Nits on hair: photos, detailed description and methods of combating

What is pediculosis

Pediculosis is a parasitic disease, primarily of the skin, and as a result of its damage, of the hair. Moreover, it can be not only the head, but also the body or pubic. These varieties are caused by the corresponding species of lice. Such parasites on the head most often prefer the temples and back of the head, but can quickly spread to other areas.

When bitten, these parasites secrete saliva - after getting into the wound, a person may feel itching (14-36% of cases).

More about head lice: description, lifestyle, reproduction process

If you compare all the varieties of lice, it turns out that it is the head insects that are widespread. This is because such parasites spread through contact with the head of an infected person.

Such insects live on the head. For reliable fastening, they have hook-shaped growths on the legs. With their help, the parasite is firmly held by a thread.

The number of paws is 6. They are located closer to the head. The body shape is oblong, length does not exceed 5 mm. Body color is usually grayish-brown. However, the color changes when the insect receives a portion of food. After eating, the parasite's body turns dark red. This is human blood visible through the transparent covers of an insect. After eating, the body enlarges. The larva is similar in appearance to the adult, but the body size is smaller: from 0.6 to 2 mm.

They are also not capable of flying. Lice can only crawl, but quite quickly - up to 23 cm/min. This explains why lice can only be contracted through direct contact (head to head). Other methods of infection:

through headdresses (scarves, hats);
insects are transmitted through hair accessories (elastic bands, hairpins, etc.).

The disease spreads less frequently in this way, however, with severe infection, nits can remain on various objects from those mentioned above. Parasites lay their offspring here, on the head. The eggs are covered with a sticky substance, so when released into the external environment, they are immediately attached to the hairs, where the female is usually located during reproduction.

Such formations are called nits. They are small and light in color. Nits are located closer to the base of the hairs - at a distance of no more than 3 cm from the skin.

This type of lice is caused by head lice, which are located on the human scalp. Lice give their preference to the temporal and occipital parts of the head, since these are the places where the most optimal temperature is for their reproduction and vital activity. This is why most of the nits (lice eggs) will be concentrated in these areas, and also the majority of bites will occur in these areas.

The size of head lice is usually between 2-4 mm. To maintain their vital functions, head lice need to feed on human blood every 2-3 days. Head lice reproduce by laying eggs (nits), which they attach to the hair with a special adhesive substance. One louse can lay up to 8-10 eggs per day.

Infection with head lice can occur in several ways. First, when one person's hair comes into direct contact with the hair of another infected person. Moreover, the hairs must be in close proximity to each other, since lice cannot fly or jump, but only crawl.

This can often be observed in public transport, in places with large crowds of people, as well as among children during all kinds of games, etc. Secondly, you can become infected with head lice through hats, hairpins, elastic bands, combs and other personal hygiene items . That’s why you shouldn’t give your personal belongings to anyone and take someone else’s.

There are also cases of infection with head lice through bedding. For example, if before this a person infected with lice slept on this linen, and the linen was not properly disinfected afterwards.

A head louse is a tiny, wingless, parasitic insect that lives among human hair and feeds on tiny amounts of blood taken from the scalp. Lice (plural louse) are a very common problem, especially among children. They are highly contagious, so it is best to treat head lice quickly as soon as they are discovered because they can easily spread from person to person.

Timely treatment for pediculosis is guaranteed if these bloodsuckers are quickly recognized.

Head lice are the most common of these. They live on the scalp and have the following characteristics:

The average length of a head louse is about 4 mm. The insect's body is slightly thickened. If you compare the louse with the other two, it is larger.
The large size of lice makes it possible to detect them visually.
The head louse can be gray, yellow or brown. But it is mostly transparent, and after a meal it turns red or brown.
The sides of the parasite's body, when examined under a microscope, are decorated with small black dots.
In head lice, the front legs have a somewhat special structure, so they can parasitize and move only on the head. You will not find this species in the intimate area or on underwear.
Female head lice periodically lay eggs, during which the parasites glue the larvae to the hair with a chitin-based substance.
The site of the parasite bite is accompanied by constant itching. Scratching ends in the formation of weeping abscesses, which are open gates for infection.
Sometimes an advanced form of pediculosis can lead to inflammation in the lymph nodes in the neck and back of the head.
These parasites have no wings, their bodies are oblong and narrow.
After a head louse bite, a small red dot remains, which can be confused with an allergy. Most often they affect soft and delicate areas of the skin in the neck and behind the ears.

