Nit Facts

How to get rid of nits and head lice

To understand the best way to eradicate head lice and nits, it helps to know a bit more about them.

Information on nits and nit infestations

• The scientific name for a head louse is ‘pediculus humanus capitis’.
• A head louse infestation is sometimes referred to as ‘pediculosis’.
• Head lice are tiny (2-4mm long) wingless brown hair parasites that live in the hair and on the head of humans, feeding on blood that they suck from the scalp.
• Head lice are highly contagious and are easily spread through head-to-head contact.
• Head lice cannot survive for long away from a host as they need regular blood meals.

• The head louse lifecycle lasts approximately 30 days, during which the louse passes through three stages:
  • Eggs: Often called nits
    
    An adult female louse will lay approximately six or seven grey head lice eggs (nits) a day which she cements firmly to the base of the hair shaft with a very strong glue-like substance. They live close to your head where it is warm.
  • Nymphs:
    After seven days, an immature hair louse (nymph) will emerge from the egg (nit); the empty nit remains glued in position.
  • Adult lice:
    
    After shedding their skin (moulting) three times, head lice nymphs become sexually mature adults; this normally takes 10 to 14 days. Within a day of becoming adult hair lice, male and female lice will start to reproduce – and numbers can grow at an alarming rate if left untreated. Very soon hundreds of lice can be living in your hair laying nits every day.

Effective, naturally

Nits and head lice can be treated with Nit-Nurse. (Buy here).

The key to treating a lice infestation – and preventing re-infestation to get rid of nits – is to break the lifecycle.