spreading further - to neighboring lymph nodes.

2. Body lice cause a lot of troubles other than itching. They are carriers of dangerous diseases, such as typhus. The habitat of parasites is dresses in the closet, folds in clothes. This is where they lay their eggs.
3. Pubic lice (pubic lice) lead to phthiriasis - lice pubis. The parasites are dark brown in color and develop in the pubic and anal areas. Transmitted mainly through sexual contact. With strong body hair, parasites are able to move to other areas.

Removing nits from hair

The most common way to get rid of nits is to comb them out with a fine comb after treating them with weak solutions of acetic or citric acid. The cocoon shells become thinner, and the capsule itself no longer holds so tightly.

The comb must have a minimum distance between the teeth so that you can grab the nit and literally pull it off the hair. Not all modern chemical treatments for lice have ovicidal activity. Most of them are reapplied to kill newly hatched larvae.

The most drastic way to remove nits and avoid re-infection is to shave your hair completely. But this is not always possible and not always acceptable.

Anyone who has ever encountered this problem can notice nits on a person’s hair at one glance. The sensations and impressions, let’s say right away, are not unambiguous - this is not a pleasant sight and forces you to stay as far away from such a “sick” as possible.

Are nits transmitted from person to person?

The nits themselves cannot move to another person - they are stably motionless. But it is quite possible to bring them along with the hair on a comb or hair clip.

It is for this reason that it is not recommended to use other people's hair care products. Pubic lice nits can be transferred by close body contact, but again, they do not move on their own.

Photo

The photo shows lice and nits under a microscope.

Necessary procedures and course of treatment

So, how to remove nits from hair? The general principle of treatment is to apply the product to your hair, wait a certain amount of time (called exposure time) and then rinse it off.

The exposure time depends on the product used and is specified in the instructions, but on average the drugs are kept on the head for up to half an hour. If you want to achieve a stronger effect, you can withstand them for longer, but this increases the risk of side effects.

IMPORTANT! Never use more than one drug per procedure.

After this, you need to comb your hair, removing nits and adults.

If you carefully apply the product to your head, this will not cause any difficulties, as the attachment of the eggs will be weakened.

Comb each strand, paying special attention to the temporal and occipital areas. When using strong products, the fight against nits can take only one application to completely get rid of lice.

When using strong nit control products, it may take just one application to completely get rid of lice.

Sometimes a repeat procedure may be required. But do not use the same treatment method more than three times - if it is ineffective, use other drugs.

Where do they come from on the hair?

Lice and nits do not fly or jump, but they can crawl and run well (and do not even drown in water).

Parasites move to a new victim by smell:

• The easiest way to literally get yourself into trouble is to use an object that has been touched by the patient. That is, lice move, again in plain text, from a diseased head to a healthy one due to:
• combs;

hats;

• headphones.

The main risk group is children who can get head lice. Moreover, most often children from 5 to 12 years old become victims of uninvited guests. This is explained by the fact that, perhaps, at this age they develop the perception of close communication and close contacts with peers, for example, in children's groups in preschool and school educational institutions.

The symptoms of pediculosis are always clear - it is enough to detect a living individual on a hair when examining the head with the naked eye (or with a magnifying glass).
And the detection of parasites itself is beyond doubt, especially if the hair is dark and not curly. Otherwise, determining the extent of damage visually will be a difficult task. Many people do not know what nits and lice can look like. To do this, you should study close-up photographs on the Internet. Not the most pleasant sight, but it gives a clear idea of ​​the dangers of parasites and their survivability.

If you suspect lice, comb your hair with a wide-toothed comb. This procedure can be conveniently done at home at any time. But treatment should be entrusted to a doctor.

It's time to figure out where nits and lice come from. There is a widely held theory that lice exist in every human body. Only they are in a sleeping state. And that under stress they are activated. But this is not true.

The intrusiveness of parasites is explained by only one fact - recent contact between a sick person and a healthy person (when the head or clothing comes into contact with the patient). And lice cling tightly to the hair with their claws. You can get parasites, as mentioned, through close contact with a person with lice.

What does this include:

• any public transport;
• cinemas and clubs;
• public swimming pools and baths;
• open reservoirs.

