Nits Glued Near the Scalp
Adult lice cement eggs to hair, close to warm skin.
- ~6: Eggs laid per day (placeholder rate note)
- <6mm: Distance from scalp (placeholder warmth note)
- High: Glue bond strength (placeholder adhesion note)
- ~30d: Adult lifespan (placeholder lifespan note)
Why nits stick near the scalp
Warmth near skin speeds incubation of eggs.
Placeholder: proximity to scalp is key.
The cement bond
A protein glue fixes nits firmly to the shaft.
Adult louse anatomy
Six legs with claws grip hair shafts tightly.
Nits Hatch Into Nymphs
After about a week, nymphs emerge from glued eggs.
- ~8d: Incubation period (placeholder timing note)
- ~90%: Hatch success rate (placeholder viability note)
- ~1.5mm: Nymph size (placeholder size note)
- Several: Feedings per day (placeholder feeding note)
Hatching mechanics
Nymphs split the egg cap and climb free.
Placeholder: empty shells stay glued to hair.
Nymph behavior
Nymphs feed on blood almost immediately after hatching.
Empty nit shells
Hatched shells look white, easily mistaken for dandruff.
Nymphs Mature Into Adults
Over 1–2 weeks nymphs molt and reach adulthood.
- 3: Molts to adulthood (placeholder molt note)
- 9–15d: Maturation time (placeholder duration note)
- ~50–100: New eggs per cycle (placeholder fecundity note)
- ~3 weeks: Full cycle length (placeholder cycle note)
Molting stages
Each molt brings nymphs closer to adult size.
Placeholder: the cycle repeats without treatment.
Mating and new eggs
Adults mate quickly, restarting the egg-laying stage.
Population growth
Untreated infestations compound generation after generation.
Treatment Method Comparison
Permethrin, dimethicone, and combing work differently.
- ~75%: Permethrin efficacy (placeholder resistance note)
- ~95%: Dimethicone efficacy (placeholder physical note)
- ~65%: Combing efficacy (placeholder effort note)
- Dimethicone: Resistance-proof method (placeholder mechanism note)
Permethrin
Neurotoxic pesticide; resistance is increasingly common.
Placeholder: resistance lowers real-world success.
Dimethicone
Coats and physically suffocates lice; no resistance possible.
Manual combing
Mechanical removal; effective but labor-intensive and repetitive.
Method comparison
Retreatment Window
A second round around day 7–9 catches survivors.
- Day 7–9: Retreat window (placeholder timing note)
- <100%: Single-tx nit kill (placeholder limitation note)
- 2: Recommended rounds (placeholder protocol note)
- ~2 weeks: Full clearance check (placeholder follow-up note)
Why one round is not enough
Nits missed by treatment still hatch later.
Placeholder: retreat before new eggs are laid.
Timing the second treatment
Day 7–9 targets newly hatched nymphs precisely.
Confirming success
Recheck scalp and hair after both rounds complete.