The ladies who came to treat us were the best: professional, thorough, informative, and very kind. The practitioners couldn't have been nicer or more effective. The treatment method that they used was very gentle - no burning chemicals or sore scalps from tangled hair. I would recommend them to any parent without hesitation.
Lice Pictured with Dime
Adult Louse
Head lice and body lice are separate variants of the species Pediculus Humanus. Head lice cannot infest the body, and body lice cannot infest the head. Unlike body lice, head lice are harmless except for the social impact and effects from excessive scratching.
An infestation can begin with a single fertilized female, which can lay up to 300 eggs during a 30 day lifespan.
A lice infestation consists of reproducing adult lice, juvenile lice (nymphs), and eggs (nits). Nits are bonded to hair strands and are extremely difficult to remove. There are no shampoos or medications that are guaranteed to eradicate a lice infestation.
The only reliable method to detect a lice infestation is with a head check. The only common symptom of lice is itching- a reaction to the lice saliva. 60% of infested individuals experience no symptoms.
Adult head lice aren't particularly mobile, but they are very good at avoiding detection. The recommended approach is to carefully inspect strands of hair for the nits or eggs. A nit always has a teardrop shape and is attached to the side of a strand of hair. Nits vary in color between tan, gray, and white.
Viable nits are normally found within 1/2" of the scalp, but combing or brushing can distribute nits throughout the hair.
Head lice travel easily from hair to hair. But they cannot travel long distances. Head lice are almost always transmitted via head to head contact. Head lice only affects humans. You cannot catch lice from animals.
Lice can also be transmitted by sharing hats, combs and brushes. Occasionally, lice are transmitted by shared bedding or linens. Lice normally perish within a few hours on their own, but in optimal conditions, can survive for two days.
Nits (lice eggs) are not transmitted between humans. Either a single fertilized female louse or two lice of both sexes must be transmitted.
Lice are difficult to eradicate. The nits are particularly durable. There are no medications that are known to be effective:
The use of insecticidal sprays is not recommended and strongly discouraged by the NPA (National Pediculosis Association) and the Centers For Disease Control because they may be harmful to family members and pets and are of questionable benefit.
The manual techniques practiced by the Lice Brigade are those most frequently recommended by professionals.
Anyone can get head lice. They have no preference for ethnic background, hair color, hair type or age. Lice are transmitted via intimate head-to-head contact. They are most commonly passed among youngsters and family members.
Lice feed on human blood and thrive in a clean hair environment. A lice infestation does not reflect poor hygiene. Aggressive shampooing will not eradicate or prevent a lice infestation.
Few useful statistics are available for estimating the prevalence of lice infestation. Pediculosis is not officially tracked, and most cases are never reported informally either.
Based on reports, Americans purchase $120M of lice treatment products annually. Given an average purchase of $12, this figure translates to 10M Americans annually seeking head lice treatment.
