Facts About Nits

Nits are eggs that have been laid by parasites known as head lice (pediculus humanus capiti). An infestation of head lice is called pediculosis, which can happen to anyone who has hair upon their head. The saying that "head lice only thrive on dirty hair," is a myth. A head louse will move onto another person, when it comes in to direct contact and will lay their eggs, when the time is right. So, it is possible for anyone with hair to have nits.

History of Nit Removal

• Nit Removal Comb

  Ancient Egyptian priests would shave their hair off completely if they had head lice, nymphs and nits. Nits have been found on ancient mummies and ancient combs by archaeologists, which has shown that ancient nits, nymphs and lice are identical to the species of today. Head lice attach nits to the hair using a cement like substance and individuals have tried to use cement dissolving agents and acid based products like vinegar but these practices are warned against by medical practitioners as there is a high risk of physical damage, for example, burning of the surrounding skin.

  There are products on the market that claim that they are able to remove nit cement but this is unproven and the Federal Trade Commission has already cited a manufacturer for claiming its product had been proved to work through field studies and laboratory testing. Nit combs are efficient in the practice of removing nits from hair but it is a process that must be continued in conjunction with a head lice lotion, as the life cycle of nit to head lice is rapid and continuous.

Nit Evolution

• There are three stages of life cycle involving nits. An adult head lice lays the eggs (nits), the nits hatch into nymphs and the nymphs become adult head lice and the process begins again. Nits can be similar in appearance to dandruff as they are extremely small, oval in shape and can be white or yellow in color. It takes between one to two weeks for a single nit to hatch and it takes about another week for a nymph to become an adult. The life span of a male adult head lice is approximately 30 days. The female head lice only have a life span between 17 to 22 days and they spend their days laying and attaching nits to the hair shafts, with a process of approximately 10 nits per day. Each nit is made of a waxy substance enabling protection and has a hole at the top for oxygen allowance. When a nymph first leaves it's nit, it must eat blood within 24 hours to survive.

Extra Nit Facts

• Families are Close

  After head louses leave a nit, they do not develop wings or the ability to jump. They only way head lice can travel is by walking and they can walk up to approximately 12 inches per minute. Head lice will only lay nits on human heads and will not lay nits on any other mammal, as they only feed on human blood. Nits that are found on other mammals are of a different species. Children most commonly become infested with nits because their coats are usually hung up together in a cloak room and the adult louse easily walk from coat to coat until the coat. Once a child has nits and head lice, their entire family is easily at risk of getting nits as families are close to each other in their home environment. Girls are more likely to get nits in comparison to boys.