As you may already know, head lice are small insects that form or appear on the human scalp and feed on blood. The infestation of head lice is predominant in children and it’s mostly as a result of transmission from one child to another.
Therefore, this means that an infestation of head lice doesn’t necessarily mean someone has poor hygiene.
Having head lice doesn’t also mean that you must be living in a dirty environment.
Another thing worth noting about head lice is that this infestation doesn’t consist of bacterial or viral infectious diseases.
The good news is that there are good and effective treatment products for this kind of problem.
And you only have to follow the instructions on the products to rid yourself of head lice infestation.
The Symptoms of Head Lice
Knowing if you or someone close to you has a head lice infestation is quite easy.
This is because the symptoms are pretty accusing and they include the following:
Itching
Itching is the most common accusing factor of head lice infestation. When you or someone close to you starts feeling an itch every time on their head, ears, or neck, then it most likely means that there is a head lice infestation.
The itching comes as a result of an allergic reaction to the louse bites. An individual with head lice infestation might not start to feel itchy until the fourth or sixth week after infestation.
Eggs on Hair Shafts
Another symptom of head lice although not quite notable is the lice eggs or nits that form on the hair shafts.
Also, these nits that are only incubating are very tiny, meaning that they are also very hard to detect.
However, they can easily be spotted on the hairline of the neck and around the ears as well.
It’s usually easier to spot empty nits because they are typically far from the scalp and light in color. Additionally, it’s also good to note that the presence of nits doesn’t necessarily mean you have a head lice infestation.
Lice on Your Scalp
Although head lice are small and move quite quickly, you can spot some if you observe closely.
So, lice on your scalp is also another symptom of having head lice because you don’t initially feel itchy in the first few weeks after infestation.
Scalp, Neck, and Shoulder Sores
Other than itching, another common symptom of a head lice infestation will include sores on the scalp, neck, and shoulders.
This will be a result of scratching yourself, which might cause small and red bumps that may easily get infected with bacteria.
With that in mind, let’s now see what causes head lice to begin.
The Main Cause of Head Lice
A head louse consists of a greyish or tan insect that as big as a strawberry seed.
The head louse feeds on the blood from the human’s scalp.
Female lice produce or create a sticky substance responsible for attaching each nit or eggs to the base of your hair shaft.
This is usually not more than 3 inches or 5 millimeters from your scalp. But what causes head lice to begin?
Here is the main cause of a head lice infestation:
Transmission
While head lice are known for crawling, these blood-sucking insects can also fly and jump from different regions.
But for a louse to jump or fly from one person to the other, it’s usually a result of close contact.
That’s why infestation is most common in children who play together or young siblings who sleep in the same rooms.
This is referred to as direct contact infestation, which is the most common type of head lice transmission.
The other form of transmission is indirect contact and this isn’t usually as common as direct contact.
However, you may also get head lice infestation by sharing the following things:
· Combs and brushes
· Headphones
· Towels, upholstery, and pillows
· Scarves and hats
· Hair accessories
Lastly, indirect transmission of head lice will also be possible if you are sharing clothes or storing clothes in the same place with head lice-infested individuals.
This means you need to be very vigilant on sharing stuff especially the ones sensitive to your skin.
Because the transmission is the main cause of head lice, it’s also the most predominant risk factor.
The risk of younger children contracting head lice infestation is higher, especially those who play and school together.
Research has shown that children in preschool and through elementary school have the highest chances of getting a head lice infestation.
How to Prevent Head Lice Infestation?
By now you already know that it’s hard to prevent direct contact head lice infestation because children are usually in close contact when in schools and playing.
On the other hand, indirect transmission is very slim and also preventable as well.
So, the following are some of the tips that can help you prevent head lice infestation:
· Hang personal garments separate hooks
· Avoid sharing hats, scarves, brushes, and combs
· Avoid chairs, couches, and beds known to have hosted individuals infested with head lice
When you adhere to these main prevention measures, it can save you and your child from getting infested head lice.
Treatment
The good news is that treating head lice infestation is not that hard or complicated.
Even if it’s your first time experiencing this yourself or it’s your child who’s infested, some products can help you.
In our website, we have different products that are specifically designed to help you combat a head lice infestation.
You can find all the products in the dedicated product categories section on our website.
In the categories, you’ll find products ranging from lice combs, lice hair products, and lice shampoos, among many more resources to battle this infestation.
Conclusion
At this point, we hope to have answered your question on what causes head lice to begin.
The good news is that such an infestation is easy to treat by just using the right products in the right way.
While it might be hard to spot a head lice infestation, rest assured that the products dedicated to combating this inconvenience deliver effective results.
Lastly, ensure that you also apply the above preventive measures to avoid a head lice infestation.
