Quick Facts
- Save the mayonnaise and butter for the dinner table! There is no clear evidence that the suffocation technique is an effective form of treatment for head lice.
- Head lice and bed bugs do not usually transmit disease, but can be very difficult to deal with.
- Program the Poison Help number into your phone for immediate assistance: 1-800-222-1222
Head Lice
Head lice are only about the size of a sesame seed, but despite their tiny size, they are the source of a great deal of anxiety in schools and at home.
Many schools have adopted a “No Nits” policy, not allowing students back to school until they are free of nits. Both the American Academy of Pediatrics and the National Association of School Nurses have put out guidelines stating that no child should be restricted from school attendance because of lice. Instead, it is recommended that parents be notified by phone or a letter at the end of the school day stating that their child requires prompt treatment for head lice.
How Do You Get Head Lice?
Head lice are transmitted from one person to another by direct head-to-head contact. Lice do not hop or fly from one head to another, and they are not known to transmit disease. There is a social stigma associated with having lice, but the truth is that head lice are not a health hazard, and having head lice has nothing to do with cleanliness or the lack of it.
Although it is not likely to “catch” lice by using a hairbrush or wearing a hat from someone who has lice, it is best to teach children not to share personal items such as combs, brushes, towels, and hats. It seems impossible to prevent all head lice infestations, especially in young children who frequently have head-to-head contact with playmates. Parents, daycare providers, and educators will be better prepared to find a head lice infestation early if they know the signs to watch for when the children are in their care.
What Do Lice Eggs Look Like?
Female lice deposit eggs very close to the scalp where they are difficult to detect. The eggs can camouflage or change color to match that of the hair. The eggs stay close to the scalp, where they incubate and hatch. After the egg hatches, it leaves behind an empty casing, otherwise known as a nit.
Unlike active lice, nits are easier to see because they are found further down the hair shaft, and the casing is white, which stands out, especially against darker-colored hair. Once nits are found in the hair, the lice infestation has been active for a month or longer prior – the eggs and insects were living undetected the whole time!
What Do Adult Lice Look Like?
Adult lice are tiny, fast-moving insects about the size of a sesame seed. They are tan to grayish-white and move quickly across the scalp, making them hard to spot. They avoid light, so you’re most likely to see them when parting the hair slowly and checking along the scalp.
How to Tell if You Have Lice
Signs:
- Appearance of lice eggs or small white objects in your hair
- Possible increased scratching of the head
- Difficulty sleeping due to the itching
- Small red bumps or sores were noted on the head from the increased scratching
Inspection Tips:
- Stay calm
- Check behind the ears and near the neckline at the back of the head
- Check all family members
If lice are found, treatment should be started as soon as possible to minimize further transmission.
How to Get Rid of Lice
There are many options to treat head lice; some can be purchased over the counter, while others are prescribed by a doctor. If head lice are discovered, the initial treatment should be with an over-the-counter product, such as Rid® or Nix®. Sometimes the first lice treatment cycle does not work, and there are many reasons why this might be so:
- Before using any lice product, read the directions carefully and follow them exactly. The over-the-counter products require a second application, but if it is done earlier or later than recommended (or not at all), the lice may not be completely gone.
- Using a hair conditioner before the treatment can act as a barrier that keeps the lice medication from adhering to the hair shaft, thus reducing the effectiveness of the treatment.
- If the hair is shampooed too soon after application, it can remove the residual medication and stop the continued killing effect on lice.
- There are times when lice are resistant to the medication being used. In this case, it is time to move on to a different medication.
- As unfair as it seems, sometimes an individual becomes re-infested quickly after being treated.
Important Safety Guidelines When Treating Lice
Read the directions on the package before treating hair and follow them exactly as written.
Important: The medication should be applied only by an adult. Never allow children to help apply the medicine. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, do not use or apply the products without first checking with a doctor. Contact the pediatrician about using any head lice product on children under the age of 2 years.
Do not leave children unattended with the medicine on their hair, and never place a plastic bag on your child’s head during treatment, as this can increase the absorption of the medication through the scalp. Store head lice products as you would any medication, up high, out of reach, and out of sight from children.