Parasites are not afraid of water, being able to calmly stay afloat until a new victim is discovered.
It is possible to get lice in a store or at a clothing market, while trying on a hat (if the hat has already been tried on by an infected person), and in a hairdresser, a hairdresser may forget or ignore the rule for treating tools before work and where the client sits. Pubic lice have their own “advantages”: they are transmitted directly through casual relationships or during overnight stays in nature, as well as in hotels and trains, if the linen has not been changed for a long time according to sanitary standards. You can become infected with body lice by exchanging clothes while on vacation with items that, for example, were purchased at a second-hand store.

The surge in head lice diseases among children increases after the holidays. Parents have to seek advice from a parasitologist so that he can dispel doubts - these are nits or dandruff on the child’s head, because not many will be able to distinguish one from the other.

Head lice are the most common disease among children. Parasites have their own life cycle:

1. It all starts with eggs (nits). And the cycle itself lasts from 5 to 7 days. The egg must mature before the larva develops into an adult.
2. Then comes the mating period, the female lays eggs, firmly attaching them to the hairline with the help of a sticky secretion.
3. Nits appear. Over the course of a lifetime, one female louse can lay about 120 nits, with a frequency of 4 to 5 per day.
4. Then the parasites hatch from the latter, and after one week they begin active reproduction.

And it becomes difficult not to notice these parasites - every day scratching the scalp brings you to white heat. And it will itch more and more intensely.

Since lice can only end up on one person’s head if they crawl from another, it
is important to follow the rules of hygiene:

• do not use other people’s things, beauty items, hairpins, elastic bands;
• stop visiting places such as a swimming pool or sauna.

Ignoring these simple rules is the most common cause of head lice in children's institutions:

• kindergartens;
• junior schools;
• shelters;
• camps;
• boarding schools

Methods of infection and symptoms of pediculosis

Linen lice

Detecting body lice is much more difficult. At the slightest opportunity, she settles in the folds of the bedding and gets out of there to eat. This happens at night when a person is sleeping. A linen louse bite is not noticeable if there are still few parasites. After 2 weeks, the first representatives of the new generation will appear.

Those at risk are those leading a depraved lifestyle, sexually active teenagers, and children in dysfunctional families.

• The main way is intimacy. You can become infected with head lice through hair contact. If the pubis is shaved, infection will not occur.
• The second way to transmit head lice is through personal belongings. Underwear, towels. This is how a child becomes infected from his parents. Outside of humans, a pubic louse can survive for about 5 days.
• Lice float well on the surface of the water. They live in a liquid environment for about 7 days. You can pick up lice in an enclosed body of water or a swimming pool.

Curing lice pubis is easier than other types - just shave your hair, apply a special product, and follow the instructions. After 14 days, treatment is consolidated.

Pubic lice

Prevention begins with the work of medical workers in schools and kindergartens. Because they must regularly check their pupils for nits and lice.

However, great responsibility still lies with you.

* Make it a rule to check your child for nits and lice once every 7-10 days.

* Periodically iron your child's hair with a hair straightener, as lice and nits die at high temperatures.

– You cannot share a hat, scarf, comb, or hair jewelry with other children.

– Before hanging outerwear in the common locker room, you need to turn it over to the wrong side and turn the outer clothing inward. This will reduce the likelihood of infection, because the louse does not know how to move on a smooth surface.

* If a girl has long hair, then put it in a ponytail or tie it in braids - the likelihood of infection will decrease.

* Wash your child's hair with Algopix shampoo, it contains pine tar. Of course, it does not fight lice, but it has a specific smell that they do not “favor”. You cannot use this shampoo all the time, so use it only if someone has lice at school or kindergarten.

In fact, if you have treated your child with an effective remedy, then he is no longer contagious - provided that you repeat the procedure after 7-10 days. Therefore, he can return to the children's team the very next day.

What threat do they pose?

Immature nits do not pose a serious threat. The exception is the condition of the person’s scalp and hair. Unattractiveness and sloppiness trigger the mechanism of parasitic activity. And white growths on the hair have never graced anyone, even if it’s just dandruff. But there are situations when the symptoms of head lice are too obvious and can negatively affect the quality of everyday life.

Characteristic symptoms of pediculosis:

• constant itching appears;
• redness remains;
• scratches do not go away and wounds do not heal;
• wounds become infected and suppurate;
• the day cycle is disrupted, it is impossible to sleep;
• general health worsens;
• Nervousness and irritability develop.

