Is it possible to get lice. How not to get lice from another person

It is at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn that the peak incidence of pediculosis occurs.

Pediculosis (from Latin pediculus, "louse") is an infection of a person with lice.

Pediculosis is a fairly common disease. According to Rospotrebnadzor, in 2014 almost 288,000 cases of pediculosis were registered in Russia, or 190.59 per 100,000 people. This is 5.8% more than in the previous year, and there is no downward trend in the incidence.

From the moment of infection to the first signs of the disease, it can take several weeks. Therefore, do not rush to close the page. If your child does not scratch his head today, this does not mean that he is completely healthy. We will tell you how to properly examine your child and identify signs of illness in time, as well as how to quickly and painlessly rid your child of lice.

What is a louse?

The head louse is a small insect up to 4 mm in length. She loves warmer places and, most often, lives in the back of the head, behind the ears and in the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe temples. It is there that you can see traces of bites and scratches.

However, most likely it will not work to see the louse itself - it is very mobile. But you are more likely to find nits.

Nits - small transparent "beads", louse eggs. They are tightly attached to the hair closer to the root. The nits themselves do not cause much harm, except that new insects will appear from them later.

Lice feed on human blood by piercing the scalp with their proboscis. Grayish-blue marks remain at the puncture site, which then begin to itch due to the enzyme that injects the louse into the wounds. This enzyme is needed by the insect to prevent blood from clotting and causes local irritation.

If the wounds are scratched heavily, a bacterial infection may join them, and they will fester. Therefore, it is important to identify the presence of pediculosis in a child in time.

Lice are quite voracious, but cannot store energy in the form of fat, so they need to eat regularly. On average 1 time in 2-3 hours. Lice are also quite sensitive to temperature. The higher the temperature, the more often they need to eat.

So, at a temperature of about 35 ° C, lice can live without blood for a little longer than 1 day, at 10-20 ° C - more than 7 days. If the temperature is below 12°C, the lice become uncomfortable, they stop laying eggs, and their larvae stop developing.

The most annoying thing is the head louse's ability to carry Obermeister's borrelia (Borrelia recurrenti), which causes epidemic relapsing fever. Infection occurs when the insect is accidentally crushed while scratching the bite. It is then that the borrelia from the crushed louse enters the human blood.

Typhus is not common today, mainly in the case of infection with pediculosis from people from a socially disadvantaged environment or living in conditions of high crowding. But it is impossible to exclude the possibility of its development by 100%. Therefore, after getting rid of lice, it is better to show the child to the doctor.

How can you get lice?

Lice are insects without wings. They do not know how to jump and fly, but they run very well. Therefore, pediculosis can only be transmitted through direct contact. Most often, children become infected with lice during games or the exchange of personal items - when they try on each other's hats and caps, comb their hair with other people's combs, sleep together on the same pillow, and so on.

Pediculosis can also be contracted in hairdressing salons, hotels, using someone else's towel.

Symptoms of pediculosis

The main symptom of head lice is itching in the bite area. Let us remind you once again that most often lice feed on the temples, behind the ears, on the back of the head and neck (if the child long hair).

Children with pediculosis become restless, restless, constantly scratching their heads. They feel discomfort, but do not understand what it is connected with.

How to properly examine a child's head?

There are two ways to check:

• On dry hair - efficiency 29%;
• On wet hair - 91% effective.

Also, the use of a fine-toothed comb or comb is better at detecting insects than a simple head examination.

If you decide to inspect the child's wet hair, apply hair conditioner to make it easier for the comb to glide.

• Comb baby's hair to get rid of tangles;
• With a fine comb or comb, run over the head from the crown of the head to the neck. Sweep in different directions;
• Check the comb after each dip in the hair;
• Comb your entire head at least twice.

Finding lice is quite difficult, but possible. Especially if combing is done over a sheet of paper or a light, lint-free towel.

Common lice are small translucent insects with six legs. Lice that have drunk blood are larger than their hungry counterparts and have a brownish color.

Examine the combed hair. Closer to their root you can see nits. The nit, like a small transparent bead, clings tightly to the hair. It's hard to separate it. And when crushed, it makes a characteristic crack.

