What Happens If You Have Head Lice For Too Long?
When head lice strike, it can instantly be a source of frustration, embarrassment, and even pain. While they’re common among children and adults, it’s vital to address the issue immediately to prevent it from spreading to other people or worsening. But what happens if you can’t get treatment right away and have head lice for too long?
For many people, an itchy head and noticeable discomfort are the first signs. However, sometimes, symptoms can vary from person to person. It’s also possible to get ineffective lice treatment. When this happens, lice may remain in the hair even though the problem has supposedly been solved. Either way, getting rid of them as soon as possible should always be a priority.
Signs of Untreated Head Lice
Here are a few of the tell-tale signs that you’ve had head lice for too long.
Discomfort and Itching
One of the first things you’ll notice if you allow head lice to spread on your scalp is increased discomfort and itching. Lice feed by biting into the scalp to draw blood, which is what causes the irritation that leads to itching. As the infestation grows, so does the intensity of these symptoms. If the intensity gets too much, it can interfere with your sleep and ultimately decrease your quality of life.
Infections
Like any open wound, bites from lice that break the skin create spaces for bacteria to enter. When this happens, a painful infection can develop. Some require antibiotic treatment, while others become more severe – leading to more health problems if left untreated.
Scratching and Skin Damage
The more you scratch your scalp, the more damaged your skin becomes. Think about when you get a mosquito bite; you don’t want to scratch it too much, or it will bleed. The same goes for a lice infestation. Not only can repeated scratching damage your hair follicles, potentially leading to hair loss, but it also causes open sores, infections, or worse health problems.
Spreading to Others
Head lice are highly contagious and can easily spread to others through close contact or sharing personal items like hats, brushes, or pillows. Allowing a head lice infestation to persist increases the likelihood of spreading it to family members, friends, or classmates, leading to potential outbreaks in schools or households.
Increasing Expenses
The longer you let lice fester, the more it’s going to cost you. You might need to invest in multiple treatments and the potential cost of disinfecting or replacing personal items like bedding, brushes, and clothing to prevent re-infestation. Medical expenses for side effects like an infection also raise the total of your bill from a lice infestation.
Interrupting Your Social Life
Having head lice can disrupt daily life, especially for children. Because lice can spread quickly, people with it may need to miss school or work until the infestation is under control. If this happens, a child could fall behind in school (leading to academic challenges), or interfere with an adult’s work – further emphasizing the importance of addressing head lice as soon as it’s detected.
Outside of work and school, the social consequences of having head lice for an extended time are also impactful. Children are often bullied because of it, ostracizing them from their peers. Adults might face similar social consequences because of the stigma that lice makes someone “dirty,” which isn’t true.
Psychological and Emotional Impacts
The social consequences of having head lice for too long, coupled with the stress lice bring, start to take a toll on your mental health. However, the psychological and emotional impacts aren’t talked about enough. Because the stigma associated with head lice can lead to embarrassment, social isolation, and low self-esteem, especially among children, those affected may become anxious or even depressed due to the constant discomfort of having head lice for an extended period. When noticeable signs like this emerge, it may be time to seek treatment for your mental health as well as lice.
Next Steps When You Have Head Lice for Too Long
Instead of allowing a head lice infestation to persist for too long, causing many negative consequences, seek treatment today. It’s essential to take prompt action if you suspect a head lice infestation, not only for your own well-being but also the well-being of those around you. Early intervention is key to effectively managing and eliminating head lice infestations.
Additionally, the longer head lice are left untreated, the more challenging they become to eliminate. Over time, lice can become resistant to commonly used over-the-counter treatments, making it harder to eliminate them. They may also lay more eggs, called nits, further complicating the treatment process. Prolonged infestations may require multiple rounds of treatment and close monitoring to ensure complete eradication.
That’s why working with Lice Clinics Charlotte is a great first step to take once lice hits your home. With a 99.9% success rate for treatments since 2013, you can be confident that our lice solutions are effective. While we offer traditional comb-out treatments, which are the most common type of lice treatment, our Full-Service Airtral Exclusive Treatment combines comb-out techniques and dehydration technology to remove lice eggs in less than an hour.
To schedule an appointment, visit our website or give us a call today at 910-264-7141