Far too many people have made the mistake of thinking that once the creeping, crawling lice in their hair are gone they are lice-free. The truth is living lice deposit eggs in the hair which incubate for about a week to 10 days, hatch into nymphs, and spend 10 days growing into adult lice. Suddenly your hair is once again filled with lice! Each female louse can lay more than 100 eggs during her month-long lifespan, which means your problem is only going to get worse until you remove lice that are at all stages of their life cycle, hatched or not. In order to do a thorough delousing, it is important to target nits and nymphs, too.
Nits are usually found very close to the scalp because they need body heat to survive. When the female louse lays her eggs, they attach with something like strong, natural cement. They are usually about .8 mm by .3 mm and are oval in shape. They are white or yellowish in color and they will not be moving. Sometimes, it is easier to spot nits in the hair than it is to see lice because nits are lighter in color and stand out more in darker hair.
After nits hatch, they enter the nymph stage. A nymph looks like an adult louse but smaller. During its short life, it will molt three times, shedding its exoskeleton. Nymphs are about the size of a pinhead, usually yellowish or brownish in color, and are typically close to the scalp near the ears or neckline. The nymph phase lasts about 7 days.
Adulthood is the final phase of the life cycle. Adult lice are oval in shape and they have three legs that end in claws. They are a brownish or rust color. Like the nymph, they stay close to the scalp and can be found near the ears and neck. They feed about five times per day and females can lay up to 8 eggs per day during their 30 day life cycle on the head.
It may be hard to believe that something so small that lives for such a short period of time can cause so much chaos, but it is true. If you suspect you or your child has head lice, treat the infestation with a natural, safe lice removal shampoo. This needs to be done when you initially discover lice, and again throughout the various life cycles. Our Natural Headlice Blitzer can be used two times per week, so lice will be targeted throughout the cycles of their lives. And to fight off lice before they get into your hair, use a preventative treatment like Natural Headlice Beater.
