Can You Die From Head Lice?
WouterDespite the fact that head lice can be unpleasant and irritating, they can’t kill you. They just live for about 40 days on your head. Lice are tiny wingless insects that live off of the blood of the host, such as humans. When not feeding, they spend their time laying eggs known as nits in your hair.
If you have head lice, you’ll know you have it when you notice a distinctive, sticky secretion, or plica polonica. This sticky secretion emanates a foul, vinegar-like smell. It was extremely common in Poland during the 1200s, and was a sign of poor hygiene. Nurses and doctors who treated the patient noticed the plica formation and the huge population of lice around the head and torso.
Although head lice don’t transmit disease, they can be unpleasant and cause you to miss sleep. The itching can cause you to scratch your head excessively, which can cause secondary skin infections. However, head lice are not deadly, and the good news is that they can be easily treated. Using conditioner and a comb is a great way to prevent head lice infestation.
When it comes to head lice, the biggest concern is a child’s health. While the disease isn’t fatal itself, head lice can severely deplete the haemoglobin of the body. Haemoglobin is responsible for carrying oxygen throughout the body and ridding the body of carbon dioxide. The depletion of this protein can be catastrophic for the health of a child. One girl, Kaitlyn Horton, was in the hospital for four blood transfusions after a bout with head lice. The hospital staff said her haemoglobin levels were the lowest they had ever seen.