Folk remedies for lice

For a long time, lice have been fought by any possible means, and by now there have been many folk remedies:

• Shaving bald and treating the head with tar soap;
• Tar soap (acts due to the high concentration of alkali);
• Mixture sunflower oil and kerosene in a ratio of 1:1;
• Mixture laundry soap and kerosene in a ratio of 1: 1, before applying to the hair, it is necessary to dilute the mixture with water in the ratio of 1 part of the mixture to 10 parts of water (100 ml of solution per 1 liter of water);
• Liquid WD-40 (a mixture of kerosene and engine oil);
• Cranberry juice (acts mainly on nits, since the acidic environment of the juice corrodes their shell);
• Vinegar (9% table vinegar is diluted with water twice to obtain an acid concentration of 4.5%);
• Dustove soap (not used since the 60s due to the extreme harm of DDT to humans and environment);
• Essential oils (tea tree, lavender) - apply a few drops to the hair not for treatment, but to prevent infection with lice, for example, to uninfected family members;
• Ironing the child's hair with a hair straightener (lice do not tolerate high temperatures);
• Combing lice (if your child is allergic, this is one of the few remedies that can help);

Disadvantages of folk remedies

• Kerosene and kerosene-containing products are flammable, poorly washed off, spoil the hair (they become sticky and dirty in appearance), make it difficult to comb them;
• Vinegar dries hair, and a concentrated solution can cause severe burns;

Folk remedies are usually less effective than pharmacy ones. medications, are inconvenient to use and require a long walk with a bag and a towel on your head.

They also require repeated use, since it is impossible to destroy all insects with their help at one time due to their low efficiency.

Well, and most importantly, the child will then remember for a long time all the horrors that were done to him, and walk with a red, itchy neck and head.

Effective remedies for pediculosis

Fortunately, in addition to folk remedies, there are now many effective and safe drugs. Main modern means for the treatment of pediculosis are:

• Preparations based on malathion;
• Preparations based on permethrin;
• Preparations based on dimethicone;
• Preparations based on piperonyl butoxide.

Most of the remedies for pediculosis contain only one active ingredient. Because of this, they do not give 100% effect. Some remedies may not work for nits, while others may not work for adult lice that have developed drug resistance.

To completely get rid of lice, it is enough to apply it for only 10 minutes, and then simply wash it off with regular shampoo. This is especially important if the child is mobile or does not like to manipulate his head.

How to use a three-component preparation?

1. Handle in a well ventilated area.
2. Have a timer or watch ready to keep track of the time.
3. Shake the bottle with the drug and spray it evenly over the entire length of the child's hair. If your hair is long and thick, use a thin comb to separate the strands for maximum effect.
4. Record 10 minutes. There is no need to wrap the head of the child with anything. After 9 minutes, you can begin to adjust the temperature of the water for rinsing. If for some reason you exceed the required application time, hypersensitivity and irritation reactions may develop. Therefore, be careful.
5. Wash your child's hair with regular shampoo and condition with hair conditioner. This is necessary to create a sliding effect when combing out.
6. Comb out dead insects and nits with a special metal comb. The frequent teeth of such combs allow you to grab and hold the nits and remove them from the hair. It is better not to use a comb, as it will not allow you to get rid of the nits and they will have to be removed manually. And this is a few days of not very pleasant work.

If the lesion was massive, it may be necessary to repeat the procedure. But usually one application is enough.

Precautionary measures

When applied, a feeling of tingling or itching is possible, there is nothing wrong with that. However, if your child is allergic, test the drug for small area skin. For example, on the handle or leg and follow the reaction within 24 hours.

If you are pregnant, it is better not to use the drug personally, as there are no studies on the safety of its use in pregnant and lactating women. Have someone else handle your child's head.

What to do next?

After you have dealt with lice in a child, it is necessary to exclude their possible presence in your home.

Examine everyone who lives with you for head lice. This must be done even if there are no symptoms. Remember that signs of infection do not appear immediately.

It is also necessary to process the mattress, blanket, pillow, outerwear, upholstered furniture used by the child.

• Pillow and blanket must be processed on both sides.
• Give Special attention seams of outerwear, furniture and bed linen.
• Treated items can only be used a few hours after using the aerosol. They must be left in a well-ventilated area, for example, hung on a balcony.
• Things can be used when the smell of the drug disappears.

