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The head louse (Pediculus humanus capitis) is a parasitic insect spending its entire life on human scalp and feeding exclusively on blood. Humans are the only known host of this parasite.During its lifespan of 4 weeks a female louse lays 50-150 eggs (nits). The egg hatches to the first nymphal stage, which after three moltings develop to nymph 2, nymph 3 and eventually to either a male or female louse.

Adult head lice reproduce very frequently, with the females laying three to four eggs per day on average. A lice generation typically lasts for one month. The female then will attach her eggs at the base of the hair follicle of the host. Any part of the host's scalp can be colonized, but adult lice tend to favor the nape of the neck as well as the general area of the rear of the ears and tend to place their eggs there most frequently.

A common symptom indicating infestation is the presence of pruritus on the head, which gets worse after three or four weeks. Bites are relatively mild and may not even be visible between hairs. In individuals with long hair, you can see bites when the hair is pushed aside. Sometimes, although rarely, the itching and scratching cycle can cause secondary infections such as impetigo and pyoderma. Rare symptoms include swelling of the local lymph nodes or fever. Head lice have not been found to carry any pathogenic microorganisms.

Head lice are extremely difficult to get rid of as there is no over the counter product that effectively kills 100% of the eggs laid. Common treatments include chemical shampoos, hot air, combs with tiny teeth to "pick the nits," cutting hair or shaving the head and herbal washes. Kerosene is never recommended for use in ridding someone of lice. Hair bleaching and dyes do not work. Some people try antibiotics, ivermectin, garlic and Vitamin B for prevention, with varied results.

Once head lice are in your hair, it's hard getting rid of them. In fact, it's getting even more difficult over time because the lice are becoming resistant to the older treatments. In fact, scientists think that 80% of all head line are no long affected by over-the-counter medications. Such chemicals as permathrin and phenothrin, which are used in the most commonly-used lice treatments, don't have any effect on lice any longer.

Therefore, it may not be possible to do much in the way of actually treating head lice infection. Prevention may actually be the best cure. Over time, the insects have developed a resistance to many of the medicinal lotions. The trick is to try and discover a better lotion for treatment than what is currently available on the market.