Pediculosis is considered a common ailment. Often lice are transmitted in public places. To prevent infection, it is necessary to observe hygiene and avoid contact with people who may be at risk. If, nevertheless, an infection has occurred, then you should know how to eliminate lice eggs.
What do they look like?
Blood-sucking insects reproduce by laying eggs on human hair. Inside each egg, a parasite develops. And to preserve offspring, lice secrete a secret that firmly attaches the eggs to the hair. Moreover, the nits are packed in a shell. After freezing in the air, it gains strength and protects the individual from external factors.
Lice eggs are similar in appearance to dandruff, but they cannot be shaken off. You can eliminate them with a fine comb and after washing with a special shampoo. If we examine the larva under a microscope, then it is presented in the form of a small capsule and, depending on the species, is elongated or short and rounded. Below is a special belt formed from the same component as the shell. The top ends with a cap through which the larva hatches. The size of the capsule is no more than 0.7 mm in length, and the diameter is 0.4 mm. These are all signs of what louse eggs look like.
Development of larvae
Female parasites become sexually mature and mate with males after the last molt. How many eggs do lice lay? They lay up to 10 eggs per day. This is done like this:
- The female crawls up the hair.
- During this period, the larva descends inside the body through the oviduct to the anus.
- Moving past the glands, she is enveloped in a sticky secret, which, when touched with the hair, firmly fixes the lice egg to it.
- Part of the liquid flows into the upper part of the capsule, forming a cap.
- After a few minutes of contact with air, the egg hardens and attaches to the hair.
The larva develops for about 8 days at 33 degrees. If the temperature reaches 22 degrees or increases to 40, then the process stops. This is the whole process of how a louse lays eggs. But even at 0 degrees, viability lasts up to 2-3 months. Temperatures of 45 degrees or more are detrimental to nits and lice eggs.
The larva comes out of the capsule after pushing the cap. This can open the access of oxygen inside. It enters not only the lungs, but is also swallowed, enters the digestive tract and is released through the anus. Due to this, the pressure in the capsule increases, and the individualpushed out.
Search for pests
Is it easy to detect lice eggs on hair? This is determined by the type and color of curls. It is difficult to find almost colorless shells on light and curly ones, but on dark and straight ones they are clearly visible in the form of white grains. They are easy to spot for someone who knows what nits look like. Usually they are at a height of 2-3 cm from the root, 1 on each hair. What kind of lice lay eggs? Head lice infest the scalp. They lay eggs quickly, so don't delay the problem.
Difference from dandruff
In appearance, small white dandruff is like cocoons. From a distance, it cannot be detected. If you look closely, the difference is noticeable, although not immediately, but only upon close examination. The differences are as follows:
- Dandruff cannot stick to the hair and falls off with a slight shake.
- The color of the capsules is yellowish with a sheen, and the dandruff has a snow-white, matte color.
Signs of infection
How to identify nits and lice eggs? The symptoms of this disease are typical. They are noticeable immediately after infection. First, itching appears on the head. Then secondary signs are observed:
- Scratches and ulcers on the scalp.
- White patches at the roots of the hair.
- Swelling of the behind-the-ear and occipital lymph nodes.
- The presence of purulent discharge in large quantities with severe infection.
The patient will be irritable, this condition gives him psychological discomfort. The affected areas rot, which causes pustules, boils.
Is the disease transmitted?
How long does it take for lice to lay eggs? This happens after a few hours. At the same time, many are interested in whether these parasites can be transmitted. This is allowed, but only with close contact. In other cases, insects pass from one host to another through hair care products:
- combs;
- massage brushes;
- hairpins;
- rubbers;
- hairpins.
Transmission is excluded by other methods. This is due to the fact that the larvae that are on the hair are motionless and therefore cannot be transmitted from one person to another. And adults can crawl.
Is it difficult to eliminate parasites?
Compared to adults, they are considered resistant to special agents. Of the large number of drugs, only products with organophosphorus insecticides can destroy the larvae. Vinegar can soften and destroy the shells. But it must be used with caution, since a burn of the scalp is likely to occur with a high concentration. Adding it to your hair rinse water and combing it out with a fine-toothed comb will get rid of some of the eggs, but not completely.
