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Common Signs and Symptoms of Lice

Common Signs and Symptoms of Lice

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Head Lice are contagious microscopic parasites that live in your hair, close to your scalp. Unlike Body Lice, Head lice are not capable of carrying illnesses or diseases. Head lice have to feed off of another living thing in order to survive. Their source of food and nutrition is human blood that they get from biting your scalp. However, they can’t fly, aren’t airborne, and can’t survive for long when separated from their host. We know this might be frightening, but there’s a variety of treatments that can be used to take care of these parasites. The first part of checking for lice is to identify the issue.  Here’s a list of common signs and symptoms to look out for if you or someone you know may be carrying lice. 

  • Intense itching: This occurs on the scalp for head lice, the insects cause irritation and inflammation when they bite the scalp for sustenance. 
  • The tickling feeling from the movement of hair: This is caused by the lice repositioning themselves and ambulating on your scalp
  • Lice on our scalp: Adult lice are typically about the size of sesame seeds or slightly larger, at this stage they can begin to lay lice eggs or nits on hair shafts
  • The presence of nits: Given that the adult lice are so small, their eggs are even smaller, they may be difficult to perceive because they’re so tiny. They’re usually easiest to spot near the ears or the base of the scalp near the neck. They are easily mistaken for dandruff, but unlike dandruff, they cannot be brushed out of hair easily
  • Sores on the scalp, neck, and shoulders: Due to the irritation caused by lice, and the natural inclination to scratch the affected area, scratching can lead to small red bumps that can occasionally be infected with the presence of bacteria. 
  • Bite Marks: These precede the sores, but come after the intense itching feeling and can be spotted with an examination of the scalp. 

See a lice specialist like Lice Clinics of America in Greenville & Anderson, if you suspect a lice infestation or need lice treatment. Things that can be mistaken for nits often include:

  • Dandruff
  • Residue from hair products
  • Bead of dead hair tissue on a hair shaft (aka hair cast)
  • Scabs, dirt, or other debris and detritus
  • Other small insects found in the hair. 

When lice infest the human scalp area, the female louse produces a sticky substance that adheres each egg to the base of a hair shaft. These eggs hatch usually in six to nine days. 

Transmission of these parasites occurs when people come into contact with lice or their eggs. A common misconception is that lice jump or fly. This is untrue. Head lice spread through: 

  • Head to head contact

For effective and safe treatment of lice head over to the Lice Clinics of America in Greenville & Anderson, South Carolina. Our expert staff will allow patients (children and parents alike) to get back to living an uninfested life. Don’t we have enough on our plates right now without having to scratch our heads more than necessary? 

​​Common Myths Behind Lice

C​ommon Myths Behind Lice

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Head lice infestation is unfortunately a common thing that most people can admit they’ve dealt with sometime or another. Even though head lice are harmless and tend to run rampant in school-age children, they really do cause at the very least headache and stress because they are such a nuisance. Hopefully, by debunking some common myths that you’ve heard about lice will help ease your mind and make you feel a little more at ease if your child gets head lice.

Myth #1: Poor Hygiene

Many associate head lice to poor hygiene and that is the farthest thing from the truth. The only thing a head louse needs is a human host so it can survive. It makes no difference if your head is dirty or pristine. People with even the best hygiene can still catch head lice because your hygiene is not indicative of whether you get head lice. Plus, your regular everyday shampoos and conditioners are incapable of killing head lice, lice are resilient, and hygiene plays no part.

Myth #2: Head Lice Can Survive in Bedding and Furniture

There is a common misconception that lice can live and hide in one’s bedding and furniture, waiting until it finds another host to latch on to. Without a human host the adult louse will die in 1-2 days as it cannot survive. Additionally, the nits (lice eggs) need the warmth of the scalp for incubation before they can hatch; without that they will die. Therefore, both the adult louse and nits will not be able to survive in your bedding, furniture, or carpet and it is extremely rare that you would ever catch lice from these items.

Myth #3: Home Remedies Can Kill Head Lice

Home remedies are a waste of your time and money as there is no scientific evidence that has proven they work. The best thing you can do for yourself if you believe you have head lice is do a self-check for lice and seek professional treatment. If your head check confirms you have lice, your best course of action is to seek a professional lice treatment at our Lice Clinic in South Carolina.

Myth #4: Pets can Carry and Spread Lice

Pets can carry a myriad of parasites and pests such as fleas, ticks, and even bed bugs. Pets however do not carry head lice as they’re not hosts for lice. The only host head lice can survive on is humans. Therefore, if your child has head lice you can cross out the possibility of them getting it from your pets.

Myth #5: Head Lice Transmit Diseases

After much research carried out there is no evidence pointing towards head lice carrying and transmitting infectious diseases. Whereas ticks and other parasites do have the potential to cause diseases such as Lyme disease, head lice do not.

Bring your Child into Lice Clinics of America in Greenville & Anderson, SC

If you check yourself for lice or your child and see nits it’s time to come into our lice clinics in Greenville and Anderson, South Carolina. Don’t waste your money and time on home remedies that aren’t guaranteed to work. Instead, let the professionals take care of it and get rid of head lice the first time around!