What lice look like: appearance

Head lice are very small insects, with bodies of grayish-yellow or grayish-white color (sometimes even transparent), having 6 legs with hooks at the ends, with the help of which they move along the hair. Their length is about 2-4 mm (females are larger, and the length of an adult male reaches only 2-3 mm). Externally, they are approximately the size of a sesame seed. They differ from body lice and pubic lice in their shade and longer body.

Photo No. 1. Human louse

These insects can be clearly distinguished when they have just drunk blood, then the body acquires a purple or red tint.

Photo No. 2. Human louse under a microscope

How to remove body lice with heat

It is even easier to use high temperatures to deal with another type of parasite - linen lice that live on clothes, bedding, and toys.

Insect-infested items can be boiled in boiling water or ironed with a hot iron.

Not a single insect can withstand boiling and steam treatment, so these methods can be considered reliable and guarantee 100% results.

What nits look like: appearance

It is also important to know what nits look like. The fact is that often infection with pediculosis occurs precisely through the attachment of eggs, hence the long incubation period.

Photo No. 3. Nits on hair

Nits look like small white oval capsules measuring 0.8 by 0.3 mm. They are so small that they seem like regular dandruff. But unlike dandruff, they practically do not wash off and are very difficult to comb out.

Photo No. 4. Nits under a microscope

Pubic louse

Pubic lice also have another name - lice, and the disease itself in the form of lice pubis is often called phthiriasis. These lice usually live on the genitals, as well as in the anus and pubic area. Sometimes they can be found in the armpits, on the hair of the abdomen and chest, in the beard, mustache and eyebrows. But such cases are very rare.

The main condition for the existence of such lice is the presence of hair, since they do not move around the human body, but are in a static state, attached to the mouths of the hair follicles. In this regard, with the advent of fashion for shaving the genital area, cases of pubic lice have become more rare, since lice are simply deprived of the opportunity to exist in such places.

Unlike their counterparts, pubic lice have a shorter flat body, a smaller size (about 1-3 mm) and are somewhat similar to crabs. These lice, like the other two species, feed only on human blood.

Infection with a disease such as pediculosis pubis occurs mainly through sexual contact. However, there are also cases of infection with this disease through towels, bed linen and various personal hygiene items.

As mentioned earlier, mixed lice can also occur, when, for example, several types of lice parasitize one person at once. Such cases are quite rare, since head lice are the most widespread.

To summarize, it can be noted that, knowing about the existence of different types of lice, as well as their characteristics and methods of infection with them, in most cases it is possible to identify lice in the early stages, and sometimes even prevent it altogether.

We invite you to read: The importance of ticks in nature and for humans

Another species that lives on the human body, the pubic louse, or flat louse (Pthiruspubis), primarily lives in the pubic area, less often in other hair-covered areas. The pubic louse is smaller than a human louse, 1.25 to 2 mm in length, an oval body shape, a small head relative to body size, simple eyes and short antennae.

Representatives of the family Echinophthiridae are species of lice that live on marine mammals. Among them, about 300 species are known, for example, the seal louse (Echinophthiriushorridus) also has a small, wingless, flattened body. However, the mouthparts of these lice are highly modified to suck the blood of their hosts.

Species from the family Haematophidae parasitize all terrestrial mammals except primates. There are about 500 species here. All representatives of this family, like others, are able to survive only on those animal hosts to which they are adapted and are absolutely harmless to other animals or humans.

The elephant louse (Haematomyzus elephantis) lives and feeds on the skin of elephants and ranges from 0.5 to 6 mm in length. The skin of the elephant louse is tough and elastic, and there are very small eyes and short antennae on the head. This louse, as is known, does not drink the blood of elephants, but feeds on what is on the hair and skin of the elephant.

The pig louse (Haematopinus suis) is found in all places in the world where domestic and wild pigs live. The pig louse lives on the surface of pigs. Young nymphs spend most of their time in the host's ear, and as they mature they move to other areas of the body. The adult pig louse is the largest member of the suction lice, measuring just over 0.5 cm from the tip of the head to the end of the abdomen.

