Everyone keeps asking why we got our haircuts & there is no crazy conspiracies or anything like that, we are all still the same peeps but somehow our kids picked up the worst thing that can happen to a family with locks & that is the lice. Sucks ass but it happened & we needed to take all precautionary measures to make sure there was no reinfestations. It's yucky but extremely common & we did what we thought was the most effective way to deal with our situation. Besides it's just hair & it does grow back. Thanks for all the concern & accepting us as we are :)

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After

Head Lice

 

• Head lice are parasitic insects that live in the hair and
  scalp of humans. They need human blood to survive.
• Head lice are spread easily from person to person by direct
  contact.
• Head lice can infest anyone, regardless of personal
  hygiene.
• Head lice are usually treatable with lice-killing shampoos and
  creme rinses.
• To prevent infection: 1) avoid direct contact with the head,
  hair, clothing, or personal belongings of a person with head lice,
  and 2) treat affected persons, their contacts, and their
  households.

 

What are head lice?

Head lice are parasitic insects that live in the hair and scalp of
humans. The scientific name for head louse is Pediculus humanus
capitis. Another name for infestation with head lice is
pediculosis.

Head lice develop in three forms: nits, nymphs, and adults.

Nits: Nits are head lice eggs. They are hard to see and are often
mistaken for dandruff or droplets of hairspray. Nits are found firmly
attached to the hair shaft. They are oval and usually yellow to
white. Nits take about 1 week to hatch.

Nymphs: Nits hatch into nymphs. Nymphs are immature adult head
lice. Nymphs mature into adults about 7 days after hatching. To live,
nymphs must feed on blood.

Adults: An adult louse is about the size of a sesame seed, has six
legs, and is tan to greyish- white. In persons with dark hair, adult
lice will look darker. Adult lice can live up to 30 days on a
person's head. To live, adult lice need to feed on blood. If a louse
falls off a person, it dies within 2 days.

 

Where are head lice found?

Head lice infestations occur worldwide.

 

How are head lice spread?

Head lice are spread easily from person to person by direct
contact. People can get head lice by:

Coming into close contact with an already infested person. In
children, contact is common during play, while riding the school bus,
and during classroom activities in which children sit in groups close
to each other.

Wearing infested clothing, such as hats, scarves, coats, sports
uniforms, or hair ribbons

Using infested combs, brushes, or towels

Lying on a bed, couch, pillow, carpet, or stuffed animal that has
been contaminated

Lice do not jump or fly. Lice are not spread to humans from pets
or other animals.

 

What are the signs and symptoms of head
lice?

Itching -- the body's allergic reaction to the bite

Irritability

 

How is head lice infestation
diagnosed?

Head lice infestation is diagnosed by looking closely through the
hair and scalp for nits, nymphs, or adult lice.

Nits are the easiest to see. They are found "glued" to the hair
shaft. Unlike dandruff or hairspray, they will not slide along a
strand of hair. If you find nits more than 1/4 inch from the scalp,
the infection is probably an old one.

Nymphs and adults can be hard to find; there are usually few of
them, and they can move quickly from searching fingers. If lice are
seen, finding nits close to the scalp confirms that a person is
infested.

If you are not sure if a person has head lice, the diagnosis
should be made by the local health department or a health-care
provider, school nurse, or agricultural extension service worker.

 

Who is at risk for head lice?

Anyone can get head lice. Pre-school- and elementary-school-aged
children and their families are infested most often. Girls get head
lice more often than boys, and women more often than men.

 

What complications can result from head
lice?

Scratching can lead to skin sores and skin infections.

 

What is the treatment for head lice
infestation?

Getting rid of head lice requires treating the individual, the
family, and the household.

Treat the individual and the family -- This requires using an
over-the-counter or prescription lice- killing medicine. Treat only
persons who are infested. Remember that all lice-killing products are
pesticides. Follow these treatment steps:

• Remove all clothing.
• Apply lice-killing medicine, also called pediculicide
  [peh-DICK-you-luh-side], according to label instructions.
  If the affected person has extra-long hair, you may need to use a
  second bottle.
• WARNING: Do not use a creme rinse or combination
  shampoo/conditioner before using lice-killing medicine. Do not
  re-wash hair for 1-2 days after treatment.
• Have the affected person put on clean clothing after
  treatment.
• If some live lice are still found but are moving more slowly
  than before treatment, do not re-treat. Comb dead and remaining
  live lice out of the hair. The medicine sometimes takes longer
  than the time recommended on the package to kill the lice.
• After treatment, if no dead lice are found and lice seem as
  active as before, the medicine may not be working. See your
  health-care provider for a different medicine. Follow treatment
  instructions.
• Remove nits and lice from the hair shaft using a nit comb,
  often found in lice-killing medicine packages. Flea combs used for
  cats and dogs can also be used.
• After treatment, check, comb, and remove nits and lice from
  the hair every 2-3 days.
• Re-treat in 7-10 days.
• Check all treated persons for 2-3 weeks until you are sure all
  lice and nits are gone.

Treat the household:

• To kill lice and nits, machine wash all washable clothing and
  bed linens that the infested person touched during the 2 days
  before they were diagnosed. Wash clothes and linens in the HOT
  water cycle (130 F). Dry items on the hot cycle for at least 20
  minutes.
• Dry clean clothing that is not washable (coats, hats, scarves,
  etc.). OR
• Seal all non-washable items (clothing, stuffed animals,
  comforters, etc.) in a plastic bag for 2 weeks.
• Soak combs and brushes for 1 hour in rubbing alcohol or Lysol,
  or wash with soap and hot water.
• Vacuum the floor and furniture. Do not use lice sprays; they
  can be toxic if inhaled.

Cautions:

• Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not use
  head-lice medications.
• Consult a health-care provider before using lice-killing
  products on a person who has allergies, asthma, or other medical
  conditions.
• Do not use extra amounts of lice-killing medicines.
• Do not use lice-killing medicines on the eyebrows or
  eyelashes.

 

How common is head lice
infection?

Head lice is a very common condition, especially among children
ages 3-10. As many as 6 million to 12 million people worldwide get
head lice each year. Outbreaks of head lice occur often in schools
and group settings worldwide.

 

Is head lice an emerging infectious
disease?

Yes. Head lice is an increasing problem because lice-killing
medicines are becoming less effective.

 

How can head lice be
prevented?

• Educate parents and schools about head lice. All parents
  should know that outbreaks of head lice have nothing to do with a
  family's income, social status, or level of personal hygiene.
• Avoid direct contact with a person who has lice, or with their
  clothing or personal belongings.
• Watch for signs of lice, such as frequent head scratching.
  Nits do not cause symptoms, but they can be seen on the hair
  shaft; they are yellow-white and oval-shaped.
• Teach children not to share combs, brushes, scarves, hair
  ribbons, helmets, headphones, hats, towels, bedding, clothing, or
  other personal items.
• Examine household members and close contacts of a person with
  head lice, and treat if infested.
• Make sure schools, camps, and child-care centers provide
  separate storage areas (cubbies or lockers) and widely spaced coat
  hooks for clothing and other personal articles. They should assign
  sleeping mats and bedding to only one child and store these
  separately. They should wash dress-up clothes and play costumes
  between use by different children. During an outbreak, costumes
  should not be used in the classroom.
• Exclude children with head lice from school or day care
  according to the institution's policy.

 

This fact sheet is for information only and is not meant to be
used for self-diagnosis or as a substitute for consultation with a
health-care provider. If you have any questions about the disease
described above or think that you may have a parasitic infection,
consult a health-care provider.