What Are the Stages of Head Lice Infestation?

There are several stages of head lice infestation. While an individual head louse may live only a month on your head, you can expect to see several generations of them develop. Learning about these stages will help you choose the best prevention and treatment. Learn about how head lice life cycles start and why treatment is necessary.

The first stage is the egg. Once the egg hatches, it develops into a nymph. This nymph is about a half-millimeter long, and is white or yellowish in color. The nymph will eventually turn into an adult louse in nine to twelve days. The adult louse will not grow much larger than two millimeters. These lice feed on your blood many times a day and can survive up to two days on your head.

Head lice eggs are small and transparent. They can be mistaken for dandruff or hair spray droplets. They will attach themselves to your hair with a sticky substance and will hatch in about a week. Once the nymph hatches, it will remain attached to the hair shaft, but will eventually grow into an adult louse.

Head lice lifecycles go through many stages. First, you must identify the stage of the infestation. Identifying the stage of head lice will help you treat the infestation. This way, you’ll know how to treat the head louse and stop them from returning.