One of the main symptoms of parasites is presence of nits near scalp. It is not enough to detect them: they should be killed to make sure parasite population won’t grow. Learn how to do both.
How to Identify
How Long Does It Take To Hatch?
As a rule, it takes nits from 8 to 12 days to hatch – it depends on different factors, including environmental conditions.
How To Prevent Hatching?
In fact, if you want to prevent hatching, the only way to do it is exterminate the eggs. Special products and shampoos can do that. High temperature may also destroy nits, but it is dangerous for the scalp, so this method is inappropriate.
How Long Does It Take For Lice To Lay Eggs?
One female lays several eggs a day, and during its 30-day lifecycle manages to produce 180-220 nits averagely.
Nits vs Dandruff
If a person has white specs on scalp and experiences itching, these can be symptoms of both lice infestation and dandruff. You can’t define what exactly it is? Be more attentive! If you see some white objects moving on head, these are definitely bugs and lice eggs on hair. If white specs fall off easily when you shake your head, this is dandruff. Besides, a person may have oily and yellow/white scalp with such a condition. Also note that nits are a bit bigger than dandruff – the last looks like white flakes 1-4 mm long.
How to Remove Lice Eggs?
While it is necessary to destroy adult bugs, nits must be taken away to guarantee total extermination. First, you should prepare your place: it should be properly lighted up so that you could see it perfectly. Wrap some piece of cloth or a towel around your shoulders to catch nits and live parasites that may fall off. Now you are ready to start removal. It can be done different ways:
- Buy Pyrethrum, or any other prescribed shampoo – pyrethrums are toxic for pests, although some of them are resistant to it now. Distribute shampoo on dry hairs and wait for ten minutes, then use water to rinse it and work into scalp. After cleansing the foam, try to clean wet hair with the help of special comb – it has hundreds of thin stainless steel bristles which allow removing even the tiniest objects from hairs. This procedure can be repeated once in 7-10 days.
- How else to kill lice eggs? Vinegar is a very efficient remedy! It contains chemicals that dissolve glue-like substance keeping nits on hairs. As the result, they are much easier to be detached. First, soak hair entirely with warm water. Kneeling over the bathtub, start pouring vinegar on your head and distribute it over hair thoroughly. After keeping it for 1-2 minutes, cleanse it with tap water properly. As an alternative, you can fill sink with a solution of apple cider vinegar and water in 1:1 ratio, and submerge your scalp entirely, standing forwards or sitting backwards. After 5 minutes you should clean head with warm tap water. Now carefully brush damp hair with fine-toothed comb to get rid of head lice eggs on hair. Probably, you will need the help of another person to do that. Use magnifying glass to see the objects better. Repeat the procedure as many times as required, but don’t forget to cleanse and clean the comb when finishing each session.
- Surprisingly, Listerine is also a nice remedy for egg removal. Since it contains high level of alcohol, it kills lice and dissolves their glue that fixes objects. Mind that this method is not 100% safe: it can irritate skin and eyes, and medical experts do not recommend using it. However, if you decided to do that, damp hairs beforehand and when applying on the scalp, keep for 30 minutes under shower cap. After that, head should be rinsed with warm tap water and apple cider vinegar. Then apply a non-washed conditioner, detangle hair and comb nits out as described above.
Does Rid Kill Lice Eggs?
Do Eggs Come Off Easily?
Since insects attach nits to hairs with the help of special sticky substance produced by females, they don’t fall off. But this substance can be dissolved by vinegar, alcohol and other chemicals. After treatment with these remedies, eggs will be detached better.
Can They Live Off The Head?
Yes, an egg that fell off host’s head can survive and hatch, but the nymph will have nothing to feed on, and may die within 1-2 days without blood.
Are Lice Eggs Contagious?
If an egg was attached to a hair, it will not be transmitted to another person. What exposes danger is an insect, because it can be transmitted between people. How? When family members sleep on one bed head-to-head, or via clothes and bed sheets.
Do Nits Move?
No, they produce no motion lying still 8-12 days until nymphs starts to hatch. If you notice movements, most likely, it is a parasite.
Now you know everything about extermination of nits, and can identify and kill them simply. Choose the recommended methods: their effectiveness is proved by millions of people.