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What are nits?
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Head Lice Re-Infestation |
What are nits?
Nits are the eggs of head lice. They can be very difficult to see and many times people confuse them with dandruff.Head lice attach their eggs (nits) to hair shafts with a very strong glue. They are usually laid between 1/2 inch to 3/4 inch from the scalp.
Nits take between 7 to 10 days to hatch. During that time, they gradually change color from a darker tan or brown color to white.
White nits are usually already hatched and are essentially empty egg sacs. Adult female head lice can lay between 50 to 150 nits during it's lifetime which is about 30 days. The average number of eggs laid per adult louse is 3 - 7 per day.When there are many female head lice infesting a person's head, the number of nits can grow to hundreds in a very short time.Nits can be found anywhere on the head, including eyebrows, however they usually are most prevalent behind the ears and at the back of the head.To be absolutely sure you are completely out of danger of re-infestation, it is VERY important to remove every single nit from the head and the environment.Since nits are attached to hairs and since people lose many dozens of hairs daily, an infested person is contaminating their environment everywhere they go.
It is important to vacuum floors, furniture and automobiles as well as wash bedding and clothing that may have been exposed. An enzyme treatment for furniture and laundry has proven to be very helpful in eradicating head lice from the environment. |