What are nits? Are they the same as head lice?
Nits is the name given to the eggs laid by head lice. Head lice are tiny, wingless insects that when mature have a grey-brown appearance. They affect only humans and live by sucking blood from the scalp. They lay eggs in cases (nits) and breed incredibly quickly, although their actual life cycle is just a month long.
Live lice come from the egg cases ('nits') which look like tiny white specks and are attached quite securely to the roots of the hairs. Eggs hatch after about 7-10 days and by 10-14 days the nit is fully mature and around 2-4mm long. As soon as a louse reaches maturity it quickly starts to reproduce so it's vital to treat an outbreak as soon as possible.
Why are nits so common amongst children?
As with many common childhood illnesses, head lice are spread so easily because when children play together they usually have very close contact. When children play closely or cuddle each other it's easy enough for a louse to, literally, walk from one child's hair to another. Generally-speaking, the longer the hair the greater the chance a child has of getting head lice.
Lice are less common in adults simply because adults don't tend to encroach on each other's personal space in the way children do! But of course parents do have that close contact with their children so if your child has head lice there's a strong possibility they'll pass them on to you, your partner and their siblings.
How do I know if my child has head lice?
You might suspect your child has head lice if they complain of an itchy scalp and a note has recently come home from school warning parents that there has been an outbreak. But it's important to make sure they definitely do have nits before you embark on any treatment. The most obvious indication that your child may have nits is itching - infestation commonly causes itching of the scalp so if you notice your child scratching do take a closer look.
Sometimes an infestation is shown up by little red blood spots on the scalp. If nits have taken residence close inspection of the scalp will reveal little white head lice eggs attached to the base of the hair. If the nits have hatched you may be able to see lice in the hair behind the ears and at the nape of the neck - both are favourite locations for lice to make homes in. It's an unpleasant prospect, but essentially what you're looking for is either little white dots or live, very small creepy crawlies living in your child's hair.
To help you establish if your child has nits or head lice get hold of a wide-toothed, plastic comb. Use this to thoroughly comb through your child's hair. It can be tricky to see what you're extracting from your child's hair so comb onto a piece of white paper or a white towel so the dark lice will show up. Remember that you're looking for a live, mobile insect - be careful to distinguish bits of fluff or dirt from real, moving creatures! If you do indeed find the latter it's important to deal with the problem quickly.
You should check the rest of the family for signs of infestation and let your child's school know.
How to get rid of head lice - non-chemical head lice treatment
There are many ways of treating nits and headlice.
Most pharmacists and doctors recommend the non-chemical 'wet combing' (or 'bug-busting') method for successfully dealing with an infestation. In most cases, if carried out correctly, it will get rid of nits and head lice without the need for chemical applications. It's worth noting that head lice are becoming increasingly resistant to chemicals, including many of the pharmaceutical preparations commonly used to treat head lice.
Although labour-intensive, this thorough method is effective because the combing through both removes the live lice and kills the eggs, thus reducing and eventually killing of the infestation. Don't worry if your child has very long hair - you need to concentrate most closely on the hair at the base of the scalp, which is where the nits are hatched and the lice like to congregate. Remember to be particularly thorough around the back and nape of the neck.
Wash your child's hair using your usual shampoo. Apply a good amount of conditioner all over the wet hair (this causes the lice to lose their grip on the hair) and begin combing, firstly with a normal comb. Then, using a fine-tooth comb (you can buy special nit combs from your chemist) work through the hair from root to tip, checking the comb for bugs after each sweep. Work through the entire head extremely thoroughly - it's recommended that you spend around half an hour on this procedure. You must also be sure to repeat the procedure (daily if possible, or at least several times a week) until you're sure you've eliminated the problem. To be on the safe side, you should continue wet combing for around 2 weeks.
There are also some natural, herbal shampoos and treatments available which you may like to consider - brands to look out for include Delacet and Nitty Gritty (available at some branches of Boots, Sainsburys and Lloyd's Chemists). Tea Tree Oil may also be beneficial though its effectiveness has not yet been scientifically proven. As with all topical treatments, both natural and non-natural, be sure to have a chat with your chemist before using anything on your child's head or hair as some treatments may cause allergic reactions.
How to get rid of head lice - chemical head lice treatment
In most cases wet combing will eliminate the problem but where the infestation is more stubborn you may need to take a more radical approach. Remember that chemicals - like antibiotics - are only recommended for use if all else fails but if you've got a really bad infestation your doctor or pharmacist will probably recommend a short course of medicated, topical treatment.
The chemical treatments work by having a good period of contact with your child's hair and scalp so be wary of using over-the-counter medicated shampoos which may be too dilute and which do not have long enough contact with the lice. Although convenient, you may find the problem comes back quickly because the lice are resistant to the shampoo.
Medical treatments are usually in the form of either alcohol or water-based lotions. Although usually more effective, alcohol-based treatments are not recommended for children with allergies, very sensitive skin or asthma. Be sure to discuss any concerns or questions you have with your chemist before using a chemical treatment and be aware that some treatments should not be used in pregnancy or on very young babies. You should also only use a medical treatment if you have definitely found a live louse in your child's hair.
Both alcohol and water based treatments are usually applied to the hair, left to dry naturally and then rinsed out the following morning. To ensure all lice and eggs have been killed the treatment should repeated a week later.
How to get rid of head lice - homemade head lice treatment
Emma Says:I have a great aromatherapy remedy that we have successfully used on outbreaks. It's a base of olive oil with 6 drops Citronella, 6 drops Tea Tree and 6 drops Eucalyptus essential oil in, which is combed through with a nit comb every evening for a week when there is a break out.
Can I prevent further nits outbreaks?
Unfortunately not. Something of a fact of life, nits and head lice are just one of those things, but you can take the small precaution of tying back long hair as this reduces the chances of contact between your child's hair and that of an infested head of hair. The main thing to remember is that early detection is vital and may help you avoid passing the problem around the family and having to resort to a more radical, chemical treatment to get rid of the infestation.
If your child has just got over head lice remember that regular checking for some time after is a sound way of preventing further outbreaks.
Head lice treatment and advice - need-to-know
- You don't need to wash bedding and clothing if they've come into contact with lice - lice cannot live in the 'outside world' and need a warm host (e.g a nice human scalp!) to provide their subsistence
- Head lice are not caused by dirty hair or poor hygiene and can be found in all hair types; long and short, thin and thick, shiny and coarse
- They cannot jump, fly or swim - they are passed from one head to another by close contact and literally walk from head of hair to another
- Not everyone itches if they've got head lice - the itching is not caused by the lice nicking the scalp but by an allergic reaction to the lice. Some people are not allergic to the lice and it can take up to three months after initial infestation for itching to develop