When people are concerned about treating head lice, they will also want to know about nits. Nits and head lice are quite different. Lice are small grayish bugs that you can spot on and near the scalp. Though they are small, they move and are easy to find if you look. Nits are the eggs of head lice, and since they are immobile and even smaller than lice, they can be quite hard to detect. However, lice treatment depends on the removal of nits as well as lice.

Nits are lice eggs that are attached to hairs close to the scalp. They look like rice and can't be removed easily. The nits do not cause any itching, so you'll have to look for them and remove them. If all are not removed, the lice infestation may happen again.

The best way to get them out is to buy a specialized comb for nit removal. Unlike normal combs, these combs feature teeth that are so closely spaced that they will scrape out and remove nits. First use a shampoo to kill any live lice in the hair, then use the comb to separate nits from hair. You must literally check each strand for remaining nits. A lice treatment may kill many of the nits along with the lice, but you can never assume that it has killed them all.

It is critical to take away the nits even if you will use mayonnaise or petroleum jelly, items which are harmless. Many lice will be produced once they are not taken or removed while in egg stage. Nits are supposed to be washed out to a drain or to be contained in a tightly closed container because they can survive several days after they have been taken away from the scalp.

A nit that happens to fall off into your bed linens, your furnishings, your garments, or your child's plush toys can lay its eggs there. The house must be vacuumed throughout and all possible items washed and dried. Steam cleaning can also be useful. Whatever you cannot clean must be wrapped in a closed sack for approximately 21 days.

Even after treatment for head lice, the host may still be at risk of contracting the lice again. This is because nits can remain in the hair even after treatment. You can find nits by carefully and methodically checking the hairline, nape of the neck and the entire head for them. After removing any nits, you should retreat the head with the lotion or shampoo. While having head lice is no fun, by carefully following the directions on the label and removing any nits, you can eliminate the problem.