Just the thought and talk of head lice seems to make our heads itchy!
Head lice, also known as nits, is a common condition frequently seen in school-aged children, although everyone can get them. Whilst the condition itself is harmless, it is highly contagious and irritating if not treated appropriately, and let’s face it, no one wants bugs crawling through their hair!
MYTHS:
– Lice can fly and jump from head to head
– Lice carry and transmit disease
– Lice prefer dirty hair
FACTS:
– Direct head-to-head contact is how head lice is caught – so hold off on playing, cuddling or working closely with anyone who has head lice
– Lice do NOT carry or transmit disease; however, the human scalp is their food source!
– Lice aren’t fussy when it comes to hair type – clean, dirty, long, short, curly or straight; they love it all!
SYMPTOMS
– Itchy scalp
– Visible eggs that appear as white specks and ‘pop’ when you squish them!
– Live lice crawling around the hair; often colourless or a reddish-brown colour and a couple of millimetres in length
WHAT TO DO:
