WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT LICE AND PEDICULOSIS... SO FAR! Questions and answers Head pediculosis is still a major problem especially in schools. It must be approached immediately in order to prevent spreading on other household members heads. The key to a successful treatment is not only the immediate treatment but the appropriate product must be chosen and applied properly! LiceAway
What a louse is? It s a parasite insect, 1 to 3 millimeters long, it has 3 pairs of legs provided with strong hooks which allow it to get attached firmly to the hair. Is also has a (oral) buccal apparatus with which it can sucks blood through human skin. It breathes through 14 tracheas, located 7 on each lateral side of its small body, between the first and the second pair of breast-legs, where you can detect the breathing holes called stigma. Such buccal (oral) apparatus main function is to suck guest s blood by using a trunk called hastellum. The louse bites clinging on to guest s skin by using the small hastellum and then moves alternatively its jaws and pharynx in order to penetrate the skin, once the hole is ready, it injects its saliva which contains vasodilatatory and anticoagulant substances and eventually gets fed by sucking the blood coming out from such a small wound. The saliva is responsible for the allergic reactions in most infested subjects. Female head louse. You can see the 14 respiratory spiracles, one egg growing in the abdomen, and the V-shaped termination of the abdominal segment, between the 2 gonapofisis. The female louse can lay up to 200 eggs during her life span, called nits, which become attached onto the hair by the help of a glue substance which cannot be dissolved in water or by using a common shampoo.
In about a week the eggs hatch and lice nymphs start their life cycle becoming adult lice capable of reproduction only after a couple of weeks. Repelled by the light, the louse tends to hide itself and thus it is hard to detect them in the hair; so it is easier to detect the presence of eggs on one s head as they are ovalshaped, white, shiny and half millimeter in length easily distinguished from dandruff characterized by irregular shape and that could be removed only by a slight puff of air. Itching is caused by an allergic reaction to the parasite s saliva and it is the only clue (symptom) that leads to diagnosis of pediculosis. However, it might start itching even after 3 months or we might have no itching at all. Thus, it is good to check children s heads for lice every time you wash their hair. In case, you have suspicion of lice presence, you should check the hair at least once in two days. The presence of lice infestation on someone in the family, should lead to a thorough examination of all the members of the household and those who have been in direct contact with the infested person. The direct head-to-head contact is undoubtedly the main way of head lice contamination; infact children at school age are the most subjected to because they spend a lot of time playing together. The indirect transmission of head lice includes using the same hair brush, comb, scarf, caps, etc. In case of lice infestation, one should soak all the hair brushes and combs in very hot water and should also wash all the bed sheets, towels, hats, scarves and clothes at 60 C.
Questions and Answers Is it true that head pediculosis is a sign of poverty and dirtiness? No, it isn t! Lice were found on the mummies of some very rich pharaohs and they spread in some of the most civilized nations around the world. Unfortunately, this prejudice causes a great embarrassment to the families who are infested and therefore it gets more difficult to be aware of the spreading of head pediculosis and to eradicate it from the very beginning. How does a louse get fed? A louse feeds on human host s blood. It is capable of sucking blood from the skin of the scalp while clinging onto hair and moving from one hair onto another by using its legs. Clung onto hair the louse also spends its entire life, reproducing, sleeping and so on. How does head lice pediculosis get spread? Spreading of pediculosis is not as high as the transmission of some infectious diseases is. Infestation begins with an impregnated female louse which wanders onto a new human host or with some lice (both sexes) which move from one head to another due to direct contact or vicinity. These are the only two ways of head lice transmission since a louse is wingless and cannot fly. Are the length of the hair or the sex of the host important? The length of the hair is a favorable factor but only because one who has long hair usually spends more time taking care of it and as a result might happen to use an infested comb or hair brush. The sex of the human host is irrelevant when it comes to the same length of hair.
