What are Head Lice?

Head Lice, or Pediculus humanus capitis, are the most common form of all three species of Lice that infest humans.  They are dependant upon a human host for survival, feeding 4-6 times per day.  Head Lice are attracted by warmth and odor and they will die in approximately 48 hours without a blood meal.  Head Lice do not jump or fly from one person to another; nor can an individual contract Head Lice from an animal such as their pets. 

A Head Louse is transmitted by coming into direct contact with the wingless parasitic insect.  They use their claw like legs to attach themselves to a hair shaft to pull themselves along at a rate of 12 inches per hour. 

Infestations are common, found worldwide and affecting between 6-20 million people every year.  Lice do not discriminate based on wealth or cleanliness. They affect all races; however, they are more prevalent in Caucasians in the United States due to the round shape of their hair shaft.  There is a species of Head Lice in Africa that mainly affects individuals of African descent. 

The reason that this species of lice favor the African descent is due to the oval shaping of their hair’s cross sections.  In the United States, African Americans are reported to have much lower incidences of Head Lice than Caucasians, Hispanics or Asian Americans.  Pediatric Dermatology cites various studies that suggest the incidence of Head Lice among African American school children is less than half of one percent.  While the incidence among their non-black schoolmates is usually more than 10 percent.  The length of ones hair does not determine if a person is going to get Lice or not; however it will require an aggressive Head Lice treatment. 

While it was previously thought that the Head Louse is not capable of transmitting disease, new studies are showing that the Head Louse is closely related to the Body Louse. 

This is very significant evidence; the Body Louse has long been associated with the transmission of typhus and trench fever.   Therefore, the idea of the Head Louse being a potential vector for diseases cannot be underestimated. 

How are Head Lice transmitted?

Lice are transmitted from person to person by close personal and prolonged contact.  It is also possible to acquire a Head Lice infestation via contact with inanimate objects, such as contaminated items of clothing, hats, bedding, towels, grooming utensils, hair ornaments and upholstered furniture.  Head Lice outbreaks are more common among school age children.  Girls tend to contract this condition more often than boys because they like to play “dress up,” play in each others hair and have sleepovers.   

Transmission also occurs when individuals are sharing a common bed, whether an intimate relationship is present or not.  Infestations may also be common in families, dormitories, nursing homes, hospitals and other institutions. In any situation, a good proven Head Lice treatment is required. 

It’s a misconception that Head Lice infestations are due to the lack of cleanliness.  An interesting fact about Lice is the Head Louse actually prefers clean hair and scalp.  In the presence of soiled hair and scalp the Louse cannot adequately apply the nit to the hair shaft; it is for that reason it is important to have a proven highly effective Head Lice treatment. 

Risk Factors that may lead to Head Lice infestations: 

• Close prolonged contact with infested individuals
• Contact with contaminated objects: clothing, hats, combs, brushes etc.
• School aged children; female school age children are at a higher risk
• Facilities such as dormitories, nursing homes, hospitals etc
• Extremely clean hair and scalp

What are the symptoms of Head Lice?

The general symptoms of a Head Lice infestation are intense itching and scratching on the scalp, back of neck and behind the ears.  Sometimes a presence of a red rash can accompany the infested area.  The red rash is caused by a reaction and irritation to the saliva of the Lice.  It is sometimes possible for an individual to be infested for a while before they become aware of the itching and irritation.  Overall, a Lice infestation is usually easy to detect.  Most people can feel a crawling sensation and see nits attached to the hair shaft.  People also report seeing Louse droppings; these look like a fine black powder on sheets and pillows. 

Symptoms: 

• Intense itching on scalp area, back of neck and behind ears
• Scratching in the areas previously mentioned
• Rash on or near the infested area
• Presence of nits on shafts of hair
• Presence of Lice insects

What is the life cycle of Head Lice?

There are three stages that complete the life cycle of Head Lice; they are the nit, nymph and the adult. 

Nit:  Nits are the eggs of the Lice. They are attached with glue like substance on the hair shaft close to the scalp.  This is done because it needs the warmth that it receives from a human to incubate.  They are covered with a waxy film to protect the growing larva.  Additionally, nits are equipped with ventilation slit at the top of the egg to provide air.  These nits are small oval cylinders approximately 1/16th of an inch in length. They can be a variety of colors ranging from a light, whitish color to a dark brown. Once hatched, it becomes transparent. It usually takes 7-10 days for the larva to mature and hatch. When they are ready to hatch, the immature Louse starts swallowing air and expelling it rectally; this causes an air bubble within the nit that pushes them out of the casing. Nits can survive 4-10 days off of a human host.

Nymph: Upon hatching the baby Louse is considered a nymph.  The nymph looks similar to an adult Head Louse but smaller. After hatching, the Louse needs a blood meal within 45 minutes in order to survive. A young Louse will molt three times before it reaches sexual maturity. This process takes 7-12 days. 

Adult:  The adult Louse is approximately 2 millimeters long, with six legs that are designed to cling to hair shafts. The Head Louse and Body Louse almost identical; however, the Head Louse is smaller in comparison. Head Lice are dependant upon a daily blood meal for survival. If they are dislodged from their host, they will die in about 48 to 55 hours at 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The adult Head Louse is bluish-gray to whitish or brown in color. They are round to oval in shape and are longer than they are wide. The female is the larger of the two sexes. The female Louse will look for a male Louse to inseminate her eggs. During her lifetime, a female may lay up to 100 eggs at a rate of 6-7 nits per day. Of those nits, only the ones that have been fertilized will hatch. 