The lice species Haematopinus asini infect horses, mules and donkeys, while the species Haematopinus eurysternus and Haematopinus quadripertusus parasitize cattle. The species Haemodipsus ventricosus, known as the hare louse, lives on some hares and rabbits.

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These are even smaller parasites than those previously discussed. Their body length does not exceed 2 mm, and the larvae are much smaller - up to 0.5 mm. The body is characterized by a light brown color. The body shape is flattened and looks massive. The insect has 6 legs, on which, upon closer examination, you can notice hook-shaped growths. They allow the insect to attach itself to the hairs.

The body shape of the pubic louse is flattened and looks massive

Pubic lice are found in the groin. However, in extreme cases, they spread to other parts of the human body: armpits, eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, mustache. Routes of transmission of pediculosis pubis:

sexual contact;
touching contaminated linen or towels;
through the bed if a hair with a nit or an adult falls.

The most common of these is the first method. Not everyone knows, but pubic parasites can survive in water for up to two days. For this reason, polluted water bodies should be avoided.

Thanks to this feature and powerful tenacious paws, it is impossible to shake off or wash off parasites of this species with water.

Their parameters are somewhat smaller. They also differ in shape. Due to their special structure, these lice can parasitize only on hair with a triangular cross-section - in the bikini area or under the arms.

You can become infected with them sexually, through other people's things.

The following symptoms are characteristic of pubic lice:

The body of parasites is like a shield or a small crab. It is diamond-shaped and flattened downwards.
The head is very narrow compared to the shoulder part.
The paws are more tenacious and strong.
If we compare it with the previous two parasites, the pubic louse shows its passivity most of all in terms of movement. She almost always sits still, making her presence difficult to detect.
The pubic louse is beige or brown in color.
In addition to the claw ends on the insect's legs, there are also outgrowths on the sides of the convex abdomen.
The parasite's antennae are directed to the side.

What do they eat?

There is a misconception that lice feed on dead particles of the epidermis. In fact, they are blood-sucking parasites. For normal life, they need human blood, which they feed on. How long do they live?

In general, the lifespan of these parasites is only 38 days, but this is quite enough to give birth to offspring.

Contrary to popular belief, head lice can live outside the host's body for some time, although for a relatively short time. They need to feed approximately 4-5 times a day, but can live without food for up to four days. However, in most cases this period is only 2-3 days. But usually this is enough for lice to find a new “master”. They do not jump or fly, but they move very quickly, developing speeds of up to 20-30 cm per minute, which explains the high risk of contracting lice in close contact with carriers

However, much depends on the ambient temperature. If it is about +10°C, the parasites leave the person, since they cannot live in such conditions. And at negative temperatures they will die within a couple of hours. True, this only applies to those insects that are outside the human body, since such a low temperature never occurs on the scalp.

Dangerous temperature

One of the methods of combating pediculosis is temperature. For all types of lice, low and high indicators are detrimental. But you need to know the range exactly.

Comfortable conditions for the life of parasites is a temperature within the range of + 13°C - +54°C. When indicators decrease, vital processes in the body slow down, the development of larvae stops, and adults die.
At temperatures from +5°C to +50°C, adults die within a few days. The reaction of insects to a decrease in temperature if a person dies is clearly visible. As the body cools, the lice spread to the sides. In most cases they also die. Nits remain completely safe at such temperatures. The dense shell of the egg protects nits not only from the effects of the insecticide, but also from temperature fluctuations.
When the indicators change between +54°C and minus 13°C, lice die within 5 minutes; nits require longer exposure.

Small fluctuations in indicators lead to the fact that insect activity decreases, but death does not occur. It is much easier to remove an immobilized, but not dead, parasite from clothing or head.

On a note!
Some suggest that since head lice are afraid of frost, you can walk without a hat in cold weather to get rid of them. The decision is wrong. The temperature on the head is maintained within acceptable limits. Heat comes from the body. Staying in the cold without a hat for a long time is only dangerous for people and skin. Head lice will not appreciate such efforts and will not want to die.

Where do lice come from: the main methods of infection

There is only one way to transmit head lice - through direct contact with a person with lice.

