How Can You Tell Head Lice Infestation From Other Itches?

If you are itching and scratching uncontrollably, first of all thank you for taking the… time out to ask this question at all. Seriously, it is certainly important to track down the source of an itch or other skin irritation and to distinguish whether you actually do have head lice. Why? Because head lice treatment is different from treatment for, say, mosquito bites or dandruff. And since a head louse problem is not going to go away all by itself, the proper treatment is definitely in order.

So … a word or two about head lice. These pesky critters are parasites whose only food is human blood (eww). They live on people’s scalps, which is the ideal environment for them, as well as nice and close to a supply of delicious gourmet meals. Since head lice can’t survive for long off their gracious host – that’s you and other human beings – the only way you might have them is if you have been in contact, usually head to head or hair to hair, with another person who is already infested. You’ve been stranded alone on a desert island for the past 6 months? You’re safe.

Head lice especially favor the yummy areas at the top of your neck and behind your ears, so you’ll tend to find them concentrated there. Their bites are very small, unlike the large welts readily visible to the naked eye that you get from mosquitos. Speaking of visibility, it is possible to spot the presence of lice on your scalp, though they are very small; one tenth of an inch is the average length of an adult. Their eggs are even smaller and easy to confuse with a really bad case of dandruff. The difference is that dandruff can be flaked off your scalp, while lice eggs stick to the base of your hair.

You may be pretty sure by now that what you have is a case of head lice. So what next? How do you get rid of the darn things? Well, you can waste time and money trying to treat them yourself with harsh and often useless chemical remedies … or you can do it the smart way. Call the professionals at LiceMaster. We will come to your door for trustworthy, effective head lice removal service the day that you call.