Head lice are small, wingless insects that live in human hair. Their scientific name is Pediculus humanus capitis, and they have been a human pest for thousands of years. Their full life cycle, from egg until death, lasts a maximum of 35 days.
The only things that would intentionally lay eggs in your hair are head lice, and they stick to to it hair shafts and can't be casually scratched off.
Dandruff. Dandruff can sometimes be mistaken for lice, but the symptoms are different. While lice is a parasitic infection, dandruff is a skin condition.
Lice eggs (nits).
These look like tiny yellow, tan, or brown dots before they hatch. Lice lay nits on hair shafts close to the scalp, where the temperature is perfect for keeping warm until they hatch. Nits look a bit like dandruff, but aren't removed by brushing or shaking them off.
Children can have a few nits without actually having a case of head lice. Usually children have no more than 10 to 20 live lice. Good lighting is important when you are checking. Head lice move fast and are hard to see.
Ivermectin (Sklice). This lotion kills most head lice, even newly hatched ones, with just one use. You don't need to comb out lice eggs (nits). Children aged 6 months and older can use this product.
This is a tactile hallucination known as formication. People with this condition are convinced the bugs are real, even with reassurance from others they are a hallucination. This makes formication difficult to treat for the person and their medical provider.
As they're both small parasitic insects that feed on human blood, lice and bed bug infestations can seem similar.
Pediculosis of the scalp
Pediculosis capitis (head lice) occurs with an infestation of the scalp hair with the human head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis), an external obligate parasite that inhabits the scalp and feeds by sucking blood.
Nits are often confused with other particles found in hair such as dandruff, hair spray droplets, and dirt particles. If you do not see nymphs or adults, and the only nits found are more than ¼ inch from the scalp, then the infestation is probably old and does not need treatment.
As with furniture and carpets, adult lice typically live for around 2 days on pillows and sheets without human contact. Nits will not hatch and will die within a week. People should machine wash any pillows or sheets someone with lice has used in hot water of more than 130°F (54.4°C) .
White piedra is a superficial fungal infection of hair caused by Trichosporon species. It presents clinically as white nodules encasing the hair shafts and may lead to increased fragility.
Head lice. Head lice feed on blood from the scalp. The female louse lays eggs (nits) that stick to hair shafts. Having head lice isn't a sign of poor personal hygiene or an unclean living environment.
The most common symptom of head lice is itching, especially on the back of your head and neck and near your ears — areas where lice are more likely to live. Symptoms of head lice include: Feeling like something in your hair is moving (tickling).
Dandruff can look similar to head lice eggs and also causes the scalp to itch. Dandruff is a scalp condition in which dry skin comes away from the scalp in white flakes. Dandruff lies on the scalp and comes away easily, whereas nits stick to the hair. People can treat dandruff effectively using a dandruff shampoo.
While gnats may momentarily land on or fly around your hair, they do not typically take up residence or establish nests in human hair like some other pests. However, gnats can be a nuisance when they fly near your face or hair, especially in outdoor settings.
For example, you can easily mistake flakes of dandruff for a head lice infestation if you don't know what to look for. If you spot lice eggs in your child's hair, go ahead and pick them out.
Formication refers to the sensation of ants crawling on or under the skin. Although there is a physical sensation, there is no physical cause. Feeling sensations without a physical cause is a type of paresthesia. Potential causes include Parkinson's disease, anxiety, perimenopause, and schizophrenia, among others.
Look for lice crawling on the scalp where the hair is parted or on the hair shaft. The lice will be dark in color and the size of a poppyseed. Look for nits near hair follicle about ¼ inch from scalp. Nits (eggs) will be white or yellowish-brown.
Key Vitamin Deficiencies
Vitamin B12: Essential for nerve health, a deficiency can cause nerve damage and result in sensations like formication. Iron: Low iron levels can lead to anaemia, which has been linked to crawling skin sensations.
From the #1 Pediatrician & Pharmacist recommended brand comes Nix® Lice Prevention Daily Leave-In Spray! Use year round, during lice outbreaks or to protect the whole family when a member has lice.
Vinegar is one of the classic home remedies for lice. However, if you are trying to find out how to get rid of nits using vinegar, you should know that using vinegar to kill nits or lice eggs is totally ineffective. Vinegar has no negative effect on the lice eggs.