Many people believe that it is possible to become infected through household items - for example, by sharing combs. But in fact, in medicine these cases are considered rather as an exception to the rule, since lice are not transmitted this way

At the same time, personal hygiene is not important for parasites. Lice “select” both clean and dirty hair with approximately the same frequency. Experts even believe that clean hair attracts these insects more, since in this case there is less secretion from the sebaceous glands on the human skin, which prevents lice from feeding.

Hair coloring

The opinion that you can get rid of lice and nits by dyeing is widespread among people. Does hair dye kill nits?

This is a truly effective remedy, however, there are nuances here: you will have to paint several times to completely destroy the insects.

It is also recommended to combine coloring with the use of medications or folk remedies.

Operating principle

So, how does paint affect parasites? The paint contains two components :

coloring matter (pigment);
oxidizer

The pigment does not have a significant effect on insects. Their destruction occurs due to an oxidizing agent , which is usually hydrogen peroxide.

Hydrogen peroxide is known for its ability to destroy molecules of organic substances , leading to their disintegration. When an oxidizing agent hits the chitinous cover of an insect, it immediately begins to corrode it, and toxic fumes enter the respiratory tract of the parasite.

So the insect dies immediately. And the lice that did not die after the action of the oxidizing agent try to leave the poisonous environment hostile to them and crawl away.

The oxidizing agent, which is aggressive in its chemical properties, also corrodes the dense protective covers of nits and the adhesive substance that attaches them to the hairs.

Coloring kills up to 85% of parasites.

Instructions for use

Today there is a huge variety of colors.

Permanent paints that do not contain hydrogen peroxide have become very popular.

Such paints should not be purchased in order to combat nits and seams.

In order not to worry whether hair dye will kill nits, you need to follow these instructions to combat parasites:

Prepare for coloring . Put on an old T-shirt that you don't mind getting dirty, and take gloves. Mix the paint in a container (preferably a bowl), following the instructions on the package.
Comb your hair thoroughly and spray it with water from a spray bottle (do not wet it completely - this will worsen the effect of hydrogen peroxide).
Apply the thick cream along the hairline on the forehead, behind the ears, and at the back of the head so that paint does not accidentally get into these areas.
Start painting. Divide your hair into strands and start coloring from the lowest ones, closest to the back of your head. Paint thoroughly from roots to ends. Move gradually towards the temples. Whiskey should be colored last, because... They are thin and quickly absorb pigment.
Comb your hair again so that the dye is distributed evenly.
Place a plastic bag or cap on your head. Leave the paint on your head for the time specified in the paint instructions. Typically this time is 20-30 minutes. During this time, the oxidizing agent will act on lice and nits.
After the dyeing time has expired, remove the plastic bag and lightly spray your hair with a spray bottle, then massage your head. This will improve hair quality and increase blood flow to the hair follicles and scalp, which may be damaged by oxidizing agents. Also, using this action you will unstick dead nits.
Rinse your hair thoroughly . An excellent option would be to use anti-pediculosis shampoo.
Comb your hair with a comb or a special comb to get rid of dead lice and nits.

Advantages and disadvantages

Coloring as a remedy against pediculosis has undeniable advantages:

Economical . The price for one pack of paint is less than the price for one pack of anti-lice medication.
Effective in the fight against nits and lice.
No harm . When used correctly, the paint causes minimal harm to health, because This is a proven remedy.
Ease of use.

Like any drug, paint also has its disadvantages:

Changing hair color . If you are not ready to change your hair color, then this method is not suitable for you.
Allergic reaction. Before using paint, you need to do a test to see if it will cause an allergy.
Weakening of the scalp . The pigment and oxidizing agent that make up the paint are chemically active substances and have an aggressive effect on the scalp and hair condition.

Despite the fact that paint is an effective remedy, its one-time use is not enough for the final removal of nits and lice. It is necessary to re-dye it after a week or treat the hair with other means: medicines or folk remedies.

How to understand that there are lice

In order to take timely action, you need to know what lice bites look like. After all, the appearance of scratches in their place is one of the most important signs of infection. However, this is not the only manifestation. Pediculosis is characterized by such symptoms as:

• severe itching at the site of the bites
• the appearance of small grayish-bluish spots on the skin;
• scratching;
• the presence of white nits in the hair.

