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Although head lice are most commonly found in school-age children, it is a problem that affects the whole community. About 50,000 – 60,000 people suffer from head lice infestations each year.
Head lice are tiny wingless insects that cling close to the roots of the hairs and suck blood from the scalp. They are about the size of a sesame seed and have six legs, each with a hook at the end. Head lice are greyish brown in colour and live only on people, not (as popularly believed), on pets such as dogs and cats.
Head lice feed on human blood by biting into the scalp and sucking on the blood from capillary blood vessels close to the surface of the skin. They need to keep close to the scalp to survive. Once they are off the scalp, head lice die within 24hours; they dry up and starve because they need to eat to survive.
Sneak A Peek at head lice
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What are Nits?
Nits are the eggshells that are left behind, stuck to the hair strand, when the lice have hatched. They are a whitish-grey colour and are about 1mm in length. Often mistaken for dandruff and loose flakes of skin, nits should be removed by combing with a fine-tooth comb.
What to Look For |
