Head lice are undesirable parasitic insects that live in human hair and feed on human blood. Pubic lice also live on humans, these are commonly known as crabs and they differ in appearance. Their bodies are noticeably shorter than those of head and body lice, and they also have large crab lice claws, hence the name. These creatures can also carry many different types of diseases. During the 20th century they supposedly carried typhus and relapsing fever. Both diseases killed millions of people. Lice are only transmitted by direct contact because they cannot fly. Pubic lice are spread through sexual encounters, and head and body lice can be spread simply by coming into contact with a personal item belonging to someone with lice, such as a hat.
Adult lice, unique to head lice, are about the size of a sesame seed. They lay eggs in groups near the scalp. These are called nits. They may look similar to dandruff, but they are not easily removed. A louse is reddish brown or dull gray in color. Female tenants are bigger than men.
There are no safe methods to completely destroy a lice infestation. Most people suggest using a pesticide, but there are other natural methods that can be used. One of the most commonly suggested is to use mayonnaise to treat a lice infestation. Simply massage mayonnaise into the infected person’s hair. Then you leave the mayonnaise on as long as possible. Then you have to clean the hair several times to get all the mayonnaise out. This should kill all live lice, but the nits will still be present. One of the easiest ways to get them out is to comb them all out. However, if you have no luck with a regular comb, a special worming comb will probably work much better.
However, many people find this incredibly messy and ineffective. Mayonnaise is not the best substance to kill all lice by suffocation. Silicone-based lotions are considered much more effective.