How to prevent lice infestation?

In order to avoid re-infection or to prevent possible infection, it is necessary to have a conversation with the child. Tell him why he will need to comply with certain measures.

If you have already carried out the lice control procedure, show the child the former “tenants” and tell him that he felt bad and itched precisely because of them.

• Wash your baby's head and body at least twice a week;
• Change your child's underwear and bedding regularly. Iron them, paying special attention to the seams.
• Explain to your child that you can not exchange combs and hats with friends. If you really want to try on someone else's hat, you need to turn it inside out. This will reduce the chance of infection;
• Use lavender oil and tea tree. Apply oils to the back of the head, neck and behind the ears of the child. They do not give 100% protection, but lice do not like them very much.

And be sure to tell the mothers in the group or class, as well as the mothers of your child's friends, that the child had pediculosis.

This must be done, no matter how ashamed or uncomfortable you may be. They should check their children too. You also need this, because it is not known from whom exactly the child was infected. And if you do not conduct a wide screening of the children with whom he comes into contact, there is a possibility of re-infection.

The editors would like to thank the specialists of Rusfik LLC for their help in preparing the material.

Your child attends kindergarten or school - and then one day you notice that he is somehow suspiciously scratching his head. You part strands of hair on his head - and ... oh horror! Among the beautiful curls, a whole "menagerie" wound up! A familiar situation, isn't it? Perhaps it is difficult to find a mother who would never fall into her. And now you are asking the eternal question: what to do? Douse the baby's hair with kerosene in the old fashioned way or shave his head baldly?

Of course not! This is barbarism. Everything is much easier. After all, now there are more humane methods of dealing with lice. However, let's take a closer look at the "gift" your little one can bring home.

"Uninvited guest" - what kind of "beast" are you?

So let's get started...

The head louse is a nimble insect, that lives on the scalp. It has a flattened body, the length of which in a mature individual is about 4 mm. Due to the special structure of their oral organs, the head louse pierces the host's skin and sucks its blood, eating it once every two to three hours. Therefore, she cannot live for a long time without food: only a day or two. The saliva secreted by a louse during a bite prevents blood from clotting, which causes skin irritation and itching. Therefore, the child scratches his head. The head louse has three pairs of legs, at the ends of which there are hooks of a certain diameter. With them, she clings tightly to the hair on her head.

On average, at a temperature of + 28 ° C, the head louse lives for about a month, and at a temperature of + 44 ° C, it dies. For the duration of my whole life a sexually mature female (mother louse) lays 150 to 300 eggs(nits) - an average of 4 to 10 eggs per day. The female attaches the nits closer to the hair roots with the help of a sticky fluid secreted.

Lice development cycle

After 7-10 days, a larva, a nymph, appears from a laid egg. 10-12 days after the “birth”, she turns into a sexually mature individual capable of laying eggs.

Where and how can you "pick up" a head louse?

She does not fly and does not jump, but she moves quite briskly (covers a distance of about 25 cm in a minute). Therefore, it can quickly climb from one host to another. Especially when there is a strong overcrowding of children, which takes place in schools, kindergartens and recreation camps, in children's playgrounds and in other places.

A healthy child becomes infected from a sick:

* with direct contact of the heads of two children;

* through things, when children borrow them from each other: hats, scarves, sweaters, combs and hair ornaments, outerwear and others;

* there is a possibility of infection in a common locker room or even public transport (usually through the head restraints);

* sleeping in the same bed with a baby with lice.

And the point here is not at all that the rules of personal hygiene are not observed. On the contrary, the louse is especially “Loves” precisely clean and well-groomed children. Since in this case the scalp is clean, it is therefore easier to pierce without special efforts get a living, and clean hair is much easier to hold on to.

By the way, nits can not be infected because they don't move at all.

How to detect "intruders"?

Sexually mature individuals are transparent, so they are difficult to find. However, after drinking blood, they acquire a brownish-reddish hue. But even in this case, there is no guarantee that you will find the "animals" quickly, because they move very quickly. And a lot depends on the color of the hair.

