Head lice are live insects. Their empty eggs are called nits. Lice are wingless insects that hold
on to the hair, feeding from the blood in the scalp. They spread through head-to-head contact but
contrary to common belief, they do not jump. Adult females live for up to a month and lay around
five eggs a day.
Head lice are seen as an established part of school life - as children spend so much time
playing and learning together, it is very easy for them to spread.
Lice spread when heads come in contact so sleepovers, after-school activities, playing with
friends and visiting family are also common places for children, and adults, to pick them up
and pass them on.
7 Key Head Lice Facts:
- Head lice are common among young children and their families
- Head lice don't spread disease
- Head lice can be spread from adults to children and back again
- There's nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed about having head lice
- Having head lice has nothing to do with good or bad personal hygiene
- Lice eggs hatch after around 7 days so two applications are always needed to make sure
all lice have been killed
- There are pesticide, non-pesticide, combing and alternative treatments on the market.
Your pharmacist will be able to help you work out which is best for you and your family
1 in 10 people feel parents should be fined if their children keep getting
head lice!
On average, a first infection is discovered 2-3 months after it begins.
Partly this is because the eggs and little lice are so hard to see. It is only when the
empty eggshells (nits) become visible, because they appear white and remain attached to
the hairs as they grow, that many people realise the lice are actually there.
A reliable method for diagnosing head lice infection, the Hedrin
Head Lice Detection Comb is 3.84 times more effective than a visual inspection
alone.