Head Lice - How to Get Rid of Them

Head lice were introduced to the United States by European colonists who preferred to infest non-African American children. According to a 1985 study, 0.3% of African-American children were infested by lice, while 10.4% of non-African-American children had the critters. This finding has been confirmed in subsequent studies. Other studies have reported cases of head lice among African-American children, but these are few and far between.

The most effective way to eliminate head lice is nit-combing. However, over-the-counter treatments don’t always kill all the lice. While nits are the most visible sign of head lice, they can also be false indicators. For example, some hair products, dust, and other insects may look like nits. If you don’t know the difference, you might be looking at dandruff or dust. However, don’t forget that head lice look like crawling insects, so be sure to check for them.

Getting rid of head lice can be a stressful experience. Although head lice are tiny, they can cause intense itching. The insects attach to the hair on the head and feed from the blood in the scalp. The feeding process is painless, but the saliva produced by the lice can itch the host and cause an allergic reaction.

Head lice can be transmitted to others through head to head contact. The longer the lice are on the head of a person, the more likely they are to spread the parasite to other people. Because head lice can be so contagious, it’s vital to treat them quickly. However, lice can be difficult to remove without medical care.