A complication of pediculosis is typhus (or age-related) typhus. Infection is dangerous to health, because the damaged skin as a result of the bite comes into contact with the vital activity of the parasite (its fluids, feces).

Unpleasant consequences will not be long in coming - infestation with lice and nits leads to general malaise and discomfort. And outwardly, the hair always looks dirty.

Above we discussed the differences between the types of lice and nits (head, body, etc.). We must give them their due - in the natural environment they do not interbreed and exist in isolation from each other. But in laboratory conditions, on the contrary, they produce very fertile offspring.

Outside the patient's head, lice can live up to two days without food. But if the ambient temperature drops to 10–12 degrees, then the pests can survive for up to ten days. Like other living creatures, lice and nits that live in human hair have several stages of development - from larvae to male and female individuals, ready to reproduce immediately.

Causes

There is only one reason why pediculosis occurs: contact of a sick person with a healthy one. It can occur on public transport, at public events or in crowded places, during kissing, or sexual intercourse.

Lice and nits can also be caused by someone else's comb, towel or hat. There is also a high risk of infection when bathing or washing in a sauna.

Children are a special risk group. The disease spreads very quickly among them. The reasons why lice appear in children are as follows:

• high frequency of contacts between children;
• lack of hygiene skills (using one comb, toys, bed);
• frequent physical contacts that occur during hugs and games.

Another cause of head lice is stress. A person who has experienced a nervous shock has reduced immunity. In addition, it secretes stress hormones that attract parasites. Therefore, lice move onto excited people faster. In any case, there must be a carrier of the disease nearby.

Why can eggs be detected without the presence of adults?

Situations are different. Sometimes you can find dead nits on the scalp, apparently without the presence of live lice. There is an explanation for this - the death of lice and nits is caused by extreme exposure of the hair to aggressive agents. For example, this could be regular hair coloring, where peroxide (hydrogen peroxide) has been added to the dye content. This is what destroys parasites.

It is important to remember that at the first detection of nits on a hair, you should take measures to combat them on the entire scalp and use additional treatment methods to avoid relapses.

Head lice

The appearance and other characteristics of head lice are as follows:

• The insect is 2-3 mm in size, has 6 legs, is gray or gray-white in color, moves very quickly, making it difficult to notice among the hair. The eyes look like 2 black dots, the front legs are equipped with claws for holding on the human body and hair, which is clearly visible in the enlarged photo. The body is almost transparent, only after being saturated with blood it changes color and becomes dark red.
• Each louse lives in the hair for up to 3 weeks, but outside it - no more than 1 day.
• The main food for the parasite is human blood, and it pierces the skin with a special proboscis with needles, using rotational movements when searching for blood vessels. Having discovered food, the insect begins to suck blood, which lasts several seconds, during which time up to 1 mg of blood is absorbed, which does not coagulate due to the production of an anticoagulant secretion secreted by the parasite.
• During lice bites, saliva is released, which after a while begins to cause skin irritation: itching appears, disturbing the patient and causing nervous discomfort. Unpleasant sensations begin to appear only 2-4 weeks after lice settle in the hair. When scratching itchy areas, wounds and ulcers form on the skin; in severely advanced cases, the hair becomes tangled and sticks together from pus after infection, which is accompanied by an unpleasant odor.

Head lice
The main signs of lice infection are itching and discomfort in the scalp, especially at the temples, behind the ears and in the back of the head. It is in these areas that lice settle on the head, where children should be examined for ectoparasites.

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.

How quickly do head lice multiply after infection in a child and an adult?

There are medical statistics that determine the risk groups of people who most often become infected with pediculosis (lice):

• Group 1: adolescents and young adults aged 14 to 25 years (every sixth person becomes infected);
• Group 2: children under 14 years of age;
• Group 3: people aged 35 years and older (least exposed to the disease).

The life cycle of the parasite occurs in both children and adults in the same way - in 16 days. But, unlike adults, children quickly respond to the appearance of lice: they begin to sleep poorly, scratch their heads, infection can be introduced into the wounds, and immunity decreases.

How many days does it take for a lice to lay its first eggs?

Eggs can be laid both by mature insects that came from another host, and by young individuals that have undergone a life cycle on an infected person.

