All About Head Lice
Where Do Lice Come From ?
Lice spread primarily through direct head-to-head contact with an infested person. They can also be transmitted through the sharing of personal items, such as hats, hairbrushes, combs, and towels. Children in schools, daycare centers, and summer camps are at higher risk due to close contact.
About Lice
Head lice are tiny parasitic insects that live on the scalp of human beings and are attached to the hair shaft. Lice are not a source of disease, but a social problem. Early lice check and proper lice removal are important to control and prevent the spread. Lice develop in three stages: nit, nymph, and adult louse.
Nits
Nits are oval-shaped lice eggs laid by an adult female near the base of the scalp. They are approximately 0.8 mm in size, similar to a sesame seed, and resemble dandruff.The nits will emulate the color of their host’s hair. Females lay their eggs with glue, which makes them difficult to remove from the hair. Nits on hair shafts hatch in 7 -10 days. Each female louse will lay 6 - 10 eggs per day during its life cycle (approximately 35 days).
Nymphs
Nymphs are when a nit hatches; a nymph is born. They are smaller versions of adult lice, with 6 legs, each with a claw at the tip. Growing nymphs need to be close to the scalp for warmth and to feed on human blood several times a day to survive. The nymphs molt as they grow, eventually reaching the adult phase.
Adult Lice
A fully grown louse will reach 2-4mm in length. Lice can be in various colors grayish, black, and brown will often emulate the color of their host’s hair, they do not have wings and are only able to transport themselves by crawling for hair strands (or, from head to head), if a louse falls off of its host’s head it has 24-48 hours to find a new food resource. The female louse lays 200 eggs during its life cycle (approximately 35 days).
How Is It Spread?
Lice move quickly from one head to another, but they cannot jump or fly. Sharing personal items (combs, hats, brushes) or bedding can sometimes contribute to their spread, but head-to-head contact remains the most common mode of transmission
Information For Parents
How do children get head lice?
Lice are not attracted to dirty hair. In fact, they are more likely to be found in clean hair. Lice do not jump, hop, or fly—the only way they move is by crawling.
They are transported on belongings such as combs, brushes, towels, beds, couches, pillows, carpet, stuffed animals, hats, coats, sports helmets, and clothing. ldren are particularly susceptible in close-contact settings—such as during playtime, in classrooms, or in daycare centers—where lice can be easily transmitted from one child to another.
Information For Schools
School environments offer ideal conditions for head lice to spread from one child to another, due to the close contact that occurs during playtime, classroom activities, and group settings.
How to prevent a lice infestation at your school?
Early detection is crucial for minimizing the risk of an infestation. We recommend:
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Conducting screenings at the beginning of the school year.
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Carrying out additional screenings after major holiday breaks.
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Educating staff, students, and families on prevention and early identification.
Proactive measures help reduce the spread of head lice, ensuring a healthier school environment free from these parasites.
School Lice Screening Service
We are committed to keeping schools lice-free.
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Same-day emergency service available.
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Expert technicians provide accurate diagnoses.
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Fast, efficient, and reliable screenings.
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A caring and child-friendly approach.
Because we love children, and their well-being comes first.