Conditions
Pediculus Capitis
People of a certain age will undoubtedly be familiar with the legendary ‘Nitty Nora’, the once ubiquitous, but now defunct, nit nurse from their childhood. It was Nitty Nora’s regular school visits that usually struck fear into most children’s souls, terrified that she would discover head lice ensconced on their bonces. These pin-head sized grey-brown, wingless insects, live by sucking blood from the scalp, and leave their eggs (tiny white specks commonly known as nits), glued to the base of hairs. Head lice are transferred by close hair-to-hair contact, which makes them common in schoolchildren, particularly between the ages of 4 and 11. However, anyone with hair – child or adult – can catch them. Head lice cannot jump, swim or fly, so they’re not quite the all-action heroes we might think. However, contrary to popular belief, they have no preference whatsoever as to the cleanliness or style of a host’s hair.
If you’re suffering from any of the conditions featured on this site and want to apply for an onscreen consultation with one of the EB team then you can find more details here >>
Remember that you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.
Comments and Questions
You can share your experiences and thoughts with other Embarrassing Bodies site-users below. Comments & Questions are reviewed by moderators, but if you see anything on the site that worries you, please report it and one of our moderators will look at it as soon as possible.
Please note: Unfortunately Channel 4 cannot respond to individual inquiries. If you have any concerns, you can check out NHS Choices, but ultimately it is always best to check with a health professional.
hello my 8 daugther has nits and its an on going battle we have tried everything to protect her from getting the nits but the latest treatments don't seem to work we check her hair every night and also get her to sleep with some conditioner but it doesn't seem to work. any tips? :)
im 14 almost 15 ive had nits for about a month now i got them at school before i finished in july... i went camping.. on 2 holidays with them.. i havent old my mum yet cause i just feel so embarrassed and i feel like i cant tell her AT all.. i had them last year and it killed me how embarrassing it was :( please help i dont know whether to tell her or just get rid of them with orang ejucie or something.. i dont have a nit comb and cant go and get one :/ any ideas?? im going back to school on the 5 sept :/ x
omg i have the same problem. its hell i cant tell my mum and i have had them for around a year they just wont go. :(
ahaa this was such a long time ago.. here's what i did: i said to my mum i think my head's a bit itchy and she was just like oh dear:/ and then we delt with it and she was fine:) im sure if you tell your parents they will be absolutley fine and help you deal with it i promise;) xxx
hey ,i have nits now and im constantly scratching my head i have had them for a couple of months but yesterday i got the nit comb out and combed my hair with it how long does it take for them to go ?
hi both of my daughter have nits my older had it since age of two and now she is 9 years old and she still has them and my little one is three and she had it since one please advise me i have tried everything i have even spoke to the doctor but no help i did see your show couple of month ago and there was a clinic that u sent a girl to can i have some information on it please
just use a nit comb every other night in the bat and do it for about 20-30 mins and in about 3 weeks they will go , i have had it loads of times and a nit comb works ; hope this helps ..
Hi there, I'm 15 and caught my nits off my 4 year old cousin. I actually cried when my mum saw them. No joke. I'm devestated. Makes me feel as if I want to pull my hair out and scream. Cant stand insect like things AT ALL! I used a Hedrin treatment. But the eggs are still there and are a nightmare to get out. it makes me feel bloody sick. I actually can't deal with this any longer :(
Don't tell the hairdressers you have lice.
hi, i am fed up of head lice!! both me and my sister catch them off of each other and as a result of this arnt free of them for any longer than a week. i try using headlice repellant but it never works. i have extremely long hair as the hairdressers wont cut it because of the lice and its getting to a stage where i cant take it anymore!!! please help!! :)
I'm having the same problem, I caught them off someone at school and they won't go away but don't use headlice repellant because the headlice will just get used to them and it's a complete waste of money. Put conditioner in your hair and brush it with the nit comb every day until you can't see nits anymore and tell your sister to do the same xxx
hey ive had head lice for 7 years now i am fifteen and i get teased alot for them and me and my family honestly dont now what to do we have tried everything and i mean everything from all the lotions to combing my head 3 times a week throwing out hair brushes and bed sheets. but i still have them i dont know what to do please give me advice i hate having them and they but my self-esteem down alot.
hi i used to use pure tea tree oil in my daughter hairs and it works wonders and she got rid of them and never regot them but i would say once you get rid of them still go on using it just a dab behind the ears
I have had the same problem but no one has noticed so I don't get teased I am always itchy and pulling lice out i me and my mum have tried everything but I still have them and as its getting hot now they breed a lot. Are your headlice making u feel tired and worthless all the time. Also if u find out how to get rid can you comment back please
hi i have a little girl she is 2 years old she has nits and i have tried everthing when am pulling the nits out of hair it hurts her really bad, what else can i try? please help me...
try putting lots and lots of conditionare on her hair then coming through as it wont hurt as much that should get ridof any live lice and u can go to the cemist and ask for a lotion that should help and keep trying to comb
my daughter is 9 years old she has been geting head lice since she start school age 4on & off how dow u get rid off the eggs
Hey, I am 17 years old and I have been lice free for nearly two years now. I suffered for years with lice and it was a real problem no matter what treatments I used. They finally went away with regular, every night combing with strong solution and using spray throughout the day and tea tree oil. If you have children with lice, make sure all bedsheets, pillows, hair accessories, hairbrushes & hats are cleaned because they could have eggs on them.
Important Notice
The information provided on this website (including any NHS Choices medical information) is for use as information or for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical care by a qualified doctor or other qualified healthcare professional. We do not warrant that any information included within this site will meet your health or medical requirements. This Embarrassing Bodies site does not provide any medical or diagnostic services so you should always check with a health professional if you have any concerns about your health.
If you want to embed our videos in your site, read our embedding T&Cs here