Is the age of the human host somehow important? Yes, it is! Although everyone may be infested by lice, the most frequently affected age group is children attending nursery and elementary schools due to the higher rate of physical contact and vicinity at this age. What are the symptoms of head pediculosis? An active pediculosis can be present without any evident symptom for several days, especially on people who get in contact with louse s saliva for the first time. So when it is detected on someone s head, it is a must an alert to examine the rest of the members of the group to which the infested person belongs even when there is no clear symptoms. In case of re-infestation, people may experience the itching earlier than the first infestation, probably caused by allergic reaction or sensitization to lice s saliva. The first symptom is the itching which intensity may vary because of the individual sensitivity and previous contacts. In worse cases, one may experience scratching, mild fever, itching and tiredness due to sleep loss and the more intense itching during the night hours and in some rare cases anemia. What are the signs of pediculosis? An objective but not always present sign of pediculosis is seeing moving lice while checking closely or using a thick comb. While examining one should stand behind the infested person and check closely the hair especially behind the ears which area is usually the first one to be infested. If one cannot detect any louse using this method, a comb with thick teeth must be passed through the hair, better lock by lock, in order to see if a louse got stuck between the teeth of the comb. In most of the cases, one finds small brownish specks adhering to the hair: these are the nits laid by the adult female louse. These nits are attached to one side of the hair and can t be removed by a flip with the forefinger as in case of dandruff. If you run thumb and forefinger onto a hair when you reach the nit, you feel it like an obstacle.
It is rather difficult to pry the nit off the scalp (especially if it is situated at a couple of centimeters distance from the head) and you have to drag it out along the hair. The color of the nits is brownish when the nymph is still inside and becomes whitish when the nymph leaves. What you might mistake the pediculosis for? Very often people mistake pediculosis for dandruff. However, one should know that dandruff is easily removed off the hair by a little puff of air or removing it with the touch of a finger, whereas the nits resist to these attempts and at best could be removed with difficulties by taking them off along the hair using fingernails. Hair products remains could be mistaken with pediculosis as well. Can one prevent pediculosis? It is not possible to eradicate pediculosis as it has been achieved with some infectious diseases by using vaccination So the prevention is in the early diagnosis and treatment of those who might be concerned, once pediculosis is diagnosed in a household or a social group. Which is the best treatment for pediculosis? Scissors are extreme! Shaving one s head which is a drastic measure once often practiced, nowadays is not advised mostly because it could be too humiliating for the children. Avoid insecticides! The most commonly used products today are based on synthetic chemical antiparastic (Permethrin, Tetrametrine, and Phenothrin) which are toxic for the human neural membranes or they are based on organ phosphorus pesticides (Malathion). Such products, fortunately with little absorption in the scalp, are undoubtedly efficient when it comes to the lice eradication but they haven t been proven very effective when it comes to the eradication of the nits and could be severely itching for the mucous membranes, the eyes and for the skin wounds which are a result of scratching.
Two steps to follow for a correct and complete treatment of pediculosis: Eliminate the lice! The mixture of essential oils which is Lice Away Spray s main ingredient has clinically demonstrated something already well known in the literature: its capability (due to the low-molecular-weight monoterpenes compounds) to penetrate the parasite s skin cuticle clogging the pores of its respiratory system thus causing its death due to suffocation. This physico-chemical mechanism of action prevents the development of biological resistance in the lice which makes the product efficient no matter how many times one uses it. Moreover, this product does not get absorbed by the human organism at all, which eliminates any possible side effects! Having been made entirely of natural extracts is to be considered as just one more advantage of many which the product LICE AWAY SPRAY has over the rest of the competitors products available on the market. Eliminate the nits! Lice Away Shampoo has a carefully studied formula which unfolds in three complementary and synergical actions in the process of treatment. its formula rich of green apple vinegar makes it suitable for removing the lotion spread on the hair, since the lotion is oily based, it needs a proper degreasing detergent to be washed away. the product contains Quassia amara extract which makes easier the removal of the nits from the hair. This plant has an antagonist action on the nits production of chitina, that is the main substance enabling the nit to cling so tightly onto the hair. finally the shampoo s composition is completed by adding natural essences such as thyme, rosemary, Turkish rose and lavender which not only have pleasant fragrances but also prevent lice re-infestation by creating unbearable conditions for them.
LiceAway Kit The KIT also contains two essential and innovative tools for a correct treatment: One rectangular, plastic Magnifying Lens which is easy and comfortable to use. It makes possible the detection of the presence of parasites or nits on the head. It is not the usual little magnifying lens as big as a coin! But it is a customized, well-studied, easy to use magnifying lens (useful even after the treatment). One plastic Comb with a large handle with long teeth made of steel. The teeth have an innovative mould with attaching function which has been studied purposely. Their main function is to keep the lice on the comb while its running easily through the hair. The edges of the teeth are rounded so they do not hurt in any way the scalp. LiceAway MADE IN ITALY