Therefore, more real find nits. Before you start looking for them, make sure good source light and only then, strand by strand, examine the child's hair. Pay attention to the favorite places of lice - where it is warmer and the skin is thinner: behind the ears, on the back of the head and temples.

In doing so, remember that:

* Live nits - shiny yellowish-white eggs elongated shape 1-1.5 mm in size, securely attached closer to the hair roots. In addition, if you crush live nits between your nails, you will hear a peculiar sound (crackling). Nits are quite difficult to remove from hair.

* Dead nits are brownish in color.

* Empty egg shells (no embryo) white color somewhat reminiscent of dandruff.

When looking for "animals" and their eggs, pay attention to the baby's scalp. If you see red dots on it, then these are bite marks. So, someone has already "feasted" here.

What is dangerous head louse?

Some sources contain information that the head louse is a carrier of rash and relapsing fever, Volyn fever. And indeed it is. However, in reality, everything is not so simple. The louse must be crushed (which sometimes happens when combing), and the leaked liquid must be rubbed into the wounds on the head (places of bites and scratches). Only then will infection occur.

Whereas the bites themselves are also not always safe: they often lead to the development of dermatitis and irritation on the scalp. In addition, the baby, combing his head, can infect the wounds from bites and scratches. In this case, the occipital and cervical lymph nodes sometimes increase.

In addition, you must admit, it is not pleasant that the head constantly itches.

We destroy lice: do not panic!

Of course, it is necessary to visit a doctor first, but in fact, the negotiability of this problem is low. Many immediately run to the pharmacy, because modern pharmacology is replete with drugs to combat lice.

Moreover, each manufacturer praises his product, publishing information that it is safe, and promising to get rid of "intruders" in one application. Is that so? After all, we are talking about the health of the crumbs. Let's figure it out.

Lice control products

For outdoor use two groups of drugs are used.

1. Insecticides - chemical compounds

• Permitin preparations: Medifox, Hygia, Nix, Nittifor
• Phenothrin preparations: Aniti-bit, Veda
• Malathion preparations: Pedilin, Para-plus

They are available in the form of shampoos, soaps, aerosols, emulsions, gels, creams.

How do they act?

Paralyze nervous system lice, so they die. After all, all processes in their body stop: breathing, movement, cardiac activity, and so on. The instruction says that these drugs are practically safe. However, in reality this is not always the case. Since they often cause allergic reactions, dry the scalp, increase hair fragility, and lead to the formation of dandruff.

Besides, in recent times to these drugs, lice are increasingly developing resistance.

2. Preparations based on mineral oils - dimethicones. They are safer because they rarely cause allergic reactions. An added advantage is that they do not irritate the scalp and lice do not develop addiction to them.

This group includes Paranit, Pediculen Ultra, Nyuda and ROSH TOV Double impact.

The preparations are available in the form of an aerosol, shampoo, lotion. Some of them are equipped with a special comb with frequent teeth and a magnifying glass.

How do they act?

Oils clog the respiratory bodies of lice, larvae and nits, that is, in fact, they suffocate. In addition, under the influence of drugs in lice, the water balance is disturbed and dehydration occurs.

However, whichever tool you choose, based on chemical or natural oils- remember that they are not recommended for children under three years of age, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. In these cases, it is still better to consult a doctor.

Another important point: these drugs will not get rid of lice in just one time, because, alas, they do not completely destroy the nits, because the eggs have a rather thick shell. But the glue with which the nits are attached, these preparations are still dissolved, and after processing they are easier to comb off.

Therefore, you will have to process the head one more time in 7-10 days (remember the development cycle of lice). This approach eliminates lice in 99.9% of cases, and three times treatment in compliance with time intervals is their complete cure.

The exception is Paranit® Sensitive. Manufacturers claim that it completely destroys nits and lice within 8 hours (this is how long the treatment lasts).

How to process?

It's not all that complicated. The main thing is to strictly follow the instructions of the drug: how to apply, cover or not hair.

No need to overdo it either. Firstly, it makes no sense (live individuals will die during the specified time in the instructions, and the remedy will not really work on nits), and secondly, it can be harmful.

However, some general rules still exist:

* Before use, make sure that the child does not have allergies for the drug of your choice. Therefore, on the skin inner surface forearms, apply a little and leave it for 20 minutes. If after this time there is no itching and redness on the skin, then the remedy can be used.

