Recognizing Head Louse Symptoms

Head louse symptoms are fairly standard for all who are infected with the wingless parasite known as the head louse, but because of the minuscule size of this cranial creature, is not uncommon for several months to pass before the symptoms are felt.

The most prevalent of the symptoms associated with lice is an itchy sensation of the scalp or neck. Itchiness is caused by the body’s reaction to louse bites. Similar to mosquito bites or poison ivy, when a louse bites into the scalp to feed on human blood, the body reacts by releasing certain chemicals to counter the effects of the bite. These chemicals can often cause an itching sensation, therefore an itchy scalp it the most noticeable of head louse symptoms.

While harder to detect, another symptom of head lice are small bumps or redness, similar in appearance to a rash. These red bumps are a result of louse bites. Because they are concealed by the hair, the redness or rash associated with head lice bites is usually detected at the nape of the neck or behind the ears first.

Louse bites on the head can also result in sores or minor infections that offer a varying amount of painfulness. These symptoms are caused by excessive scratching due to the initial bites. If scratching cuts into the scalp, irritants such as louse droppings could enter the wound and lead to an infection. In extreme cases, infection can be accompanied by swollen glands.

The presence of louse droppings, which will have the appearance of a fine black dust, may be noticed on light colored pillow cases or sheets. If you recognize this substance on linen, particularly if used by children, a visual inspection for more head louse symptoms should be conducted on the child’s head and the heads of all family members.

If head louse droppings or symptoms such as a rash or itching are observed, the heads of all family members should be checked for lice eggs or (also known as "nits"). Eggs are most often found at the base of the hair or just slightly higher on the hair shaft.

Head louse symptoms that do produce evidence of head lice should be treated promptly with a lice treatment product specially designed to kill head lice and prevent further breeding. It does not hurt to wash all articles of clothing or linen that may have had contact with an infested person.

Nix head lice treatment products are a safe and effective choice for treating everyone who is three months and older. Not only does Nix kill both lice and their eggs on a single application, it protect s heads from re-infestation for up to 14 days! Learn more about head lice symptoms and other frequently asked questions about head lice on the Nix head louse FAQ page.

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