• As soon as a louse appears on the human body, it begins to feed and lay eggs. By the location of the nit on the hair, you can determine the period of infection and the beginning of egg laying;
• The first instar nymph is able to mate and lay nits. This means that after 8-10 days from the day of her birth, a new portion of developing parasites will appear;
• After 16 days, a sexually mature individual develops from the nit, capable of laying eggs itself.

If an adult louse on the human body is in comfortable conditions, then the process of formation of new individuals goes on without stopping. And after 30 days the number of parasites will increase exponentially.

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.

Popular medicines for lice and nits

The modern pharmaceutical industry offers effective remedies against parasites.
The times of using dust and kerosene are long gone; preparations for lice and nits can be bought at the pharmacy without a prescription . But if you are interested in this issue, you should have at least a relative idea of ​​what you need to pay attention to

Shampoo Paranit against lice and nits

The active ingredient is clearol mineral oil. Has a suffocating and dehydrating effect on insects. Highly effective against lice and nits.

The cost of one bottle is approximately 400 rubles.

Liquid Full Marks against lice

The kit includes a bottle of product and a comb for combing out nits. The product is oily and requires repeated rinsing with shampoo. Recommended for removing lice from children, it has hypoallergenic properties.

Price – about 500 rubles.

Made of stainless steel, designed for mechanical removal (combing out) of nits and lice.

Nit Free

Available in four modifications - mousse, oil, spray, shampoo. Makes it easier to comb out nits and detangle hair. All preparations have a pleasant minty smell and contain natural ingredients. Nit Free oil has an enveloping effect, blocking the insects' access to oxygen, as a result of which they die. Air conditioners help protect against lice penetration and can be used for prevention.

The Nit Free series is considered one of the most effective and efficient.

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.

Treatment of pediculosis in children

Once you have identified lice, you should think about what treatment for head lice to choose. Increasingly, parents are choosing pest control shampoos, but some opt for folk remedies.

If the disease is detected at an early stage, then a comb will help to cope with it.

Pharmacy products

Most often, the pediatrician prescribes a special anti-lice shampoo or spray for children. Before using it, you should read the instructions. It is better not to buy this product without a doctor's prescription. After all, a poisonous drug can poison a child.

The following medications are usually prescribed to children:

• NOC;
• Hygia;
• Nyx cream;
• Nuda spray;
• Para Plus remedy for lice and nits;
• Paranit;
• Veda shampoo;
• Lavinal;
• Full Marx.

After the first treatment, parents sometimes turn to the pediatrician because white lice remain in the head. But these are not the insects themselves, but their eggs. After seven days, the parasites will come out of them. Therefore, treatment with the drug is repeated after a week.

Nude product

Folk remedies

An effective insect repellent can be prepared in your own kitchen. The most commonly used recipes are:

1. Hydrogen peroxide is mixed with water 1:1. The mixture is applied to damp hair. The head is wrapped in a bag and then a towel. After 40 minutes, the product is washed off.
2. Tar soap is applied to wet hair, kept under the bag for 40 minutes, and then washed off.
3. Vinegar 9% is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:3. Each strand is treated with vinegar solution. The head is covered with a towel and a scarf is put on top. After 40 minutes, the hair is washed.

Special comb

A lice comb helps get rid of insect nits. It is used both after pediculosis has been recognized and for the purpose of preventing the disease.

Before combing out lice and nits, it is recommended to treat the hair with water and citric acid: 5 g of powder per 250 ml of warm water. The composition softens the sticky mass, with the help of which the nit is attached to the hair and lice eggs become easier to comb out.

Fine-tooth comb

The comb also helps to determine whether a child has lice. If nits and insects remain on it, then it is worth checking your hair and treating your head with an anti-parasite product. Hair is combed 4 times a day for 5 days. After combing, the comb is washed and treated with alcohol.

How to detect?

It is difficult not to notice the problem when the hair on the head becomes too sloppy and combing until it bleeds becomes a regular occurrence.

To lay eggs, lice climb along the hairs to a height of up to three centimeters from the base. It is at this distance that it is worth calculating the enemy.

In rare cases, nits can attach themselves directly to the scalp. But this is more related to hair loss as a result of mechanical action - combing, for example.