* Before treatment, be sure to cover the face and cover the shoulders of the baby with a towel so that the product does not accidentally get on the skin and in the eyes. And then apply it.

* After the allotted time wash off with shampoo but in such a way that water does not get on other parts of the body and in the eyes.

* With a special comb with frequent teeth, comb nits and dead lice from wet hair. After combing each strand from the horse to the ends of the hair, do not forget to thoroughly clean the comb with a napkin or rinse it under running water.

* Wash clothes, underwear, bedding and iron with a steamer. After all, lice die at high temperature.

* For items that cannot be washed, arrange a two-day "quarantine". Because lice do not live long without food.

What to do if the child is allergic?

In this case, all anti-pediculosis agents are not recommended. There is only one way out - combing:

* Wash your baby's hair with regular shampoo, then towel dry slightly and apply a generous amount of hair conditioner. At the same time, lice move less actively.

This procedure must be carried out at least four times within two weeks. Thus, the development cycle of lice will be disrupted.

However, remember that this method is ineffective, so a relapse is possible.

Be vigilant or How to prevent infection?

Of course, there are no one hundred percent methods that will save a child from bringing a “gift” home in his hair. However, it is possible to reduce this risk.

Prevention begins with the work of medical workers in schools and kindergartens. Because they must regularly check their pupils for nits and lice.

However, b about The ultimate responsibility still lies with you.

* Make it your rule check the child for the presence of nits and lice once every 7-10 days.

* Periodically iron the child's hair with a hair straightener because lice and nits die at high temperatures.

* Explain to the child a few rules of conduct at school or kindergarten:

Do not share a hat, scarf, comb, hair ornaments with other children.

Before hanging outerwear in the common locker room, it is necessary to turn it on the wrong side, and wrap the outer one inward. This will reduce the chance of infection because the louse cannot move on smooth surfaces.

* If the girl has long hair, then collect them in a ponytail or knit braids - the likelihood of infection will decrease.

* Wash your child's hair with Algopix shampoo, it contains pine tar. Of course, he does not fight lice, but he has a specific smell that they do not "favour". You can’t use this shampoo all the time, so use it only if you find lice in someone at school or kindergarten.

When can I go to school or kindergarten?

Essentially, if you processed a child effective tool, then it is no longer contagious - provided that after 7-10 days you repeat the procedure. Therefore, he can return to the children's team the very next day.

Silence or inform?

Pediculosis is not the most pleasant topic, so no one wants to talk about it.

However, imagine the situation: now you have dealt with lice, but the baby will return to the same children's team from which he brought home a “gift”. He will communicate with a neighbor on the desk, play with other children, take off his clothes in the locker room. That is, it will fall into the same conditions.

What to do? Of course, you shouldn't be angry. After all, no one is immune from this trouble. Therefore, it is better to approach the teacher or kindergarten teacher and calmly explain the situation. Next, she will call nurse, which will examine all the children.

Perhaps this is all that could be said about this annoying problem. However, in the end, I would like to remind you that no one is immune from infection. Therefore, be vigilant!

pediatric resident doctor

As you know, pediculosis is a disease with an impressive history. Perhaps that is why it is surrounded by the most various myths. At the same time, many of them are firmly entrenched in the minds of people. Dermatologist, expert of the Happy Childhood Without Pediculosis program Oksana KOZHEVINA will help you figure out which of these facts are justified, and which are just common misconceptions.

Where and how can you get lice?

Myth 1. Lice can jump from head to head.

Lice are small wingless insects, they cannot fly and jump, as is commonly believed. But they move very quickly through the hair, as they have special hook-shaped claws on their paws, with which they firmly cling to the hair, including with direct head-to-head contact. It is impossible to get infected with head lice just by being in the same room with a person infected with lice, if at the same time you do not contact him in the above way. However, there is a chance to "catch" lice in public transport, in particular during peak hours, when the density of people is very high and people are very close to each other. The risk of head lice infestation is especially high in people with long flowing hair.

Myth 2. Those who rarely wash their hair and do not follow the rules of personal hygiene are more likely to get head lice.

