Head lice are small, brown wingless insects ranging from 1mm to 4mm found on the human scalp.

No. They do not hope or jump. They only crawl.

Lice is the plural of louse

The colour of a louse ranges from tan/carmel to brown/black.

Nits are the eggs that the lice lay.

Yes. Nit is another name for egg.

They look like minuscule tadpoles.

Nits are ‘glued’ to strands of the hair. You can mistake dandruff for nits/eggs. However, a quick way to tell, is if you try flicking a nit off your hair, unlike dandruff, it will not move.

Viable eggs are usually an opaque bluish/grey colour when newly laid and turn into a caramel or brown colour as the casing/shell hardens. After the nits are hatched, the casings or dead eggs may look clear or almost see through and after a while greyish white.

A louse does not eat but drinks the blood from the scalp

Without blood meal from the scalp, head lice cannot survive off the head for more than 72 hours. Most head lice will die within 24 hours and a tiny percentage might live up to 48 hours.

Although the itching might send you crazy, head lice isnot known to spread disease.

No. Having them is not a sign uncleanliness or bad hygiene. In fact, head lice prefer clean heads.

No. Pets cannot have head lice as they have fleas. Head lice only live on the human heads.

You may experience itchiness of the scalp caused by a movement of the lice on your head and/or allergic reaction to the excrement of the lice. Intense scratching can lead to your nails puncturing your scalp and causing painful sores on the scalp. Head lice and their eggs can be found all over the head in a serious infestation. However, check the‘hot spots’which include around the ears, at the nape of the neck and at the crown of the head. Although head lice lay eggs closer to the scalp, it is important to examine the entire strand. Be careful not to confuse hair debris, dandruff or hair casts or DEC plugs with an egg. If it is white in colour and flakes away, it is not an egg. An effective examination of the head for head lice is best done in a well lit area or where there is natural sunlight and any magnification tools necessary.

Anyone. However, is is most common amongst school age children.

Yes, it the the second most common occurrence next to the common cold. According to Toronto Public Health, 6-12 million are effected by head lice each year.

The live span of a louse is between 30 and 37 days.

Between 3 and 5 eggs per day and approximately 100 in its lifetime

Nits take 7-10 days to hatch.

It takes 7-10 days for a nymph, baby louse, to reach maturity. At which time it would then mate and the female louse will start laying eggs within 2 days of mating.

Human Head Lice can be spread through head to head contact, shared clothing or products such as combs, brushes, hair ties, hats, caps and etc.

Manual lice removal is the most effective technique

Drugstore remedies do not guarantee removal

Using the right comb is crucial in effective removal.

Manual removal

Tea tree oil and other essential oils are all great deterrents for lice but does not guarantee death of lice/eradication of nits

Drugstores sell various shampoos to help – they are often filled with chemicals, damage the hair and scalp and are unsafe for children

Drugstore remedies also leave the possibility for nits to reproduce if even one is missed you will be right back where you started!

Avoid head to head contact.

Tea tree oil shampoos or soaks

Telling family and friends if you or your child has it – we understand it can be embarrassing or difficult to share but it will ensure that it does not spread and anyone effected can take action as early as possible.

Lice cannot live off of the head for more than 3 days – if any items have not been used for longer than that, you are good to go!

Place linens, pillow cases, towels, hats etc. in dryer on high heat for half an hour

Material furniture can be vacuumed, leather furniture can be wiped

Items can also be bagged and isolated for 3 days maximum