Uppermill pharmacist IAN STRACHAN dispels the myths and reveals the facts about head lice
HOW MANY of you recall the ritual of “NittyNorah the bug explorer” and that dreaded Que?
This column dispels the myths and explains the facts surrounding the little creatures which Norah once reported to parents on a regular basis.
Firstly, head lice are not associated with dirty hair or even poor hygiene. All types of hair can be affected, regardless of length or condition.
The lice are whitish to grey brown in appearance, around the size of a pinhead, and can only affect humans so cannot be passed by animals or be caught from them. They can’t fly, they can’t jump or even swim – they can only spread by head to head contact.
ITCHING
Parents commonly attribute their child’s itching scalp to the actions of lice biting. That is also a myth but in fact is the result of an allergy to the lice. Some children may not experience any itch and remain ignorant to infestation. Head lice are common in children aged between four and 11 years.
HOW TO SPOT HEAD LICE
Head lice can be difficult to detect even when the head is closely inspected. The empty egg shells commonly known as nits aren’t enough to diagnose any infestation as they often remain glued to the hair following successful treatment.
To confirm an active infestation I always recommend a method such as combing. Detection combing is the very best way of finding head lice. It involves using a special fine-toothed head lice comb with a tooth spacing of around 0.2mm, then combing patiently through the hair.
TREATING HEAD LICE
Head lice can usually be treated with lotions or sprays designed to kill the head lice, or by wet combing using the combs described earlier.
Wet combing can be used without sprays or lotions but needs to be done regularly and can take a long time to do thoroughly. Lotions or sprays are often used as an alternative but must be applied correctly and thoroughly.
Your pharmacist is ideally placed to recommend the most appropriate over-the-counter lotion or spray and to give you the very best advice on how to apply it correctly.
PREVENTION
It is difficult to prevent infestations as head lice are spread by head to head contact. Regular detection combing weekly is probably the best way to find new lice quickly.
Lotions and sprays don’t prevent infestation and should only be used if a live louse on your own or your child’s head is detected.
Next time: we look at a condition close to my own heart: sciatica
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