The medication should be rinsed off the hair using warm (not hot!) water. To minimize exposure of the other parts of the body to the medication, use the sink to rinse the hair instead of the shower or the bathtub. The medication in head lice products is an insecticide and can be absorbed through the skin. If the first treatment cycle does not work, contact your child’s pediatrician before beginning a second or third cycle.
Never use gasoline, kerosene, or veterinary (products intended for use on animals) as treatment for lice.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs have had a resurgence in the past decade. They are experts at hiding and secretly “hitchhiking” their way from one place to another, finding refuge in places such as the seams and folds of luggage, folded clothing, and bedding.
Infestations of bed bugs typically occur where people sleep. They hide during the daytime hours and become active at night when they feed on the blood of people and animals while they are sleeping.
What Do Bed Bugs Look Like?
Bed bugs are small, wingless, reddish-brown in color, and measure about the size of Abraham Lincoln’s head on a penny. They have flat, oval bodies that swell and darken after feeding. Younger bed bugs (nymphs) are paler and harder to see, and their tiny white eggs are often tucked into seams or crevices.
Do Bed Bug Bites Itch?
Bed bug bites appear as red spots on the skin. They are not known to transmit disease, but can be very annoying. Bites are usually extremely itchy, resulting in excessive scratching that can interfere with sleep and lead to a secondary skin infection. Medical attention may be needed in the case of excessive itching, secondary infection, or allergic reaction to the bites.
Treatment for bed bug bites includes:
- Avoid scratching the bites
- Keep the skin clean by applying antiseptic creams or lotions
- Use antihistamines to help with the itching
How to Check for Bed Bugs
Look closely around areas where people sleep, focusing on mattress seams, box springs, headboards, and nearby furniture. Use a flashlight to check for live bugs, tiny white eggs, dark spotting from droppings, or rusty-colored stains on sheets. Inspect luggage, folded clothing, and upholstered items if you’ve recently traveled.
How to Get Rid of Bed Bugs
The bed bug infestation is typically treated by spraying an insecticide. All attempts to minimize exposure to the insecticide should be made by following the instructions closely:
- Never apply a product intended for outside use to the inside of your home.
- Always wait for the recommended time before going back into the sprayed area.
- Bed bug infestations can be difficult to eliminate from your home. A professional pest control company is often needed for its expertise in dealing with bed bug infestations.
- Do not apply bed bug spray to your body or scalp.
Lice vs Bed Bugs
Lice live on the scalp and move quickly through the hair, feeding several times a day and laying eggs attached to hair shafts. Bed bugs live off the body, hiding in furniture and bedding, and feed only at night. Lice are tiny and light-colored, while bed bugs are larger, flat, and reddish-brown. Both are a nuisance, but it’s possible to get rid of them with the right information.
For any questions or concerns about lice or bed bugs, call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. Specially trained nurses and pharmacists are available 24/7/365 to answer your questions. The service is free and confidential.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Bed bugs cannot fly or jump. They move by crawling and rely on hiding in luggage, clothing, furniture, or other belongings to travel from one place to another.
Bed bugs spread by “hitchhiking” on items moved between locations—hotels, public transit, dorms, and secondhand furniture are common sources. They don’t come from poor hygiene or unclean homes; they simply take advantage of places where people rest and where they can easily hide.
Nits need body heat and a scalp environment to survive. While a stray nit may fall onto bedding, it cannot hatch or stay viable there. Nits must remain firmly attached to a hair shaft near the scalp to develop properly.
Bed bugs generally do not hide in hair. They prefer smooth surfaces and tight crevices, and human hair makes movement difficult for them. They may briefly come into contact with hair while feeding, but it is not a place they live or stay.
Bed bugs can bite the scalp, but it’s less common. They prefer areas with easier skin access, such as the arms, legs, back, or neck. When scalp bites do occur, they usually happen along the hairline or behind the ears, where the skin is more exposed.
Referencing content from this page? Please attribute the Missouri Poison Center with either of these links: https://missouripoisoncenter.org/ or https://missouripoisoncenter.org/head-lice-bed-bugs/
Suggested APA citation:
Missouri Poison Center Trending Topics Blog. (2018, September 05). Head Lice & bed Bugs: What You Need to Know. Missouri Poison Center. https://missouripoisoncenter.org/head-lice-bed-bugs/