What is it about ?
Lice are insects that can be found in the hair of human beings. They are parasites that feed on human blood. They attach themselves to the hair, bite the skin and suck blood, with which they fill. During this sucking, the saliva of the louse comes into contact with the skin, causing the characteristic itching.
Lice have a life cycle made up of several phases. The louse is adult at the age of 15 to 20 days. Its average lifespan is one month maximum. Females are no more than 3mm in length and are generally slightly larger than males. Although they belong to the same family, the head louse and the pubic louse (crab lice) are two different species: head lice live on the hairy head, while crab lice live on pubic hair, the hairs thorax, eyelashes and eyebrows.
Where do they occur?
Lice are transmitted from person to person (directly or by hats, scarves or scarves, towels, hairbrushes …). This is why they are mainly found in people living in groups, such as in schools, boarding schools, barracks, etc. Thus, several members of a group can quickly end up with lice.
How to recognize them?
Small, itchy bumps (nodules or papules) form where lice bite, usually several together. If you look closely, you can see the lice. Lice eggs (nits) stick strongly to the hair. You can also see them and even feel them as you slide the hair through your fingers. To make sure, you can also comb the lice with a fine comb over a sheet of white paper. You will be able to see them well. Bites from crabs cause small gray-blue spots.
How is the diagnosis made?
A person who has lice usually knows it well before they go to the doctor. The doctor can see the lice and look for nits stuck to the hair. To do this, he sometimes looks at the hair under a microscope.
What can you do ?
While this is not true, lice are still associated with poor hygiene, and many people believe that only people who have poor hygiene have lice. That’s why a lot of people don’t say they have lice, because they’re ashamed. Unfortunately, this only increases the spread of lice. If your child has lice, don’t delay getting him treated. Also tell the school so that they can check if there are other cases.
To eliminate lice, it is best to adopt the lice comb method on wet hair :
- Start by washing the hair.
- Then apply a conditioner.
- Then you remove the nits with a lice comb. It is a comb whose teeth are spaced less than 0.3 mm. Always comb hair from root to tip.
Do this twice a week until there are no more lice and nits on the comb.
What can the doctor do?
Anti-lice shampoos, sprays and lotions have not been available since the end of 2018. They are no more effective than the lice comb method on wet hair. If you have any doubts, you can consult the general practitioner to see the presence of lice.
Want to know more?
- Lice – Christian mutuality
- Drugs against lice – CBIP – Belgian Center for Pharmacotherapeutic Information
Sources