2024-10-08 17:29:09
Case numbers are increasing
Head lice are spreading: this simple test reveals them
Updated on October 7, 2024 – 2:37 p.mReading time: 3 min.
Head lice make many people feel disgusted. They have nothing to do with poor hygiene. A simple test is enough to detect the parasites.
It itches, it crawls and if you don’t do anything, they move from head to head: head lice live primarily in children’s hair and multiply extremely quickly. The small parasites are harmless but annoying. And the treatment is complex, especially for long hair.
Head lice cases are currently increasing in several regions of Germany. This emerges from reports from various health insurance companies, which are increasingly registering prescriptions for medicines against lice infestation. However, determining specific case numbers is difficult because in Germany there is no obligation to report head lice infestations according to the Infection Protection Act.
Lice are primarily noticeable through itching on the scalp. As a result of a lot of scratching, reddened areas can appear on the neck – usually at the transition from hair to skin – or behind the ears, as Prof. Hans-Jürgen Nentwich from the Professional Association of Pediatricians and Adolescents (BVKJ) explains.
If you suspect lice, you should carry out a simple test: To do this, you need a lice comb with a maximum distance between the teeth of 0.2 millimeters and a white cloth. After washing, the wet hair is combed out and the lice comb is wiped on the white cloth after each strand. “If black dots are visible, then that is confirmation of lice,” says Nentwich.
A “lice alarm” in daycare or school is often the reason to thoroughly check your child’s hair with a special lice comb. A visit to the doctor is not necessary. Lice combs are available in pharmacies, drugstores or medical supply stores.
Head lice live – as the name suggests – on the head, and exclusively on the human head. And they spread from head to head. “You have to have direct contact,” emphasizes the doctor. Because: “Lice crawl.” You don’t get lice through other routes – such as getting fleas from pets. Transmission via hats or brushes is unlikely.
Children between the ages of three and twelve are often affected by head lice. When they play, for example, they are often close to each other and put their heads together. Experts estimate that around one to three percent of children are affected. However, exact figures are not available in Germany.
Outbreaks occur again and again in kindergartens, daycare centers and schools. Lice usually appear in the first few months after the summer holidays, i.e. in late summer and early autumn.
“Lice infestations are subject to the Infection Protection Act,” says pediatrician Nentwich. This means that the parents must inform the facility where the child is being cared for. The affected child is only allowed to go back to daycare or school when they are “lice-free”. This usually happens after the first treatment.
It is often enough for the parents to confirm that their child no longer has lice. Sometimes a certificate from the pediatrician is also required.
What does the treatment look like?
To get rid of lice, there are special lice remedies that are used directly on the scalp. “It is important that the products are used on dry hair so as not to dilute them,” emphasizes Ursula Sellerberg from the Federal Chamber of Pharmacists. If you are unsure, take a close look at the product’s package insert.
On the first day, you should first use the head lice treatment and then comb out the wet hair strand by strand with the lice comb, explains Sellerberg. “You can use a regular hair conditioner when combing it out, then it won’t pull so much,” she recommends.
On the fifth day, the hair should be combed out again while wet. Between the eighth and tenth day, a lice treatment is used again to eliminate young lice (nymphs) that may have hatched from the eggs. On day 13 and day 17, comb your wet hair again and rub the comb on the white cloth. This way you can see whether the treatment was successful.
Head lice have now developed resistance to a number of insecticides, which is why they work less well than before. Products containing silicone oil are now being used more frequently. They do not require insecticide and there are no problems with resistance. These products cover the head lice with a layer of oil, causing them to suffocate.
Everyone who has had contact with the child should be informed about the lice infestation. And even if transmission via textiles is unlikely, you should wash used bed linen and pajamas at 60 degrees and put non-washable cuddly toys in a plastic bag in the freezer for three days, advises Sellerberg. Combs and brushes are cleaned with hot water and soap and not used for a few days.