The cleanliness of the hair, as well as hygiene in general, does not affect the possibility of contracting head lice in any way. At the same time, for a long time it was believed that this problem is characteristic of people leading an asocial lifestyle. Indeed, it is they who constitute the “risk group” not only for head lice, but also for body lice. But, nevertheless, frequent cases of head lice are recorded against the background of favorable socio-economic conditions. Over the past decades, pediculosis has been common in economically developed countries.

Myth 3. You can get lice by swimming in a pool, pond / river or any other body of water, as well as from animals

Despite the fact that lice are able to stay alive in water for up to two days (at a temperature of +17 C), it is unlikely to become infected with head lice in the pool, while swimming in a pond, river or any other body of water, as shown in various studies.

It has been proven that lice are not carriers of serious infections, but, nevertheless, itching of the scalp can cause significant discomfort to a person. The fact is that lice multiply quickly enough. An increase in the number of these insects and an increase in the number of their bites leads to the appearance of scratching, and they, in turn, can serve as an entrance gate for secondary infections, including regional lymphadenitis (increased cervical lymph nodes), and allergic reactions.

Did you know that children get head lice more often than adults?

Indeed, most often head lice occur in children aged 5 to 12 years. Unlike adults, they are much more mobile and sociable, they spend a lot of time in contact games, they secretly “in their ear”. In addition, children willingly change hats, hair clips and, without hesitation, use a common comb. Especially often infection occurs in children's camps and in other places. summer holidays, where at the same time resides a large number of children. Concerning medical workers in kindergartens and schools in without fail all children are examined in early September for pediculosis in order to prevent the further spread of the disease.

Myth 5. Lice can appear on nerves.

How to deal with lice?

Myth 6. To get rid of lice, you need to put all things in a plastic bag, leave them in a bag for several weeks, or put them in the refrigerator.

Some time ago this was a very common recommendation. However, it is known that lice live exclusively on the scalp of a person, and without it they cannot live longer than 48 hours. That is why it is enough to simply vacuum those surfaces with which a person with pediculosis had contact, and also wash his things in hot water.

Myth 7. It is safer and more effective to treat children with folk remedies for pediculosis

Initially, the use of such folk remedies as table vinegar, cranberry juice or herbal decoctions was popular mainly because there were no other means. But it is important to know that, for example, vinegar does not kill adult lice, but only destroys the substance with which the female sticks the eggs to the hair. Hellebore water is not very effective either.

In addition, it is quite toxic, and only half of the lice die from its action, while all the eggs remain viable. As a result, the surviving individuals reproduce again. And, despite the fact that kerosene effectively destroys lice, it negatively affects the skin and the hair itself, so its use can be dangerous for the health of both the child and the parent who treats his head.

Did you know that lice may be resistant to certain pediculicides?

Since the 80s. In the 20th century, as a result of mutations, lice begin to develop resistance to permethrin, one of the widely used insecticides for pediculosis, which acts on the nervous system of insects. This significantly reduced the effectiveness of such drugs. However, among traditional insecticides, preparations based on substances from other chemical groups still remain active against head lice. In the last decade, a new effective group pediculicides, represented by products containing silicone oils - dimethicones. At a low concentration of dimethicones, they also include mineral oils (Isopar, Clearol). Such funds act physically - the substances included in their composition prevent the respiration of insects and disrupt their water exchange. Lice do not develop resistance to them, and besides, they are non-toxic to humans.

It is important for parents to understand that lice are not a shame, and even more so, not a reason for quarantine in a kindergarten where a child goes. The main thing is to detect them in time and choose the right pediculicides that will quickly and effectively help to cope with the problem. It is also important to teach your child about hygiene rules that minimize the risk of contracting this disease.

If you have lice, the reasons for their appearance come down, one way or another, to contact with an infected person. The infection is spreading in kindergartens, schools, health camps and sanatoriums.

Pediculosis is a very contagious and extremely unpleasant disease. Therefore, from what lice appear on the head, everyone should know.

Methods of infection with pediculosis

There are a large number of ways how you can get lice, because they have sufficient mobility. There are also many ways where nits come from, especially since they are resistant to adverse environmental factors.

