Head Lice Life Cycle

The Head Lice Life Cycle and Treatment Procedures

Head lice are an infestation, though unfortunate, that is quite common among small children. They are common among children because of school and when kids get together and play around, head lice might transfer from one child to the next. Knowing the head lice life cycle and the treatment you can choose to use for your child may stop the spread of head lice. Here are some things you need to know about head lice and what you can do to manage an infestation.

The life cycle. The head lice life cycle begins with being very small egg sacs. These are called nits and they can be found burrowed in the scalp of the child. They are hard to remove because they have a glue-like substance that attaches them to the scalp. The next stage in the life cycle is called nymphs, in which the lice have just hatched and are still quite very small. They look similar to that of the adult lice, with only size being the distinguishing factor between the two. The final stage in the life cycle is the adult phase, wherein head lice have reached maturity and are capable of reproducing.

Treatment. There are many treatments that can be used for the head lice life cycle, and to eliminate them completely. The first common method used is the lice comb, which is usually made from metal. The comb is finely spaced and can be used to take out nymphs from the head. While the method has been proven to be quite effective, not every louse on the head can be removed in one session. Some people use tweezers to individually remove lice from the scalp. The method is tedious but can eliminate lice that are burrowed deep in the scalp that cannot be removed with using a lice comb.

Some often use medicated shampoo to break the head lice life cycle. It immediately kills lice and prevents reproduction, which results to having more nits in the scalp.