Since infection can penetrate through scratching, pustules and inflamed areas may appear in their place.

Algorithm of actions

Drugs for the treatment of head lice are selected based on the degree of infection, the age of the child, and the individual characteristics of the body:

To treat head lice, shampoo, gel, spray, ointment, emulsion, and solution are used. Additionally, the premises are disinfested, clothes and bedding are washed at high temperatures.
Efforts to treat body lice are more aimed at destroying parasites in clothing, bedding, and premises. The body is washed with tar soap and special shampoo. If lice bites appear again within 10 days, the procedure must be repeated.
Pediculosis pubis is treated somewhat differently. You can quickly get rid of lice and nits by shaving off the hairs. But underwear, bedding, towels, and clothing are subject to heat treatment. The skin is treated with a remedy for head lice.

In the external environment, lice live without food from 1 day to several months. To get quick results and prevent re-infection, you must perform all procedures correctly.

Basic methods for removing lice

To treat head lice, several methods are used at once: their combined use gives the greatest effect. This:

• Mechanical method, which involves removing nits. They are combed out using special metal combs with very fine teeth. These combs can simply be washed regularly with soap and water.
• Chemical. To do this, products are used that help dissolve the adhesive base that helps nits stick to the hair.
• Physical method. It mainly involves temperature exposure. Since the death of lice is possible at temperatures above +30°C, after washing the hair, it is recommended to dry it with hot air using a hairdryer. You also need to wash pillowcases and bed linen at the appropriate temperature, but boiling textiles is unnecessary.

But folk remedies for lice like olive oil are not always effective. They provide a certain sliding effect, which makes combing easier, but have no effect on the parasites. Alcohol damages the shells of nits, but it has virtually no effect on adult parasites. While such a traditional method as using kerosene, although it kills insects, can even cause severe poisoning in humans, so it is better to abandon it altogether.

Errors

Lice Almost everyone knows about the effectiveness of the temperature control method. But not everyone knows how to use technology correctly.

Using a hair dryer does not provide a guaranteed result to get rid of lice. The air temperature heated by the hair dryer does not rise to a critical level. It is necessary to act for at least 30 minutes. Such sacrifices are useless, since a positive result cannot be achieved. The larvae will continue to develop in the egg.
If the temperature outside is above -13°C, you shouldn’t make any special efforts either. The lice will be dead within a few hours. But the nits will live. When the clothes enter the room again, the processes will take their course. As soon as a person puts on clothes, small lice appear from the nits.
To clean carpets, rugs, and things from lice, pour ice water on them, sprinkle them with snow, or pour boiling water over them. Effectiveness can be achieved by leaving the carpets under a layer of snow for an hour. There is no point in pouring boiled water, it cools down quickly. This way only spoils the furniture.

What kind of lice do humans have?

Human lice are representatives of the suborder “Lice Eaters”. There are 2 types of parasites. These include:

Head lice , which appear in the hair on a person's head.
Body lice , which prefer to live in the folds of clothing, but at the same time feed on human blood.

There is another subspecies of human lice - these are pubic lice, which appear in the intimate areas of the human body. This subspecies of parasites is distinguished by the special structure of its limbs. Therefore, the disease may have an appropriate name - body lice, lice pubis, lice capitis, as well as mixed variants, when 2 types of parasites can be found on a person’s body. In the photo below you can see what human lice look like.

Nits

This is the name given to lice eggs of all varieties. They have too much in common, but there are still some differences. Detection of lice in frequent cases occurs much faster due to knowledge of nit criteria. They have the following characteristics:

Body lice lay their elongated eggs, about 0.5 mm in size, in the folds or seams of clothing. Therefore, sometimes there are some difficulties in detecting them.
The sizes of nits of head parasites are slightly larger than the previous ones - up to 0.8 mm. They have light shades, which at the beginning of their maturation resembles the presence of dandruff or grains of sand in a person. Nits grow and increase in size. When saturated with blood, their color becomes darker.
Pubic lice nits are slightly different. Their body is dark and pointed, like a spindle. Pubic lice attach their nits to the hair in the groin area, close to the skin. Their detection is possible only with a thorough examination.