When treating a disease, it is important to understand where lice come from in a person initially. Knowing the ultimate causes of the disease, you can eliminate them.

How not to get lice

Thus, there are a huge number of ways to become infected with pediculosis. No less imaginary sources of illness, such as lice from nerves. So do not pay attention to myths, but it is better to worry about your safety, neutralizing the real threats of infection, because the causes of lice in humans are quite diverse.

The relationship between lice infestation and gender, age, human health

Sometimes you can hear the opinion that the likelihood of infection increases or decreases depending on individual features of people. Actually, these are all myths. Let's consider some of them.

The relatively large proportion of infected children (in Russia, the ratio is usually kept at 3:2) is explained by the fact that closer contact is maintained between them: the children constantly play together, go to school, and relax in camps and sanatoriums. That's why it's important to know which ones exist.

Similarly, the causes of head lice are not related to gender. Insects like both men and women equally. However, the fair sex, as you know, is often more clean, and by observing personal hygiene measures, they reduce the risk of damage.

During social cataclysms, wars, natural disasters, in prisons and refugee camps, in countries with deplorable sanitary conditions, it is much more difficult to protect yourself from bloodsuckers.

Thus, there are many places where you can observe how lice are transmitted from person to person. However, even in an unfavorable environment, it is worth trying to resort to a number of preventive measures, allowing you to protect yourself from infection or at least significantly reduce this probability.

Prevention of pediculosis

There are many folk remedies that allow you to get rid of lice and nits. Home medicine methods, in some cases, can replace drug treatment(tablet or spray), and their main advantage, in general, is the absence side effects, which is very good if they appeared. These funds include:

The treatment of lice also has a large number of ways, but it is best to take care of the preliminary safety measures. After all, the experience of human history has preserved various means for the prevention of infection by insects.

A person can be subjected to "attacks" of three types of lice:

Under laboratory conditions, these species interbreed, give fertile offspring, but in the natural environment, insects exist in isolation from each other.

What is the difference

The louse is a gray-brown bug with a size of 0.4-6 mm, with six legs. A nit is a louse egg covered with a special shell. The "cocoon" has a spindle shape and a "lid" through which the mature larva exits the capsule. Below is a belt that wraps around the egg and the hair to which it is attached. The length of the nit is 0.7-0.8 mm, the diameter of the capsule is about 0.4 mm.

Outside the head of a person, lice live no more than two days - this is how long they can last without food. If the ambient temperature drops to 10-12 ° C, pests can "stretch" longer - about ten days.

Life cycle of insects

The life cycle of the head louse that lives in human hair consists of four stages.

Fertilization and oviposition

A louse is capable of producing offspring, the age of which is about two weeks. After fertilization by the male and the "meal", the female lays eggs. It happens like this.

• Egg maturation. While the louse moves up the hair, an egg descends through the oviduct in the body of the insect, passing through the glands that cover it with a special composition.
• Egg exit. Through the secret, the egg, leaving through the anus, is attached to the hair at a distance of 2-3 cm from the root.
• Hair attachment. After a few minutes, the shell becomes so strong that it is not possible to remove the nits from the curl even with nails.

The louse chooses free hair for laying eggs. There can be more than one nit on one curl, only if there are a lot of insects.

Larval development

In a cocoon, the larva develops in five to eight days. Maturing time depends on environmental conditions. For nits, the most favorable temperature is 33 ° C. When the indicator drops to 22 ° C or rises to 40 ° C, the development of the insect stops.

At a temperature of more than 45 ° C, the larva dies; at 0 ° C, it can survive for two to three months. However, even in winter, the temperature of the human scalp rarely drops below 25 ° C, so lice can successfully develop all year round.

Exit from the capsule

The mature larva squeezes the cover of the "cocoon" and begins to breathe. Inhaled air passes through the esophagus of the insect and, leaving through the anus, accumulates in the lower part of the shell. Under the action of pressure, the larva is pushed out of the cocoon. The process of "birth" takes only a few minutes.

Transformation into an adult

The larva emerging from the egg resembles an adult, but is smaller in size and is not capable of producing offspring. Within 14-16 days the insect grows, during this period there are three molts. After the latter, the pest is able to reproduce, which it does, mating almost immediately with an individual of the opposite sex.

