Head Lice Trivia

Head lice can really cause a headache. In this article, we'll let you know about some random head lice trivia.

-- Head lice have been around for thousands of years, preying on humans all the while. As a matter of fact, mummies discovered in Egypt have been found to have dried up head lice present on their scalps!

-- Oddly enough, the head louse can only prey on humans. Cats, dogs, and all other forms of animals are immune from the itchy little parasites.

-- For some reason, African Americans have been found to be much less likely to be susceptible to cases of head lice. Studies conducted in the field of pediatric dermatology have shown that while the rates of head lice infestation in other races is around ten percent, only half of a percent of African American children catch head lice.

-- The head louse has a period of 7 to 10 days from when the nit is laid until it has hatched. After hatching, the head louse will require 7 to 10 days before becoming a fully grown louse.

-- When the nits are laid, they stick to hair follicles like glue. It can be really tough to get the nits off of the hair follicles, but one method seems to work pretty well: using distilled white vinegar to shake them loose.

-- Although many people think that it's a good idea to get their house sprayed for lice when an outbreak occurs, it often isn't necessary. The louse can only live for around 24 hours when not on a human and it is unable to fly or jump. Since all that it can do is crawl, all that you need to do is wash your linens and avoid sitting in common areas such as couches until the problem is solved. Using pesticides across your house could actually prove to be more dangerous than it is worthwhile.

-- Children under age two should not be exposed to the dangerous pesticides that are often used to get rid of lice. It can be damaging to their health, so you should opt for solutions like using a specialized lice comb instead.

-- If the nits that are located on your hair follicles are more than a centimeter away from the scalp, they will not hatch. Lice lay their eggs close to the scalp so that they can get the body temperature necessary to incubate properly.

-- For some reason, women tend to get head lice more often than men. In schools, the girls tend to get head lice more often than the boys.

-- When head lice are born, they are almost clear in color; after feasting on human blood, however, they tend to turn a brownish-red color.

Hopefully you've learned some things about the common head louse in this article. If you suspect that you may have a head lice infestation, be sure to properly diagnose the issue by having someone carefully examine your scalp, looking for evidence of nits on your hair follicles or lice on your scalp.

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Mike Serovey is the owner and webmaster for http://www.mikeserovey.net where you can submit your articles for free.