Is your child dirty if they have contracted head lice?

If your child has lice, it does not make them dirty.  Originally there was a myth that stated that head lice were only attracted to dirty hair. This myth was then changed to state that lice are only attracted to clean hair.  Although this is not so widely believed, it is proven that lice are not concerned with whether their future home provider has clean or dirty hair, it’s the blood they’re after!

Do you remember when you were a child? Do you remember having lice or a friend having lice? Which myth was rife in those days? Do you know that the only thing that lice require is human blood? They are not concerned in the least about the hygienic state of your hair.  The lice are dependent on human blood for survival, without the blood the lice will only live for approximately 24-48 hours. They are spread through head-to-head contact, or sharing things like hats, scarves and hairbrushes.

School environments are a great feeding ground for lice but this does not make the school dirty or unhygienic if they are found to have a student with lice. Schools should be notified immediately if a child has lice in order for the necessary steps to be taken.  It is important that as soon as you are made aware of a lice infestation at your child’s school, you should assess your child’s hair and take the necessary treatment actions.  If your child does not have lice, it is prudent to purchase a preventative product, like Paranix Repellent Spray, to avoid an infestation.

A vital piece of information to ease your mind is that head lice are not known to spread diseases. Proper treatment, which most people can do at home, usually gets rid of head lice. The clinically proven Paranix range of treatment products are insecticide free, has the shortest treatment time, and includes a top quality, steel tooth comb with the product.

For the treatment procedure, a step by step tutorial is available online: www.paranix.eu

Lice and scabies are parasites living and feeding off human skin and blood.

Lice

Lice live on the scalp, as everyone knows, and likes playing hide and seek between the hair roots. Luckily (and unluckily) the give themselves away by biting and drinking blood, making the scalp itch, giving us the opportunity to declare lice war and get rid of them chop-chop with your friendly neighbourhood helper, Paranix. You don’t have to resort to pesticides.

Scabies

Scabies, on the other hand, are microscopic little mites, which lives on the skin of the body. In most cases, scabies develops only after close and prolonged contact with an infected person, but it can also be transmitted by sharing clothing (they hide in the seams), towels and bedding. Scabies can live in bedding for 24 hours or even more! Severe itching is the primary symptom. This is caused by the female mite, which burrows into the skin, lays her egges and produces toxins that cause allergic reactions, which causes this maddening itch. Small red bumps can then form on the skin.

 References: 

http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/guide/skin-conditions-lice-scabies?page=2

Some people believe that with winter comes the end of lice infestations. This is not the case, as lice infestations can occur all year round.

They especially occur during the winter as children are more likely to share beanies, scarves or come into close contact with other children. These are key areas where lice can be transferred from person to person.  

Some people even mistake lice infestations for dandruff. In winter the skin can become dry and dehydrated and start to flake off. Both lice infestations and dandruff present with ‘flake like’ looking particles in the hair and both cause the scalp to become itchy and inflamed. It is for this reason that dry scalp/dandruff can look like a lice infestation. Here are two tips to identify if you have lice a lice infestation or just dandruff:

Firstly, peruse the ‘flakes’

Is it located all over the scalp or only certain parts of the hair? Lice inhabit areas of the hair that are humid and warm. They hide behind the ears and the neck, where the blood vessels lie superficial to the skin. This creates the perfect warm environment for lice to live in. If the ‘flaking’ is located in this area and not over the whole head then it is a good indication that you have a lice infestation. 

Secondly, do you see ‘flakes’ on your clothing?

Dandruff or dry scalp usually affects the whole head and moults off as you move. You will often see the dead skin cells falling off the hair onto your shoulders and clothing. Lice adhere to the hair with a singular claw. They are extremely difficult to remove and require a specific type of comb in order to remove them. You will not see the lice on your clothing or personal items.

Most importantly, if you look at the ‘flake’ in detail, preferably with a magnifying glass, you will see that lice have a distinct body that cannot be confused with dead skin cells. Lice are brown to dark red in colour and have 6 legs with a singular claw on each leg.

If you find that you do have a lice infestation, look to Paranix to remove the lice. Paranix is proven to remove 100% of nits as well as lice. It is as easy as spraying or washing your hair. No mess or fuss.