Nits: what they are and what they are made of

Many parents can make mistakes when they think that a lice infestation will never happen in their family. It is increasingly common, mainly in environments with temperatures between 28 and 32 degrees, the appearance of pediculosis outbreaks in children of school age, both at home and at school. Lice can be eliminated with the application of some products, while the nits, that is, the eggs that are deposited by the lice in the child's hair, are more difficult to be suppressed. Requires more mechanical intervention by parents.

What the nits are made of

The nits are the eggs deposited by the lice in the children's hair, where they remain until they hatch. They are difficult to see and because of their color and shape, can easily be confused with dandruff. The nits are differentiated by their gelatinous texture, similar to that of a glue, which makes them very attached to the child's hair.

Live eggs, that is, with embryos, have a gelatinous gray color and are located close to (3 to 4 mm) of the child's scalp. In fact, the distance between the nits and the scalp can be used as an indicator of the time a child has been infested and if he still has the embryo or not. As the hair usually grows about 0.4 mm / day, it is almost certain that the eggs that are located more than 1 cm from the scalp, are already empty. In this case, they will present a white color.

The egg takes 8 to 10 days to hatch and let out the young lice or nymph. Its appearance is equal to that of an adult but smaller louse. The nymphs mature and become adults in about 7 days after incubation. An environment of heat and humidity is very favorable for the incubation of the nits.

Why nit removal is difficult

When the presence of head lice is detected in children's heads, the first thing parents should do is eliminate lice. After the complete elimination of the lice, the treatment continues with the removal of the empty or incubated nits. The experts, as well as the parents, agree that the elimination of the nits is the most difficult stage of the treatment, since the eggs are attached and fixed to the child's hair as if they were fixed with glue.

Nits are deposited by the female lice at the base of the hair so that they are kept at the proper temperature for incubation. The nits are attached to the hair by the saliva deposited by the female louse, a substance resistant and insoluble in water, until the moment of hatching, in the case of hair lice, occurs from 8 to 10 days.

How the nits are removed

The total elimination of the nits is only possible with the help of a comb with very fine tines, tight and together, known as lendreras. Although there are plastic, metal are the most recommended by doctors and pharmacists. Not necessarily the most expensive are the best. The important thing is that they catch the nits, as well as the dead lice, and make it easier for the parents to retreat.

If you want to know more about lice we have prepared a series of videos of lice and pediculosis with an expert that will give you a lot of information about what they are, how to prevent them and how to treat them