Lice multiply on a person's head very quickly. Each female at favorable conditions lays about ten eggs a day.

What is dangerous pediculosis for humans

1. The risk of contracting dangerous diseases. Pests are carriers of typhus, trench fever, but in modern conditions this rarely happens.
2. The likelihood of wound infection. Lice leave bite marks on the skin, through which infection can enter the bloodstream.
3. Dermatological lesions. Bite marks provoke the appearance of bluish spots, allergic reactions, sometimes - pustular formations and pyoderma.
4. Discomfort. Finding lice on the head is associated with constant itching and burning.
5. Difficulty in social contacts. When communicating with other people, a person who has lice in his hair feels awkward. In addition, it is dangerous to others, since the risk of infection is high.

How can you "catch"

How do people get lice and how do you know if there are lice on your head? Doctors have found out where lice come from in a person, and how they crawl from a “sick” head to a “healthy” one. Two ways of infection with pediculosis have been identified.

1. From person to person. Most often, insects are transmitted in this way. This happens if people share the same bed, sit close to each other.
2. Through personal hygiene items and clothing. When sharing towels, combs, hairpins and rubber bands, pests also "travel" from head to head. You can become infected by wearing a hat, hooded jacket, or other clothing worn by a person with lice.

Nits, unlike lice, can be transmitted from person to person in exceptional cases, as they are firmly attached to the hair.

"Risk" public places

You can pick up lice anywhere by close contact with an infected person or by using his personal belongings. Most often this happens in:

• schools;
• kindergartens;
• public transport;
• cinemas.

Pediculosis can be contracted even in public bathing places, such as a swimming pool. In poor areas of India, infection often occurs while swimming in the river.

Common myths

Some word of mouth information about lice is wrong. Here are five of the most common myths.

There is an opinion that lice can appear on a nervous basis. Oddly enough, this is partly true. There is evidence that insects are more likely to "attack" those who are prone to anxiety and worries. In such people, the blood pulsates strongly, the excessive sweating process, the smell of their body is attractive to insects.

Incubation period

When lice "settle" on the head, they begin to bite immediately, however, with a small number of insects, a person does not attach much importance to unpleasant sensations. Only after three to four weeks, when there are a lot of pests, the signs of their presence become noticeable.

How to detect uninvited "guests" ...

The very first sign of head lice is itchy skin. After a pest bite, a wound is formed into which its saliva enters, causing irritation. When there are few lice, the itching is insignificant, it is rarely associated with the presence of insects. However, the more they become, the more unbearable these sensations are.

The appearance of itching does not mean infection with pediculosis; only the detection of insects and nits can confirm the diagnosis. Adult lice are quite difficult to see: they live on the skin and move quickly. Most often, nits are found first. You can see light capsules with eggs with the naked eye, they are especially noticeable on dark straight hair. Nits are sometimes mistaken for dandruff.

... and distinguish from dandruff

There are four ways to distinguish dandruff from nits.

1. Quantity. The amount of dandruff is always about the same, while the number of nits is increasing day by day.
2. Appearance. Dandruff flakes can be of various sizes, reaching 5 mm, the size of nits is approximately the same - no more than 0.8 mm. On closer examination, a dark egg can be seen through the shell of the nit, the empty capsule has a yellow or gray tint. Dandruff is always uniformly white in color.
3. Sound. If you press on the nits, you can hear a characteristic click.
4. The quality of the "clutch". Dandruff can be easily brushed off curls, while nits are firmly connected to the hair.

How to do a head exam

Finding lice can be difficult, especially if the hair is light and curly, or there are not so many pests yet. You can look at the photo on the Internet how they look. Pictures and photos will not always be able to show how lice spread. The only sure way is combing with a special comb with frequent teeth. They can be white or black. What a nit looks like can be seen under a microscope. But it is advisable to entrust the examination to the medical staff, but you can carry out the procedure at home.

How to act

1. Settle in a well-lit area.
2. Comb your hair with a regular comb, dividing the tangled curls.
3. Comb one strand with a special comb with frequent teeth.
4. Immediately after combing, wipe the tool with a white napkin or cotton pad: lice and nits will be noticeable on a light background if they are present on the head.
5. Comb several strands in this way.