In rare cases, lice lay eggs in the place on the hair where there is already a clutch. Therefore, the distribution area of ​​nits is increasing by leaps and bounds. If several clutches of eggs are found on one hair, this is an alarming signal, and an incredible number of lice have developed. It is necessary to take urgent measures to destroy them.

Initially, you should look for a clutch of parasites from the back of the head. It is from here that light-colored eggs with dry shells begin their “march” across the skin. The light-colored larvae begin to hatch into dark brown lice. The latter are difficult to detect on dark hair. In this case, you need to comb your hair strand by strand with a comb.

And itchy skin is the first signal of danger. At first, it will seem that the itching is mild and occurs occasionally. But this is a misconception. Developing exponentially, lice and nits release more and more sticky substances, causing irritation over the entire surface of the skin, and the itching becomes more and more unbearable.

In the latter case, all doubts about the development of pediculosis disappear. It remains to confirm the diagnosis at the clinic. It is worth considering that adult parasites move very quickly. But nits are immediately noticeable and vulnerable, although at first they may be mistaken for increased dandruff.

Diagnostics

It is not so easy to see nits with the naked eye from a normal distance - their size is small, and they are attached deep in the hairline.
At a superficial glance, nits are noticed on a person only if he has short hair and does not wash it (since washing his hair removes some of the dead nits), and lice live with him for a long time.

In most cases, to detect them you will have to arm yourself with a special comb and a bright table lamp. Having combed through a strand of hair, you will see bright white formations at the root that reflect light and have a flattened shape.

These will be live nits containing an insect embryo inside. A dead nit can be distinguished by the fact that it reflects less light and has a yellowish tint, and the shape of the egg itself becomes flatter. In very rare cases, eggs may be deposited in the eyelashes. For men, it would be a good idea to inspect the beard for the presence of beards, especially if it is thick and long.

How to distinguish from dandruff?

If you have never had lice and nits, and have no visual idea of ​​these parasites, then at the beginning of the disease they can easily be confused with dandruff. There are several characteristic differences that make it possible to determine the appearance of white spots at the base of the hair.

1. Dandruff flakes vary in size and have irregular shapes. And the nits are round and smooth. The eggs are almost the same size.
2. Dandruff scatters throughout the hair and is easily removed by combing. Therefore, removing it will not be difficult. It is not so easy to remove nits because of their adhesive shell, which adheres tightly to the hair at a certain height from the skin. To remove a nit, you need to try to catch it with your nails and pull it off the hair. And if you sharply press on the nit, you will hear a distinct click.
3. Dandruff is easily found on the shoulders of clothes or on the collar of a shirt. It can be easily brushed off. And nits can only be removed with hair.
4. Severe itching is the main symptom of the development of head lice. With dandruff, the head can also be very itchy, but the process is characterized by minor skin irritation.
5. Dandruff is localized mainly on the top of the head. And nits love the temporal and frontal areas and also the back of the head.

It is worth considering that dandruff is associated with the characteristics of the body. It becomes a personal problem of a person and is associated with discomfort from an aesthetic point of view. But pediculosis cannot remain a personal problem due to the transfer of the disease to other people through close contact (family, team). Parasites are constantly in search of food and new victims.

It is important to immediately consult a dermatologist if your hair condition suddenly worsens.

FAQ

Let's consider the most frequently asked questions regarding the topic of lice:

Expert opinion

Alexandra Valerievna

Doctor-Trichologist

What do live nits look like?

Live nits are eggs attached to the base of the hair, the pile of clothing or linen. You need to understand that eggs by themselves do not exhibit any action. They are a cocoon for the larva.

What do newly hatched lice look like?

Larvae that have just hatched from the egg appear as a tightly compressed, darker-colored adult. Their size does not exceed 0.5-1.5 mm, depending on the subspecies of the insect.

How many legs do lice have?

Lice have three pairs of walking limbs.

What is the difference between male and female lice?

Males are usually smaller than females. They also differ in the structure of their abdomen. In males it is more rounded, cone-shaped and narrowed. The genital opening is located behind the anus. In females, the end of the abdomen is two-lobed.

Do lice have wings?

Officially, lice belong to the subclass of winged insects, but they do not even have the rudiments of wings. During the process of evolution, these parasites lost the ability to fly.

Can there be lice on eyebrows and eyelashes?

