In order to calculate how long you have had head lice you have to understand the head lice cycle of development.
Understanding The Lice Cycle
Day 1
It all starts when a head lice crawls onto your hair and takes up home in your hair –that’s Day 1.
Usually, it is a fully grown-up head louse, and if it is a female, it will no doubt have already mated and be ready to lay eggs.
The female adult louse only needs to mate once in her lifetime, and once she has mated, she collects all the goodies which allow her to keep laying up to 10 eggs a day for the rest of her days.
An adult female louse lives for up to 30 days. That’s 300 eggs delivered.
Day 7 To 11
The eggs – the nits – take 7 to 11 days to develop and hatch.
It is important to note that when lice lay their eggs, they lay invisible sacks of liquid, and only as the embryo develops do they become visible.
Day 8 To 12
The eggs hatch, and you have baby lice.
They are a baby for 3 to 4 days, they then shed their skin so they can grow.
Day 11 To 15
The lice become mediums.
They are a medium for another 3 to 4 days, then shed their skin again for more growth.
Day 14 To 18
They then become a young adult.
They are a young adult for another 3 to 4 days
Day 17 To 21
They are fully grown and mating adults, at which point they look for a mate. The female mates take the goodies and lay their first eggs 24 hours later.
Day 18 To 22
The laying cycle begins again.
Calculating How Long You Have Had Head Lice
Not only do you have to understand the cycle, but you also have to evaluate what you find in the hair so you can work out where you are on that cycle.
If you find a lot of adult lice (the big ones) then they have hatched and grown up, so you will have had it a while.
If you find an adult louse, a handful of baby lice and some eggs, you are probably pretty early in the cycle.
If you find an adult louse and no eggs, then be prepared for more eggs to become visible and come through.
Using Your Understanding To Get Rid Of The Head Lice
Now you understand how to calculate how long you have had head lice, you use your knowledge of the cycle to enable you to get rid of an infestation.
When you first comb out, aim to remove all the lice and visible eggs.
If you aren’t confident that you are good at it, then comb thoroughly for three nights in a row, so you increase your probability of getting them all.
Continue to comb on a regular basis for the full 11 days so you can pick up all the eggs coming through.
Need Help Clearing An Infestation?
Then contact The Hairforce on 020 7485 7351 or go to the website www.hairforceclinics.com to view the process used and the clinic locations.