How to avoid the spread of lice

• April 25, 2024

The pediculosis (pediculus humanis capitis) or infestation of lice in the head is a health problem that affects 15% of the school population, being more frequent in girls than in boys, due to the greater length of the hair and the sharing of accessories.

The spread of lice can occur when a member of your family:

1. Get in close contact with a person who has them
2. Touch the clothes or bed of a person who has them
3. Share hats, towels, brushes or combs of someone who has had them.

The most common symptoms of pediculosis are:

1. Intense itching of the scalp
2. Small red bumps on the scalp, neck and shoulders Small white spots (eggs or nits) near the roots of each hair that are difficult to remove.

Lice can be difficult to identify, so it is necessary to observe carefully. Use disposable gloves and examine the person's head under a bright light.

Sunlight or the brightest lights in the house during daylight hours work well for this purpose; The use of a magnifying glass can also help.

Separate hair into different small sections to look for lice and nits; Look closely around the top of the neck and on the ears, which are the most common places to find eggs.

Prevention measures

1. Frequent washing (two, three times a week) with normal shampoo
2. Daily brushing
3. Revision behind the ears and the nape of the neck two or three times a week looking for the nits

What should never be done:

1. Use pediculicide treatments to prevent: indiscriminate use can be dangerous and generate resistances
2. Share personal items

What is a louse?

East "pediculus humanis capitis" It is a small insect, without wings, that needs man to exist. Its presence is not conceived in another environment (air, soil) and it is transmitted from person to person. Regularly, its size varies between two and four millimeters in length and is somewhat higher in females than in males.

The females lay their eggs (nits) six millimeters from the hairline and attach them to it with a water-insoluble putty. In body temperature, larvae hatch approximately in a week; in 15 days, they have already become sexually fertile adults.

The average life of a louse is 30 days, a period in which it is able to lay more than 150 eggs. The parasites adults are difficult to visualize, while nits are usually located in the entire area of ​​the neck and behind the ears.

Causes of pediculosis

The lice they are more common in overcrowded and confined living conditions; However, the fact of having head lice does not mean that the person is unsophisticated or of low social class.

Having head lice causes a itch intense, but does not lead to serious health problems, because they do not carry or propagate diseases .

You can avoid it by using:

Lotions and shampoos that contain permethrin (Nix) at 1%, generally work well and can be purchased at the store without a prescription. If these products do not work, the doctor may prescribe a stronger drug, which should be used exactly according to the instructions.

The treatment can cause significant side effects in children under six months, in the elderly and in anyone weighing less than 50 kilos, especially when the treatment is used repetitively for a short period of time. And you, have you ever had this problem?

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Video Medicine: Preventing the Spread of Lice | UPMC HealthBeat (April 2024).