Treatments
How to cure head lice? To date, there are many means and ways to combat the disease. The most effective are the following:
- chemical;
- mechanical;
- combined.
In the first case, anti-pediculosis components are used. The second is combing with a fine comb or hand picking. The third method involves the consistent application of first the chemical, and then the mechanical method.
Each of them has its pros and cons. The use of modern drugs eliminates the cause of the disease, but with secondary use or an increase in the dose, an allergy may occur. When choosing a method, you need to focus on the level of infection.
Effective remedies
Now there are a lot of products for the treatment of lice. The most effective include the following:
- "Nettifor". The drug has a strong insecticidal activity against lice, nits, ticks, fleas. The active substance, permethrin, is capable of paralyzing the nervous system of insects, causing them to die. The agent is applied to the hair roots (10-60 mg), and after 40 minutes it can be washed off with a regular shampoo. Then you need to comb your hair. The drug is sold as a cream and lotion.
- "Foxylon". This is an affordable and effective remedy for lice. The active substance, benzyl benzoate, in a short time enters through the chitinous cover of parasites, accumulates and leads to their death. It is required to apply the product (10-50 ml) to clean, moisturized hair and rinse after 10 minutes. To remove dead lice and nits from the hair roots, comb them out with a thick comb. The product is available in the form of a lotion.
- "Pedilin". A drugeliminates lice. The active substance, malathion, is considered a contact and nerve poison for arthropod parasites. The drug should be rubbed into the roots of moistened hair and washed off after 30 minutes. Then you should reapply the composition and rinse with shampoo after 5 minutes. To remove the remnants of dead lice and nits, comb them out with a thick comb. If necessary, the treatment is repeated after a week. The drug is produced in the form of a shampoo, emulsion.
- "Nude". The active substance is dimethicone, which covers immature and sexually mature insects with a polymer film that blocks the access of oxygen, so the lice die due to suffocation. The spray is applied to dry hair until it is moisturized. A comb is attached to it, with which it is necessary to evenly distribute the product through the hair. If they are long and thick, then they should be processed in strands. You need to wait 45 minutes and wash off the composition with regular shampoo. If necessary, the procedure is repeated. The drug is available in the form of a spray.
- "Parasidosis+". The active substances are coconut acid, cocamidopropyl, which block the respiratory openings of parasites, as a result of which the latter die due to asphyxia. The drug is able to dissolve the adhesive component, due to which the insects cling tightly to the hair. The product is rubbed into the roots and left for 45 minutes, and then it is washed off with a regular shampoo. Available in emulsion form.
Folk remedies
You can cure pediculosis with the help of folkfunds. The following recipes help:
- Mixture of table s alt and wine vinegar. You need to mix 45 g of s alt and wine vinegar (1 cup), as well as pure alcohol (7 g). Hair is pre-rinsed, dried. Then you need to soak the gauze with the resulting solution, apply it to the affected areas. Lotions should be changed 3 times a day. The tool perfectly eliminates parasites, itching and burning.
- Kerosine and vegetable oil must be mixed in a ratio of 1:10. The mixture is used to treat hair, and then you need to cover your head with waxed paper, wrap it with a terry towel or a voluminous scarf. The compress must be kept all night. In the morning, rinse your hair with regular soap.
- A glass of cranberries. You need to squeeze the juice from the fruits, and then mix it with honey (1 tsp). The finished mixture needs to be rubbed into the head for 2-3 hours.
- Anise oil is rubbed into the head, kept for 4 hours, and then washed off. Nits are removed with a comb.
- The onion must be chopped and then mixed with the yolk. The finished product is rubbed into the head, distributed through the hair. The composition lasts for 2 hours, and then washed off with water and lemon juice. Shampoo will eliminate the onion smell.
Thus, lice are easy to eliminate. For this, both pharmacy products and folk recipes can be used. Better yet, follow the rules of hygiene to prevent the appearance of these parasites.
