You constantly scratch your head and you have severe itching of the scalp. The main thing is not to panic and take the necessary measures in time. Let’s find out how to recognize that you have head lice and how to treat them. If you can’t figure it out then you can always find us by searching on the internet “lice removal near me”. We recommend approaching a doctor as soon as the first signs of head lice are detected, this will help to cure this case faster and not infect others.
What is pediculosis and how does a lice infestation manifest itself?
Pediculosis is a contagious disease caused by specific parasitism on a person of lice – small blood-sucking, wingless insects that feed on blood.
The head louse, which lives in the hair and on the scalp, survives by feeding on human blood by biting the skin. Itching, typical of head lice, is provoked by an allergic reaction of the body to the saliva secreted by lice and appears a few weeks after the first contact.
Lice infestation, or head lice, develops very quickly, it cannot be prevented, but it can be limited through personal behavior. In fact, it is a myth that only poor people with poor hygiene suffer from lice. Surprisingly, the opposite is true. Head lice prefer a clean scalp to a dirty one, as it is easier for them to lay eggs or nits, as well as get to the blood. Personal characteristics such as hair type or skin odor can also affect how quickly lice “stick” to a person.
Periodic checks are the only effective way to prevent the spread of lice, you can seek help from a clinic no matter where you live, be it Atlanta, San Diego, or Chicago.
One individual louse lives on a person’s head for about a month and no more than a week in the environment. If you can’t find adult lice, try looking for nits: to the naked eye, they can be easily confused with dandruff, but the big difference is that they cannot be brushed out of the hair, as they are attached to the hair with a special adhesive substance. Often they can be seen in the neck and behind the ears. Lice eggs are light, about 1 mm long, and have an oblong shape. The only effective way to prevent lice is to check the hair and head and find them in time. It is best to examine the hair in daylight with a magnifying glass.
Prevention of pediculosis
To prevent infection with lice, it is necessary to avoid contact with people infected with pediculosis and observe the rules of personal hygiene: comb your hair thoroughly every day and cut it in a timely manner, if possible, you should wash daily, change your underwear and bed linen as it gets dirty, but at least every 7-10 days, carry out regular cleaning of premises.
In cases where insects have already laid eggs, it is recommended to use special insecticidal agents – pediculicides, designed to kill lice.
In order not to become infected with pediculosis, the following rules must be observed:
- Do not allow the child to use other people’s combs, towels, hats, headphones, hairpins, and hair ties, as lice are transmitted through these items.
- Conduct mutual check-ups of family members after their extended absence.
- Conduct periodic hair and clothing checks on children attending child care facilities.
- Carefully inspect bedding while traveling.
Thus, we can conclude that as soon as you find an egg or an individual on your head, clothes, or bed linen, you need to use special treatment, and notify your friends in order to prevent the spread of pediculosis. Parents, siblings, friends, and acquaintances with whom you come into contact should be treated for head lice with a special shampoo or lotion
Pediculosis is not as terrible as it seems, the main thing is to take the necessary measures in time and periodically monitor your condition. And also contact hospitals that are in all states and in many cities, for example, Fort Worth. You will be able to receive a high-quality treatment, doctors will prescribe you the necessary medicines and help prevent the appearance of lice in the future.
