Causes and Symptoms of Head Lice Infection

Head lice are a kind of wingless, small, parasitic insect which resides on the scalp of the affected person. Although it is not a serious problem, but causes social embarrassment and a sign of unhygienic living condition, but it may recur on and on until the total cycle is destroyed.

Commonly three forms of head lice are found: nit, the eggs, nymph, the small lice, and the adult louse, and all these three forms are found on the scalp of the affected persons.

These parasitic insects are found to affect a person mostly due to contact; in school the school children are affected from one child to another pattern and gradually it spreads within their household members. The most common symptoms for head louse are intense itching; however there are different possibilities behind the infection of these bothering parasites.

Dirty hair shafts and unclean scalp play one of the major roles for lice infection because these parasites take their pleasure in staying in dirty, oily places. Moreover for school going children, infection comes from school by personal physical contact, head to head contacts between co-students head louse infection.

Additionally, sharing personal belongings with lice infected persons may cause further spreading of the problem of head lice on another person.

There are some definite symptoms for head louse infections like intense itching, mild fever, inflammation of the lymph nodes, nits are found visible on hair, a kind of small bumpy outgrowths are found here and there on scalp, neck, and on shoulders, and in advanced stage, lice are found on forehead, dresses which proves dangerous for the spreading of the same in the surroundings.

There are different over-the–counter medicines for lice cure. But most of the chemical based products are not free from harmful effect as hair shafts tend to be damaged losing the natural shine and glaze of hair due to regular use of this mild pesticide based products.

In this respect natural herbal remedies are of great help. Neem leaves’ decoction, after washing, can be considered as good hair rinse which can prevent the problem of head lice. For efficient and reliable maintenance of clean and healthy scalp one needs to use this herbal rinse at least 2-3 times in a week.

Application of tea tree oil with coconut oil on the scalp also works effectively in killing the lice with nit and nymphs, however this remedy needs to be repeated 2-3 times a week to destroy the entire lice cycle from head.