Head Lice Life Cycle

Head lice have been around for thousands of years. Everyone can get head lice and given the chance head lice moves from head to head without any discrimination.

Head lice are basically tiny, wingless, blood sucking insects. Their color differs from reddish-brown to whitish-brown. People get head lice from direct hair to hair contact with another person who possesses head lice. Head lice do not possess jumping legs or wings so they cannot jump or fly from head to head. They can only crawl.

Lice can hide and crawl. The most effective and easiest way of finding them is to follow these steps:

Step 1: Comb any sort of hair conditioner on to dry and brushed hair. This dazes the lice and makes it difficult for them to grip the hair or move around.
Step 2: Now comb sections of the hair with a nice tooth, head lice comb.
Step 3: Wipe out the conditioner from the comb onto a paper tissue or towel.
Step 4: Look on the tissue and on the comb for eggs and lice.
Step 5: Repeat the process of combing for every part of the head for at least 4-5 times a day.

If eggs or lice are found, the child’s hair should be treated. Head lice eggs are basically small and oval shaped. A live egg will pop when squashed between nails of finger.

The life cycle of Head lice is as follows:

1. Egg is laid on the shaft of hair. Egg is basically called as a ‘nit”.
2. Louse comes out after six to seven days.
3. First molt two days after emerging.
4. Second moult 5 days after emerging.
5. Third moult 10 after emerging.
6. Hatching from their third moult as adult lice, the female and to some extent similar male begin to reproduce.
7. Female lays first egg one or two days after mating.
8. Female can lay around 3-8 eggs daily for the next 16 days.
9. Having lived 32-35 days the louse dies.
10. Following are the symptoms of head lice:

Infection of head lice doesn’t often cause any symptoms. If it does then the main symptom is itchiness – a child will be constantly scratching his/her scalp. Sometimes you may see tiny red spots on the scalp which are basically lice and nits in the hair.

By following some safety measures such as washing all bed lines and clothes in hot water with detergent will help to prevent head lice from spreading to others during the short period at the time when head lice can survive off the body.