head lice

Symptoms: recognizing head lice

The first signs that "pediculosis" is the technical term for head lice infestation are severe itching and localized swellings on the scalp. Affected people scratch a lot, especially in the neck area. Wound secretions and nits can stick and matt the hair. The bloodthirsty suckers can also be seen with the naked eye.

Appearance: what does a head louse look like?

Head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) are 2 to 3.5 mm in size and have six legs with which they cling firmly to the host's hair. Their color: light yellow, beige to brownish. They can also nestle in beard and armpit hair and crawl in hats or on upholstered furniture and cuddly toys.

If the first symptoms - such as reddened, swollen and itchy scalp - appear, the first thing to do is to check whether bloodsuckers have already established themselves. Head lice can be seens with the naked eye or under a magnifying glass. The white nits on the hairline are also mostly visible. In the case of severe infestation, these are often lined up close together as egg chains - especially at the hairline behind the ears or on the neck.

Another way to spot head lice is to comb them out carefully : Run a nit comb with narrow teeth from the roots all the way through the hair - preferably after shampooing, as there is less puckering when the hair is still damp. The lices and nits will get caught in it and can then be wiped off easily. If you discover the parasites and their eggs on the comb, you can be sure that there is a louse infestation.

If you are still unsure after the check-up and combing out, you should see your doctor. This can clearly identify pediculosis and also examine the family environment, such as siblings, at the same time. The goal: to prevent infection or start treatment as early as possible to curb the spread of head lice.

Head scratching: why do lice itch?

In addition to the visible head lice and nits, there are other signs: especially the very itchy skin . Affected people scratch their heads and behind their ears. Sometimes so strong that the skin is scratched and starts to bleed.

Wound secretions come out of the wounds and stick to the hair. The bigger problem, however, is that bacteria can easily enter the open areas and cause inflammation. An infection often manifests itself as swollen lymph nodes, especially around the neck.

The severe itching is the body's immune response and has two reasons:

• Head louse excretions: These irritate the skin and cause itching.
• Saliva of the head louse: To suckle blood, the crawlers first stick their proboscis into the skin. In order to be able to suckle, they remove anticoagulant saliva, which is very itchy.
   

Obligation to report: make head lice known?

In principle, head lice infestation can occur at any time of the year. Usually, the number of infections suddenly skyrockets after the summer vacation. Experts suspect that this phenomenon was caused by an accumulation of imported lice after the trips . If you or your family are also caught, you should act immediately: Although there is no obligation to report to the health department, parents should inform the day-care center, kindergarten or school.

It is important to know that head lice have nothing to do with poor hygiene: So do not keep an infestation of your own children a secret out of shame. Without naming names, the educators will make the head lice infestation official and, if possible, stop the spread. Head lice are much more commons in children than in adults. This is mainly due to the behavior of the little ones. They romp, play, cuddle and come into physical contact. This makes it easier for the lice to move from one head of hair to the other and spread.

 

Treatment: Treat head lice

In order to treat the bloodsuckers as effectively as possible, it is advisable to use not just one, but several therapies in parallel. Experts differentiate between chemical control with special shampoos and creams and mechanical treatment with the nit comb.

Chemical therapy: what helps with head lice?

When treated with chemical agents, the head louse is fought with insecticides, i.e. insecticides. These preparations come in a wide variety of forms . The best known is the lice shampoo, but sprays and gels have also proven themselves in the fight against pests. The active ingredients in the remedy either attack the lice's nervous system or clog their airways - thus killing off the annoying parasites.

You can buy the insecticides in the pharmacy. But let your family doctor or pediatrician advise you in advance. Especially if the head lice appear in infants or young children. The doctor can recommend means that are suitable for the little ones. The same applies to allergy sufferers who have to avoid allergenic substances. Pregnant or nursing mothers should also always seek medical advice before treatment . There are remedies for head lice that cannot be ruled out as harmful to babies. The doctor is guaranteed to recommend safe alternatives that fight the lice.

Regardless of whether you are a baby, child or adult, with chemical therapy it is important that you strictly adhere to the dosage described in the instructions for use. Only in this way is the treatment permanently effective and skin irritation due to overdosing can be excluded. You will read on many of the leaflets that the treatment must be repeated . This is because the active ingredients in most remedies are aimed at killing the head lice, not the nits. These only hatch after more than a week and can thus trigger a new infestation.

Mechanical therapy: what to do with head lice

In addition to the use of insecticides, mechanical therapy with the nit comb should also be carried out as a supplement. The comb with extra narrow teeth is pulled thoroughly through the damp hair with each treatment in order to comb out lice and nits.

In fact, there is a difference between a lice comb and a nit comb, which have even tighter teeth. You are therefore always right with a nit comb, which not only catches the hatched animals, but also their eggs the size of a grain of sand . Most of the combs you get at the pharmacy are a combination of the two and have one end with wider prongs and one with narrower prongs. They are usual made of plastic or steel, as these materials are easy to clean.

Proper use of a nit comb:

• Only use the lice or nit comb during treatment, no other brushes and combs
• Wash hair with (lice) shampoo and then use conditioner - for easier combing without tugging
• Pull the nit comb through strand by strand from the roots to the ends of the hair
• Rinse the nit comb briefly under running water after each strand
• Finally, clean the comb thoroughly: boil metal combs and clean plastic combs with hot soapy water
• Store lice combs separately - not with other hairbrushes, head bands, hair ties - until the next treatment
   

Mechanical treatment should be repeated every 3 to 4 days for at least two weeks. This helps to remove newly hatched head lice again and again. It also doesn't hurt to comb more often: provided you or your child do not feel any great pain, which is often the case with very curly and frizzy hair, as the tight comb can tug.

Home remedies: which tips work?

There are a numbers of home remedies that are believed to work against head lice. This includes washing your hair with lemon juice or vinegar. It is true that the lice do not like the acidity of the food. But they are not killed by this, the increase continues. In addition, the scalp reacts quickly to the strong acids.

The use of vegetable oil such as olive or coconut oil is gentler, even nourishing for skin and hair . These fats should, when applied thickly, suffocate the animals. Essential oils such as rosemary, lavender or eucalyptus are often added to the fats, as head lice do not like these scents. However, there are hardly any studies that prove the effectiveness of this treatment method. Therefore, therapy with natural vegetable oils is more of a supportive measure than an independent treatment.

The tip stubbornly persists that going to the sauna helps against lice. This advice must be taken with great caution. If the temperature in the sauna is life-threatening for the louse, then the heat can also damage children's skin. If, on the other hand, the sauna is set too mild, the lice will be happy about it and even multiply more. A public sauna You are not allowed to enter with head lice anyway.