HEAD LICE

What are they?

Head lice are the most common kind of lice to infect humans. They are sometimes called nits, which is actually the name of the tiny white eggs they hatch from.

How do I catch them?

Head lice are caught when your hair comes into contact with the hair of someone who has them already. They can be passed on very easily and spread quickly in schools, where children's heads often touch when they are playing. From there they can spread to members of the family.

Who gets them?

Anyone can get head lice, but you are much more likely to get them if you are a child at school or live with a child.

What are the symptoms?

Head lice live off blood, which they get by making very tiny bites in your scalp. This makes your head very itchy. If you or your child scratch a lot as a result, you may get an infection in the skin or your scalp. You might see head lice on your hair, but you are more likely to find their tiny eggs, or nits, attached to your hair.

Do I need to see my doctor?

Chemists sell lotions to treat head lice, so if you are sure this is the problem you may want to go straight to your pharmacist for advice. If you are not sure this is the problem, you might want to ask your school nurse, health visitor GP for advice.

What is the short-term treatment?

The recommended treatment for head lice changes from time to time as the lice become immune to particular treatments, so it is worth checking before you use one.

Most of the treatments come as lotions which are put on dry hair and washed out after about 12 hours - the details will be on the bottle.

Do not use an alcohol-based lotion on babies aged under six months or if you have asthma or eczema. You should protect your eyes with a cloth or flannel when you put the lotion on.

Make sure everyone in the household is treated at the same time so you do not reinfect each other.

Will I need more treatments?

Head lice lotions can get rid of lice, but they do not prevent you catching them again. If the lice or nits do not go within a few days of treatment, consult your GP or health visitor.

How can I help?

You should watch out for head lice or nits when you comb your hair after washing and if you find them, treat them early. If you or your child has head lice, inform the school and anyone your children have played with recently. Head lice are very common and easy to catch, so there is nothing to be embarrassed about. If everyone who might have caught the head lice knows and has a chance to treat them, you will reduce the risk of getting them again.