CALL A LOUSE, A LOUSE

What Is A Louse?

A louse is a tiny little brown parasite of 2 to 3 millimetres in length that attaches itself to the hair follicle. It keeps itself well fed by biting its host 3 to 4 times a day. Luckily, however, this little louse is not a transmitter of any nasty diseases.

A female louse lays five eggs a day on average. Before hatching, eggs are transparent and invisible to the naked eye, but once hatched, they take on a light grey colour and the empty egg shells left behind are called nits.

The louse has a life expectancy of 6 to 8 weeks. Once separated from its host, however, and with its food supply cut off, the louse dies within less than 2 days.

A female louse comfortably established on someone’s head can lay up to 300 eggs over the course of her life.

Lice and their eggs are resistant to water and traditional shampoos. It is therefore essential to use specifically formulated shampoos – such as the one found in KIT & COCO’s treatment range – to thoroughly clean hair and free it from lice and eggs.

How Does One Get Lice?

Contrary to popular belief, head lice are not an indication of dubious personal hygiene. The louse has no wings, nor can it fly or hop.  Its only means of transport is to scamper from one head to another when head to head contact is made; either directly during play, or via sharing hairbrushes, or even when two hats or scarves touch on the communal coat rack.

The Best Places To Hunt Lice Down

The louse likes to be close to the warmth of a scalp; it’s where it likes to nestle and take up residence. It finds the areas at the nape of the neck and behind the ears particularly amenable, and that is where the females lay their eggs. Therefore, these areas in particular is where you should focus when you begin the KIT & COCO treatment, both when you apply the shampoo and when you comb the hair. Take care not to mistake dandruff for nits. Unlike dandruff, nits do not let go so easily and will not come out by washing with regular shampoo or brushing the of thehair with a normal comb.