The life cycle of head lice happens solely in the head of a human being as away from it they cannot survive for more than 24 hours due to lack of food and inadequate temperature. Lice live between 33 and 35 days, time in which they go through 3 fundamental phases. However, though they have a short life span these insects can reproduce easily laying eggs, this is why it's important to get rid of them as soon as possible to avoid spreading this infestation. In this OneHowTo article we're going to explain the life cycle of head lice on humans.
NITS
Nits are in your hair for 6 to 7 days. They are the lice's eggs and are found suck to the base of the hair thanks to a liquid secreted by the female, who deposits the eggs near the root of the hair where they'll find the perfect temperature. Nits are small brown or cream-colored dots that can often be mistaken for dandruff, they cannot jump or move to another person's head so they are not contagious, though 60% of nits become adult lice.
NYMPHS
Nymphs live for about 9-10 days. They are the newly hatched lice. We are unable to distinguish them because they are invisible to the human eye. Nymph's bodies go through three stages before becoming adult lice and being able to reproduce.
ADULT LICE
The adult louse lives for about 15-16 days. Their main advantage is that they have a great capacity to mate, as the male louse can fertilize a high amount of females without getting tired. Daily, females lay 4-8 eggs during 3 weeks, which is why each female louse can breed from 60 to 120 eggs during its life.
If the reproduction is not stopped they will infest the person's head, which are usually children in schooling ages between 3 to 11 years old, causing great discomfort. Knowing how to check children's head for lice will be highly important so you can apply the right treatment, once these lice have disappeared, you should learn how to prevent lice from appearing again and avoid new proliferation.
MORE ARTICLES ON LICE
At OneHowTo.com we have more articles on lice and nits that might interest you in order to prevent and fight this infestation:
- Products to get rid of lice
- How to remove lice and nits with home remedies
This article is merely informative, oneHOWTO does not have the authority to prescribe any medical treatments or create a diagnosis. We invite you to visit your doctor if you have any type of condition or pain.
If you want to read similar articles to What is the Life Cycle of Head Lice on Humans, we recommend you visit our Family health category.