How Fast Are Head Lice Dead?

If you think that you’ve been exposed to head lice, you may be wondering how fast they can live. Typically, adult lice will live for at least 30 days. During this time, they will lay as many as 100 or 200 eggs. Often, the first sign of lice infestation is the presence of nits. These small bugs can be a sign that you’ve been in contact with an infested person for a short period of time, but if you’re seeing hundreds of them, that means you’ve had lice for a long time.

In order to treat head lice, you should wash all clothing and personal items your child uses. If the lice are still present, you should cover these items in plastic for 2 weeks. You should also talk to your child about how to avoid having contact with anyone who has lice. Make sure to check all household members, including pets, for lice.

Head lice typically appear as nits or live lice on the scalp. After a few days, the eggs hatch into adult lice. These parasites must feed on human blood multiple times a day in order to survive. Once the eggs hatch, they live for one to two weeks. The shell looks white and remains attached to the hair shaft. When the hair grows, the egg shell will start to move away from the scalp.

Adult lice are approximately two to three inches long, and can live for 30 days. They lay about 90 eggs, which hatch after seven to ten days. Adult head lice are tan or grayish in color and are no larger than a sesame seed. Adult head lice will remain on the hair for about 30 days, which makes it very difficult to get rid of them.