Types of Head Lice

Head lice, also called Pediculus Humanus Capitis, are minute, wingless insects that live in the hair and scalp of a person. Infestations are quite common, particularly amongst children, but can be removed with proper treatment. Getting lice has nothing to do with hygiene or cleanliness.

The most common sign of head lice is itching. For successfully treating an infestation, you should kill the lice on the head and take away all the nits from the hair.

A Head louse basically has three pair of legs situated directly behind the head. The legs end in with sharp claws which are designed to feed and allow the louse to hold on tightly to clothing or hair. The head louse is generally the largest of the three types of lice. When a person is infested with lice whether it is head lice, public lice or body lice, the condition is known as pediculosis.

Fear and anger are the most common emotions that take place when a loved one is diagnosed with head lice. But these emotions are usually greater than the health impact which is caused by head lice. Head lice are very annoying but they do not transmit disease and with appropriate treatment, it can be eliminated.

There are basically three types of lice. They are:

• The nit,
• The nymph, and
• The adult

Nit:

Nits are basically head lice eggs. They are not visible easily and are often confused with hair spray droplets or dandruff. Nits are found attached firmly to the hair shaft. They are oval shaped and generally yellow to white in color. Nits take nearly one week to emerge.

Nymph:

The nit emerges into a baby louse called as a nymph. It looks similar to an adult head louse, but is smaller in size. Nymphs mature into adults in nearly seven days after emerging. For living, the nymph should be fed on blood.

Adult:

The adult louse is about the size of a sesame seed, which has 6 legs and is grayish to white in color. In persons who have dark hair, the adult louse will look darker. Females lay nits; they are generally larger as compared to males. Adult lice can survive up to thirty days on head of a person. For living, adult lice is required to be fed on blood. If the louse falls of a person, it dies in two days.