Do I have head lice!?

Question

First of all, i just camp back from camp and my head is so itchy! I just ignored it and went to my usual dance class. Afterwards I came home and scratched a bug out of my hair! It freaked me out but then I thought maybe it was just from the sit-ups @ dance when i put my head on the ground. Anyways, I went to the doctor to be safe. He looked briefly and said I dont have lice. It still itches really badly though. I am using a dandruff shampoo and have been using it for about 5 days.When I scratch my head, tiny black things that look like ground pepper only smaller appear under my fingernails. I dont know if they were already there or if they come from my head. (I have black hair if that makes any difference). School starts on Monday and how embarassing would it be if the nurse found lice in front of everyone!! Should I get the shampoo just to be safe? Should I also wash all my sheets? Help please!

Answer 1

When I was in Elementary I had lice several times

The doctor probably said you didn't have lice because he didn't see any live bugs.

Lice are brown and very tiny and look like bugs

Nits are also brown and look like little dots

Lice lay eggs in your ears

And they usually are the top part of your head, around the crown.

Have your mom or dad check your head thoroughly.

If you do have lice, buy a lice kit.

Wash your hair with the shampoo.

And have somone go through layer of your hair with the comb.

Make sure they go through every layer

and most likely the comb wont work completely so you might have to pull the nits out because the cling to your hair.

Wash all your bedding

and clothes that you have recently worn

Buy the spray

and Spray chairs and couches

Vacum your floors with carpet

and Spray your car or cars you have been in since camp

If you been around closely to some people

you should tell them.

Answer 2

If in doubt treat it like you have it. Rather than put pesticides on your skin, soak your scalp and hair with baby oil, wrap it in plastic wrap for an hour. Do this every 4 days for 3 weeks. While you are sitting with your head wrapped up, put your bed linens in the dryer on the highest heat setting you have for at least 30 minutes. Every time you treat your hair, dry your bed linens. Oh yeah, the black stuff is their poo after they have digested your blood.

Answer 3

If you went to a medical doctor and he said NO to it being lice... than don't worry... the black stuff is in no relation to lice and I really could not even begin to tell you what the black stuff could be... and you know just thinking about lice makes my head itch now... lol!!!

Now if had been doing a lot of swimming in a chlorinated pool at camp... that could be the culprit to your scalp being dry and itchy... Head and Shoulders brand shampoo has a dry scalp formula.. try it... maybe even a deep conditioning treatment... letting it soak to sooth your scalp... that is what I am betting on is just dry scalp.

I hope this helps;-)))

Answer 4

Google 'head lice' and you'll get great pictures and information!  Get a fine tooth comb and comb your hair over a sheet of white new printing paper, aiming towards the paper. See what comes out! Lice can range in colour but are usually uncooked rice coloured. Dark haired people can have dark lice! (good camouflage)  Don't panic and don't ignore it. DON"T over-use dandruff shampoo as it can make your scalp flakey and CAUSE itching! It's not the buebonic plague but it's awful, but fixable.  Non-toxic ('natural') treatments unfortunately don't always work well.  Better to 'nuke' your head following the directions on a good strong lice chemical once, than have lice for months, I reckon!

Answer 5

well honey, to be sure go see a dermatologist before trying any anti-lice shampoo. goodluck dear!

Answer 6

You can start using Head and Shoulders and grease your scalp for a few days.Lice don't like grease,so that will help you about lice. Then if you want to you can stop using the grease so you can have flawless hair without the worry.

Answer 7

You don't need to worry too much. If you haven't got an infestation (by what you are saying I am not convinced you don't have head lice) don't go treating yourself with pesticide treatments. Not only is this an overwhelmingly drastic measure, chemical head lice treatments are not meant to work in this way.

Get yourself some tea tree oil from your local health food store and mix 10 drops of it in with some water into a spray bottle. You can also mix it with some leave in conditioner. This will repel any live lice. Straighten your hair with a hot iron, this will pop any nits.

You really don't have to worry too much about it until you find live lice in your hair. Until then take these prevention methods and you should be fine.

If you have an infestation, please see the following website for more articles and information.

Good Luck.

Answer 8

ok, this is going to sound really weird, but i've had lice, so i am the expert.

start by using a dog flea shampoo. (i know this sounds dumb, just bear with me) shampoo with it everyday. if you do have lice, this will kill them. then, get a lice shampoo and combs. yes, wash your sheets and anything else your hair has been on. clean out your brush, etc. then go back to the doctor

Answer 9

you do have lice!! wash everything!!! everything that you have touched or everythign that you can wash! i have had lice before and it is not nice! so use teetree oil on your hair that helps!

Answer 10

Probably you have dandruff.

Try going to a different doctor and get your head checked again.

The doctor will probably give you a special shampoo.

Answer 11

you probably do have lice...don't worry too much just go back to the doctor and if he says there's nothing there, use hair wash specifically for lice and see if it helps...just to be safe...make sure you wash your bedsreads...clothes...stuff like that...hope i helped!!! :)

Answer 12

Better safe than sorry, and I would go back to your doctor if I were you and if he still says not lice then ask him what the h**l is under your finger nails then.

Answer 13

go to a hair dresser and ask her to check you it would be better then a doctor because they know more about your head and wheather or not its dandruff they will give u a special shampoo after wether its dandruff or lice.

Answer 14

Wear a turban.

They look great and you will be the talk of your school.

Answer 15

I obtained pubic lice a couple of times from a group of Vietnamese circus hookers, and when I scratched ma ballz I had black stuff under my fingernails too. I would look into that if I were you.

Answer 16

If you even think that you have lice, I would do the treatment, just to be on the safe side. You could have gotten something from camp or from someone at dance. You never know.

One way to tell, have someone look in your hair right above your ears and at the nape of your neck. That's where it usually starts and is more noticeable there. Look for clear/white beads on the hair shaft. These would be the eggs. There could possibly be the bugs as well. Make sure you really look good.

Once you find out, (if you have) you need to treat your hair and everything you have come into contact with, to prevent reinfestation.

(If not) then you're safe!

Good luck to ya!

Answer 17

If you are still finding bugs after washing your hair, then yes, you might have them. I caught lice at camp too. I went to the doctor, they didn't believe me, so I scratched my head until a couple fell out. Sure proved him wrong.

Lice shampoos don't work well anymore, the bugs have built up a tolerance. Instead, do what I did. It works very well and makes your hair soft and shiny.

It sounds gross, but wash your hair, then LOAD mayo on it. Leave it on for a while. like an hour or two. I slept with my hair and mayo in a shower cap. In the morn, they were all dead and in the shower cap. After a couple uses you will have soft hair, bug free!