Yes they can. Some subspecies of lice actively reproduce on eyelashes.

How to get rid of it?

When unpleasant symptoms appear, the first desire is to get rid of the parasites as quickly as possible.
Nits and lice have to be literally caught and removed from each hair. For this purpose, the scalp is examined daily. You need to carefully:

1. see the affected areas, tufts of hair;
2. examine the crown and along the hairline;
3. study the roots.

The search for the enemy can be carried out both on a dry and wet head.

In this case, a comb with fine teeth has long been an auxiliary tool. But it will not be possible to completely comb out the parasites. You will have to turn to medical remedies.

Algorithm for searching for lice and nits on wet hair:

1. You should wash your hair with shampoo and apply a small amount of conditioner to your hair, try combing your head with a large-toothed comb;
2. after several manipulations, you need to replace the comb, take a comb with more frequent teeth so that in the process it lightly touches the scalp and reaches the roots;
3. when combing, there is no need to rush; you need to repeat the procedure from top to bottom, running the comb through your hair strand by strand (at this stage, the nits will remain on the comb);
4. lice must be removed by sharply pressing them with your nails until they click;
5. After combing, you need to rinse the conditioner from your hair.

Algorithm for searching for lice and nits on dry hair:

1. you should try to untangle your hair the first time you comb it with a regular comb;
2. then, using a fine-toothed comb, comb your hair, dividing it into small sections, from roots to ends, running the comb in one place three to four times;
3. Every time you need to check the comb to see if there are any parasites left on it;
4. At the end of the procedure, you need to properly comb all your hair from the base to the ends.

The intensity of itching at different times of the day manifests itself differently. Scratching at these moments will remove a large number of parasites. You can finally get rid of lice only by treating the scalp with chemicals.

After using the comb, it must be wiped with a napkin and a cotton pad, on which traces of lice and nits will remain.

Without a doubt, suspicion of pediculosis and the appearance of nits and lice is an extremely unpleasant phenomenon. But there is no reason to panic or worry. To get rid of blood-sucking parasites, anti-pediculosis agents have long been used, which simultaneously destroy both nits and adult individuals. These products can be purchased at pharmacies and used according to the instructions for them.

And in order not to become infected with pediculosis, it is necessary to follow preventive measures:

• shower regularly;
• change underwear and bed linen weekly (or when soiled);
• after washing, iron underwear and bed linen with a hot iron;
• do not use other people’s clothes, linen, including bedding, or other people’s combs;
• carry out daily monitoring of the child’s scalp, hair condition, and monitor the cleanliness of the linen and clothing of children and adolescents.

But everyone has the risk of becoming infected with lice and does not depend on the person’s cleanliness. That's why it's so important to understand how things happen, how you can get lice, and what they look like.

The main measure for the prevention of pediculosis remains compliance with the rules of personal hygiene. And attentive attention to your lifestyle - where, with whom and how a person communicates, how he treats his own health, whether he leaves the solution to the problem of lice for later.

Where to look for nits?

The answer is – wherever hair grows. The head louse reproduces and lives only on the head, and does not spread to the eyebrows and beard.

The body louse has its own habitat - fabrics, seams of clothing. She lays her eggs in the same place where she moves, right on the fabric.

The pubic louse occupies a special place. Less mobile (or rather, almost motionless), it can even rise to the eyebrows. There are known cases of eggs being laid directly on the eyelashes. It is clear that these cases are not ordinary.

It is much less common to find nits in the armpits, but this also happens often.

Infection with pubic louse occurs through sexual intercourse, therefore, with obvious signs of lice, the disease is classified as venereal.

Pubic lice nits are slightly smaller in size than head lice nits. At the same time, they are more resistant to insecticides, drugs and even mechanical stress. There is a specific procedure that must be followed if you have pubic lice. This process is labor-intensive and sometimes takes a long time.

One way is to completely shave off the hair , since any louse cannot live without hair. At the same time, the mechanical stage alone is not enough, since the louse has a flat shape and can remain alive. An integrated approach to solving the problem is needed. One thing is certain - you can’t do it without chemicals . And perhaps not at once.

The safest method of getting acquainted with lice eggs is to look at the nits in the photo. Just for general development and to know what they look like. Even if you just look and forget about it, your brain will quickly provide you with this information at the right moment.

