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[eunice24]

Having lice is not a sign of poor hygiene, and is nothing to be ashamed of, even though these tiny pests cause their share of anxiety and embarrassment for those affected and those closest to them. Contrary to popular belief, head lice cannot jump or fly and they can only live on humans. So you cannot catch them from animals, grass, or plants. They are, however, highly contagious, either through direct contact (from head to head), or indirect contact (hats, hairbrushes, bedding).

Itching is usually the first sign of an infestation. To confirm the presence of lice, you can look for the lice themselves, or their eggs, called nits. Lice are very small and extremely fast, so they can be hard to find. You can try using a fine comb behind the ears and the base of the neck to extract them. The nits are usually easier to identify, since they look like small grains of white rice glued to the hair roots. It is this “glue” that differentiates them from dandruff or other residue. If it sticks to the hair, then it is probably a nit.

Only people with lice should be treated, since treatments do not in any way prevent lice. Several lice treatments are available without prescription at pharmacies. Talk to your pharmacist, an accessible health professional, who will help you to choose an appropriate, effective, and safe treatment. He or she can also advise you on the best way to use the product and what to do afterwards to get rid of the nits and dead lice and how to prevent reinfestation.

There is no specific method to protect against lice. Following product instructions exactly, brushing hair daily, and regularly checking scalp and hair are your only arms in the battle against lice.


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