One of the most common worldwide infections is head lice or pediculosis capitits. A recent study found that head lice infestations affect about 10% of children between ages 5-12 in Canada. While itching is the most common symptom, often there are no symptoms at all.

It’s important to know that head lice really don’t present any great threat to our health and are not a sign of being unclean.

Common myths and detection
The common myths about head lice include:
• All children with lice itch or scratch
• Lice live in carpets, beds, clothes, and sofas
• Lice die immediately after treatment
• One treatment is enough
• Lice prefer long or dirty hair.

In fact no one is immune to the possibility of an infection from lice.

The best way to detect lice is to comb wet hair and look for live lice. Take a close look particularly along the scalp line for eggs or nits. Look for scratch marks, scabs or rashes as well.

Head lice are only transmitted from person to person either by a direct route or an indirect route. Lice cannot jump or fly and transmission relies on close contact.

Lice can cling to brushes, combs, hats, clothing, costumes, athletic gear, and towels. Although lice cannot survive for long on these objects, they can be transmitted if the object is used while the lice are alive.

Treatment
Treatment includes manual removal of lice and nits from the hair by brushing with a fine nit comb. Effective treatment usually involves the application of a treatment that will kill the lice. Because these agents kill the lice but not all the eggs, treatments should be applied twice, a week apart.     

Agents on the market include pyrethrins (such as R & C Shampoo and Lice Killing Shampoo). Permethrin, has documented resistance in some countries include Kwellada and Nix. Both these products are considered as having low toxicity to humans. Products with lindane such as PMS-Lindane shampoo and Hexit have much greater neurotoxicity and are not recommended for infants, children under six, or pregnant and nursing mothers.         

While a number of household products including petroleum jelly, olive oil, mayonnaise, vinegar, and mineral oil or essential oils sold at health food stores are used, there are no published trials on their safety and efficacy. However, it’s thought that essential oil natural remedies work by suffocating and dehydrating the lice.           
                       
If lice are detected on someone in the house, everyone in the house and close contacts should all be screened.

H&L