Louse Nits and Eggs - Forget them at Your Peril

Louse nits and eggs are the byproduct of Pediculosis, a tiny insect more commonly known as a head louse. Head louse are six legged parasites that live on human scalps and feed on human blood. Louse nits and eggs, and their parent head louse can cause skin irritation such as redness, small bumps, and itching, but head louse nits and eggs have not been shown cause any serious health conditions.

It is estimated that head louse infest as many as 25 million people a year in the United States, with children under twelve years of age composing the majority of those infested with the head louse, and their nits or eggs.

Because head louse cannot fly, head louse are spread through direct contact. Once louse are on the head they begin to reproduce at the rate of up to ten louse eggs per day per female louse. Once the head louse eggs hatch, newly born female louse begin the process over in about two weeks, and the empty head louse eggs, called nits, remain attached to the hair shaft. Head louse nits and eggs must be removed by combing the hair with a fine tooth comb and by manual picking, thus the phrase ‘nit picking’.

Head louse nits and eggs are about the size of a peppercorn, and are somewhat translucent with a white or yellowish coloring to them. This makes the eggs difficult to see at the hair shaft, where they are laid by female heard louse. If it is suspected that you or your child has head lice, inspecting for head louse nits and eggs at the nape of the neck and behind the ear make detection easier. Because louse eggs are attached to the hair shaft with a chemical that acts like a strong adhesive, if a suspected head louse nit or egg is easily removed, it may instead be a dandruff flake or piece of dirt and more complete inspection should be conducted.

Pediculicides are chemicals used for the treatment of head louse, nits and eggs. The chemicals are available in either a crème rinse or shampoo that must be applied twice 7 to 10 days apart to kill any live lice in the hair or in louse eggs. It is also important to wash any personal belongings that may have been infested with head louse, nits and eggs to help prevent re-infestation or spreading to other people.

Re-infestation can also be prevented by using Nix lice treatment products, which protect the hair shafts up to 14 days after the initial application. Nix headlice products are recognized by the U.S. Government as being “the most effective of the chemical treatments”*. Nix is recommended for killing lice and their eggs by healthcare professionals nationwide.

* http://www.metrokc.gov/health/prevcont/headlice.htm

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