Head Lice generally live for three to six weeks, depending on temperature and humidity.

Natural Head Lice Treatments preferred over Traditional Toxic & Deadly Lice Treatments

Traditional Head Lice treatments continue to contain deadly pesticides harmful to children and adults. We wonder why something that can be so deadly is still commonly being sold in our local pharmacies and grocery stores. There obviously was a need to develop a formula safe for children and adults without any deadly, toxic ingredients or pesticides. DermaTechRx™ Research Center took on that challenge and dedicated most of its resources on a safe non-toxic treatment for Head Lice. Read on for more information.

Pyrethrum and Lindane are used as the primary active ingredient in most over the counter Head Lice products. Both of these ingredients are labeled with CAUTION, and Lindane has been banned in several states because of its high toxicity. Both of these toxic ingredients are responsible for death, neurological problems, asthmatic breathing, nasal stuffiness, headaches, nausea, loss of coordination, tremors, convulsions, facial flushing and swelling, burning and itching.

The most severe poisonings have been reported in infants and small children, who are not able to efficiently break down these pesticides. Even worse is that doctors continue to prescribe these toxic treatments even though they are only about 30% effective. The Head Lice might have built up a resistance against these pesticides over the last several decades and that is why Pyrethrum and Lindane are no longer effective for treating Head Lice.

Because your health and well-being are our primary concern, DermaTechRx™ Research Center decided to make a difference 5 years ago. DermaTechRx™ formulated a natural Head Lice treatment that is safe, nontoxic, easy to use and is a highly effective Head Lice treatment featuring All Stop™ eco-friendly Lice treatment products. All Stop™ strictly prohibits the use of such harmful chemicals in our products. We don't think anyone's life should be at risk when trying to remove Head Lice.

 How to get rid of Head Lice

DermaTechRx™ Research Center has worked hard over the past 5 years creating the just right formulas for the All Stop™ brand of products. Our goal was that they work quickly, safely and they are highly effective. And we're proud to say we've accomplished that goal.

The Research Center has compiled a complete Lice regimen that requires following the steps below. It is the only proven way on how to get rid of Head Lice.

  If you have Head Lice, You have 2 problems:

1. Lice in your Hair
2. Lice in your Home & Personal Items

If you received the call from the school nurse, then you probably have a full blown head lice infestation on your hands and will need to treat both the hair and your environment.

Our simple-to-use Liceadex™ Gel is everything you need to remove head lice from you or your child's hair, in one treatment. Plus, you get plenty of environmental treatment to break the lice infestation in your home.

Would you like to get your life back on track Fast without numerous treatments? Read on...

The super lubricating, Liceadex™ Gel goes to work almost instantly to get rid of the head lice. It breakdowns the exoskeleton of the head lice and ruptures the Nits' outer shells leaving any unborn Louse no chance of hatching and infesting you or your child, while leaving their hair squeaky clean.

The specially formulated Gel also melts the Nit glue that holds the Lice eggs onto the hair AND eradicates lice and eggs on the shafts of hair. This means no more yanking a nit comb through the hair to get rid of the lice. To use: simply apply the gel to the hair, and after a few minutes, rinse out the Gel and remove any debris (dead lice and nits) from the hair, and you're done!

A vital component to completely removing head lice from your home, and preventing reinfestation, is to treat your environment for lice and nits as well. The fresh, peppermint-scented Liceadex-ex Home & Bedding Spray is used to stop any lice and nits infesting your environment, such as furniture, carpeting, and hairbrushes. It's so safe, that you can spray it on your child’s bedding and it can be slept on that very night! Wouldn't you love to reclaim your house and peace of mind from these disgusting nuisances? Spray your child's clothing, hair brushes, hats, bedding, furniture, and any other item the infested person may have come in contact with.

  No need to Guess how much Product You Need!

We keep it as simple as possible. Whether you're treating one person or the entire family, we take the hassle out of figuring out how much Liceadex™ Gel you need. One 4 ounce bottle comes with everything you need for a complete treatment for one person with short to medium length hair. Have longer/thicker hair or need to treat more people, just order more Gel.

Also, we offer many sizes of Liceadex-eX Home & Bedding Spray, so whether you need to treat just your vehicle or your entire home, we've got what you need to prevent another head lice infestation.

More Information on Head Lice Infestations and Treatments:

• what is the life expectancy of lice
• head lice lesson plans for grade 4 students - head lice treatment
• other lice news - body lice and pubic lice
• listerine and lice - pubic lice
• fever caused by lice - Relapsing fever
• how to treat horse for lice - is it mange instead?
• easiest way to get rid of Head Lice - Head Lice treatment

DermatechRx® is not a substitute for medical advice. The operators of this website and those who provide information for this site do not directly or indirectly practice medicine or dispense medical advice or services through this website. You should not rely on this information to determine a diagnosis or course of treatment, nor should it be considered a replacement for consultation with a physician or other certified healthcare provider. DermatechRx® makes no representations or warranties with respect to any information offered or provided on or through the DermatechRx® website regarding treatment, action, or application of product. DermatechRx®, nor any of its contributors, shall have any liability for the content, errors, or omissions in the information provided by this website. DermatechRx® is not responsible or liable for any advice, course of treatment, diagnosis, or any other information, services, or products that you obtain through this site.