Ways of transmission of lice

Contrary to popular belief, lice cannot jump or fly, and close contact is required for their transmission. Two transmission routes can be distinguished:

• Direct, that is, direct contact with an infected person. For example, contact of the head and hair with head lice, sexual intercourse and contact of the pubis with the transmission of pubic lice.
• Indirect, that is, there was contact with contaminated things: hats, combs, bedding, etc.

Contrary to popular belief, infection from animals with head lice is impossible; the carrier and source is always an infected person.

Preventive measures

To avoid getting infected with lice, you need to wash your hair and body at least once a week, comb your hair daily, and change your underwear daily, not when soiled. Dirty items should be washed in warm water using detergents, use only your own bedding and hygiene items, and carry out wet cleaning regularly. It is advisable to avoid head-to-head contact with strangers and casual connections.

If one of your loved ones becomes infected, it is necessary to carry out preventive sanitary treatment of all contacts and family members. And then examine your head for 3 weeks to track the first symptoms.

Preventive measures and treatment at the first signs of pediculosis will help avoid the spread of a dangerous disease. These insects are not only a cause of anxiety and nervous disorders due to constant itching, they carry dangerous diseases - pyoderma, relapsing and typhus.

Signs of lice

There are different types of lice: body lice, pubic lice, head lice. The latter are most common; they are localized on the scalp of a person. As soon as there is a suspicion that parasites have appeared in the hair, treatment should be started immediately. Subsequently, it will be much more difficult to deal with them, since they multiply very quickly.

There are three types of lice: head, body and pubic.

How to recognize lice

You need to pay attention to the following signs:

• the head is constantly itching, even with regular washing;
• small red dots appear on the skin at the sites of bites, similar to a rash;
• When combing between the teeth of the comb, strange insects are found.

The young individual is quite light in color, darkening over time

If at least one of these signs is detected, you need to properly examine the head. Lice are creatures that are too small to be seen in hair. Moreover, having sensed danger, they can quickly disappear from sight, hiding between the hairs. To find them you will need a fine-toothed comb, good lighting and a magnifying glass. If you need to check yourself for lice and nits, you can’t do it yourself; you’ll have to use outside help.

If your hair is thick, you definitely need to let it down and comb it

You should separate small strands with a comb and examine the scalp through a magnifying glass, paying attention to whether there are wounds or insects on it. In addition to adults, which must be destroyed immediately, you will see light spots resembling dandruff

If you try to remove these grains, they will remain in place. These are encapsulated lice eggs - nits, which after some time will become larvae.

Nits look like elongated whitish droplets. They are clearly visible on dark hair, as they are light in color. They are difficult to remove due to a special adhesive substance that provides good adhesion.

Nits differ from dandruff in size and structure.

Each nit is a shell for one louse egg. Its dimensions are tiny: the length is only 0.7-0.8 mm, the diameter is up to 0.4 mm. There can be a myriad of nits. Outwardly, it will seem as if some kind of powder was sprinkled on the head. Lice eggs can be either living or dead (empty). Both should be removed. Living nits, when a beam of light is pointed at them, will acquire a bluish tint. The dead will not change their appearance.

Men with a beard and mustache should check these areas of their face for parasites.

After inspection, the comb must be dipped in a 70% alcohol solution or kept in boiling water to kill the parasites stuck in it.

How to distinguish pediculosis from dandruff

In order not to confuse these two diseases (and also to distinguish pediculosis from itching of the scalp caused by other reasons), you need to pay attention to the following:

1. Dandruff particles are easily removed from the hair, but nits are attached with an adhesive substance, which makes them difficult to remove from the surface of the head.
2. When a nit is squeezed between the nails, a characteristic cracking sound is heard - this is the shell bursting. If you do the same with dandruff, no sounds will appear.
3. Nits are almost the same in size, but dandruff particles may differ.
4. The color of dandruff is most often white, while nits are light gray and sometimes brown.
5. The itching caused by pediculosis is much stronger than that caused by dandruff.
6. From lice bites, wounds appear, which are most often localized in areas with thin skin (behind the ears, on the temples, etc.), and redness from dandruff spreads over the entire surface of the head.

Hair coloring, especially with aggressive bleaching agents, is one of the ways to kill lice and nits in adults