Lice or Louse. Does it Matter?

It doesn't matter to me. Lice, louse - it's all the same.

It’s an annual event – every year a few weeks after kids return to school, there’s a widespread infestation of head lice or body lice. Parents and children have no idea how they got there.

Don't feel bad. Lice love those clean kids.  The kids that have clean hair and well taken care of.  The lice hold on tight to the hair strands to get to their food source easily. We'll help you get rid of them quickly and easily.

Types of Lice

There are three kinds of lice known to be quite comfortable with human hosts:

1. The head louse (Pediculus Humanus Capitus DeGeer)
2. The body louse (Pediculus Humanus Linnaeus/Pediculus Humanus Corporis)
3. The crab louse  (Pthirus Pubus Linnaeus)

It’s hard to tell the difference between lice. You'd need to use a microscope to be absolutely sure. Body lice are larger than head lice.

Head lice and pubic lice cannot live more than 24 hours without the warmth of the human body. Because they are found on the scalp and skin and, as with crab lice, in the more moist regions of the body.

Body lice can survive for a week in clothing (swim suits, towels, etc.) without feeding from the human body. They typically live in clothing and bedding.

Lice are hatched from eggs and right away look like the adult except they are smaller than adults. They do not have wings and are unable to jump. They crawl from place to place on the body or through the hair, hanging on to hair strands or clothing. They legs have small claws on the ends which enable them to grasp clothing, hair or skin.

Head lice are seldom found in carpets or loose in school buses as they need the warmth of the human body and the availability of frequent nourishment.

On the other hand, body lice live on clothing that is close to the skin. They usually only touch the body for feeding although they may sometimes cling to hair and actually spend a short time on the body.

Almost as soon as hatched, the nymphs (baby lice) need to eat – what baby doesn’t? Unfortunately, they need human blood. To feed themselves, the louse pierces the skin and, like many other blood sucking insects, it’s saliva contains an agent which keeps the blood from clotting. It is then able to continue to suck blood until it’s digestive tract is full – unless it is unceremoniously scratched off or smashed by the host. During this process, the louse might actually excrete it’s feces onto the skin. The feces will typically be a dark red color and will look like blood if it comes in contact with water.

Lice Removal

Hair Care

Start by purchasing a lice shampoo over the counter. Use the shampoo exactly as directed on the box.  Once complete, comb hair out with the nit comb.  Be sure to take time to comb thoroughly.  One nit left over can take over within a few days.  With boys, it may be worth considering a really short haircut!

The secret to getting rid of lice is mayonnaise. Mayonnaise is good for the hair but deadly to lice. Every other night, lather the hair with mayonnaise and place in a hair cap.  This will smother the lice and is not toxic to the child. Be sure to wash the hair thoroughly as the hair will be greasy in the morning.

Wash Clothing, Beds and Linen

All beds that the lice may have been in contact with lice must be washed in HOT water.  Dry on high temperature to kill any live lice or eggs lurking in the fabric. There is also special lice laundry detergents that can kill these nasty little bugs.

These beds can be made and kids can sleep on them.  Once the bed is made, get big, thick towels.  Lay the towels where the child's hair could come in contact to.  This will prevent lice from getting into the bed and reduce the amount of washing that needs to be done. Wash each towel daily in the same manner as above.

Clean Toys

Put toys that cannot be washed in a machine that could have come in contact in plastic bags.  Leave toys in the bags for at least 10 days.  Wash all others as described for bedding.

Treat Car

Lice are easily spread in a car.  Take the car seat out and scrub with hot water and ammonia. Dry completely with hot blow drier.  The hotter, the bigger chance the lice wont come back.  The seat back must be washed with ammonia and dried completely with a hot blow drier.

For other home remedies, take a look at Natural Cures for Getting Rid of Head Lice

A New Strain of Lice Called Super Lice and How to Treat It

If you have just discovered that your child has the new breed of lice that are resistant to the pyrethroids found in traditional lice treatments, called Super Lice, don’t despair, there are new treatments available to get rid of these foul creatures.

The FDA has approved a method of hot air therapy which uses a device to distribute hot air to the hair and scalp, helping to kill the lice and their eggs by dehydrating them. The treatment takes about an hour, there are no harmful chemicals and it may be covered by insurance, which sounds great to me.

If you are at all concerned, talk to your physician and see if this treatment option or others that may be available are right for you.