Common signs and symptoms of lice include: Intense itching on the scalp, body or in the genital area. A tickling feeling from movement of hair. The presence of lice on your scalp, body, clothing, or pubic or other body hair.
Not everyone feels lice moving around on their scalp, but some people do. Dr. Garcia says that most of her patients say they “don't feel anything,” but others may get a creepy, tickling sensation as lice move around their head.
How soon do symptoms appear after exposure? Some people may not have symptoms, particularly with the first infestation or when the infestation is light. It may take 4-6 weeks for itching to appear the first time a person has head lice.
Anyone who comes in head-to-head contact with someone who already has head lice is at greatest risk. Spread by contact with clothing (such as hats, scarves, coats) or other personal items (such as combs, brushes, or towels) used by an infested person is uncommon.
Many people with head lice have no symptoms at all. It's impossible to diagnose head lice based on symptoms alone since the only symptom that matters is the presence of lice. However, experiencing the following symptoms suggests it is time to check the scalp: frequent unexplained itching of the head or scalp.
Coconut, tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon grass, and peppermint are scents popularly believed to repel lice. Using any coconut scented shampoo and conditioner is an easy way to increase your defense.
Use fingers to separate hair and create a part. The part should allow you to clearly see the person's scalp. Look for lice crawling on the scalp where the hair is parted or on the hair shaft. The lice will be dark in color and the size of a poppyseed.
Psychosomatic Itch
Since the mere thought of head lice is enough to make anyone's head itch, it's important to consider that your itching may not have a physical cause, and is likely just the manifestation of your continued lice-related anxiety.
How long does head lice last? With effective treatment, head lice will completely go away after two to three weeks. The duration is dependent on how many lice made a home in your hair. Make sure you follow the instructions on your medicated shampoo, lotion or cream to get rid of lice quickly.
Head lice will not go away on their own. If you think your child has an infestation, there are several steps you should take right away. Call your doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Notify your child's day care or school so other students can be checked.
HEAD LICE SHOULD NOT CAUSE EMBARRASSMENT
They don't discriminate based on income, race, hygiene or pretty much any other factor. If you have a head of hair with a scalp underneath it, that warm, moist environment, clean or dirty, is just what they're looking for.
In many cases, the presumed 'infestation' is imagined rather than real. So, telling others may simply be spreading misinformation. OK, but if you've found a bona fide louse, and have not removed it or treated appropriately, then make a risk assessment.
Why Do Kids Get Head Lice More than Adults? The answer is pretty straightforward. It's not that the pesky critters prefer children's blood to adult's. It's the simple fact that kids are in closer contact with one another on a daily basis.
Washing, soaking, or drying items at a temperature greater than 130°F can kill both head lice and nits. Dry cleaning also kills head lice and nits. Only items that have been in contact with the head of the infested person in the 48 hours before treatment should be considered for cleaning.
Avoid sleeping in the same bed as the person with an active lice infestation. Avoid sitting where the person with lice has sat in the past two days. Wash linens and clothing in hot water and dry on high heat. Place stuffed animals, pillows and items that cannot be washed into an airtight bag for two weeks.
Introduce natural predators (Ladybugs)
Ladybugs can eat 100 lice a day! Plant lice, anyway, but I'm sure it's the same with head lice. COVER YOUR CHILD IN LADYBUGS. You can purchase them at any of those “Brew 'n Grow” type stores where people grow weed by equipment and pretend to grow tomatoes with it.
Hairspray makes it harder for the louse to grab hold. The smell of hairspray and the use of solvents (sad but true) in them can also deter creepy crawlies from finding their way in. Not to mention that if you're tying longer hair back, you've got a double whammy.
Using your finger to check for and extract nits (eggs, each of which houses a baby louse) is an integral part of a lice check and can be helpful when treating an infestation. You can actually feel the nits stuck to the hair shaft; each one will feel like a bump on the hair.
Anyone can get head lice. They are not a sign of being dirty. Most people don't know they are infested until they see the nits or lice. They are found throughout the world, most commonly on children.
The eggs are called nits and hatch into small insect forms — called nymphs — which then grow into adult lice. The adult lice can begin to create more eggs as soon as they hatch and the cycle begins again.
Lice don't care if hair has been colored. As long as a louse can grab on to a hair strand, it can make its way to the head where its food supply (blood) is. Myth #6: Lice like dirty hair.