One has only to comb his head, as a person immediately flashes anxious thoughts: these are certainly lice. And if he notices the characteristic white grains on the hairs, then he starts to panic.
Dandruff is also an unpleasant phenomenon, but from the realization that insects live on the head, you can earn a real neurosis. In order not to get it, you need to know what the differences are.
What diseases can be confused with?
Dandruff symptoms
The real causes of diseases on the scalp can be completely different, while practice shows that it is quite often people confuse the symptoms of different diseases... Taking one for the other, you can be seriously mistaken not only with the methods of treatment, but also with the result, exacerbating the problem even more.
It is often possible to confuse the symptoms of dandruff, like seborrhea, with a number of other skin conditions:
- psoriasis (at the very beginning, only a specialist can distinguish it from seborrheic dermatitis);
- ringworm, and some other types of lichen;
- streptoderma (in the initial stages it resembles dandruff, while in the later stages crusts and pustules appear);
- seborrheic pemphigus (typical for the elderly, crusts appear at the initial stage).
Often at certain stages of development of seborrhea, it can be confused with dermatological diseases (psoriasis, lupus erythematosus, streptoderma, seborrheic pemphigus)
In reality, dandruff has its own own distinctive signs... It is characterized by:
- peeling on the scalp, accompanied by itching, sometimes dryness;
- emergence in the hair of many small scaleshaving white color;
- hair becomes dull, their fragility increases;
- sometimes they become overly glossy and look greasy.
Check, on our website, information about the types of dandruff: tubular, dry, oily, symptoms, causes; about remedies (dry, oily), traditional methods (for dry and oily), drugs and procedures, and how to distinguish dry from oily dandruff.
What are nits
According to the definition of trichologists, these are white shells in which insects live. They adhere very well to the hair. This is achieved by means of a special adhesive. It does not allow you to manually remove the parasites.
Very tenacious. Even after the lice have been removed, they usually remain, and then, after a certain time, a new population of insects is hatched. Therefore, in the treatment of head lice, you need to use very strong means to destroy not only lice, but also nits.
The following points signal that a person has nits:
- fast hair contamination,
- the presence of itching,
- the appearance of small white grains.
Adults are active bloodsuckers. They are no less active "multiply and multiply." During just one, superficial examination, you can reveal up to hundreds of nits. They are quite independent.
Nits are not just a cosmetic issue. They can contribute to the development of serious infectious pathologies.
Dandruff and versicolor
Dandruff must be distinguished from dermatological diseases. Their common the difference is the presence of clear boundaries foci of an inflammatory reaction of the skin.
The clinical picture of infection with lichen planus is characterized by the presence of rashes. They consist of small flat and shiny nodules of red or violet color, which is noticeable under side illumination.
In the center, they have an umbilical depression. Accompanied by itching of varying strength... At the same time, the mucous membrane of the oral cavity is affected. There are also atypical signs with histological etymology.
When infected, we deprive Gibert, which in everyday life is often called pink lichen, a characteristic feature is presence of a "maternal" plaque - a single pink spot, no more than 2 cm in diameter. Gradually, exfoliation begins from its center, and a noticeable red rim appears along the edges.
Gradually, similar spots of smaller size appear all over the body and itch. Secondary signs may appearthat mimic the flu: weakness, headaches, runny nose. The appearance of these spots on the scalp or neck is atypical.
The clinical picture of psoriasis is characterized by the presence of a special element - an inflammatory papule, flat in shape, it has:
- pink colormay be of different shades;
- flat shape, which is covered with silvery-white scales;
- on new formations, the scales spread from the center, at first a narrow strip at the edge remains clean;
- when psoriasis appears on the head always located at the very edge of the hairline, for which it is called the "psoriatic crown".
Important: with ringworm, the skin begins to peel off, particles that look like dandruff fall off from it, it is her person who begins to heal, instead of depriving.
Clinical ringworm picture on the head at first very dandruff-likebut then develops in a completely different way:
- hair loss on various parts of the head that expose red or pink skin;
- the presence of no more than two large foci, not exceeding, as a rule, 5 cm in size, resembling a circle or oval in shape;
- hair begins to break at a distance from the head and looks like it was cut with scissors;
- pus appears on the skin, it becomes bluish-red or bluish-pink, covered with numerous pustulesthat cannot be squeezed out.
Location differences
Dandruff and lice cause the same symptoms - severe itching. In the first case, it is enough to scratch slightly to get rid of the unpleasant sensation, in the second - they tear to the blood. But the main symptom of head lice is only the presence of live lice and their eggs on the head.
Lice or dandruff can be identified by the location of the white particles on the head.
- Insects lay eggs in the warmest places on the head - the back of the head, temples, forehead. When head lice is detected, they begin to examine these parts of the head. As hair grows every day, nits are located 1 to 4 cm from the roots. The location of the lice eggs depends on how long the parasites have been on the head.
- Dandruff flakes off when scratching, touching the scalp with your hands. Most of the scales are located in the upper part - on the crown. Gradually, the particles slide off. Over time, they even find themselves on the shoulders.
Since lice are able to crawl all over the scalp, they can also be confused with larger scales of peeled skin. How to distinguish dandruff from lice in this case - only in appearance.
You can clearly see the picture in the photo of dandruff and lice.
The difference between head lice
Dandruff and lice
How to tell dandruff from nits? There are several tried and true methods to distinguish between dandruff and head lice.
- Combability.
- Appearance.
- Location.
- Itching.
How to tell dandruff from head lice? Dandruff can be easily removed from hair using a brush or comb.At the same time, nits cannot be easily detached from the hair, they are firmly glued to them by the liquid secreted by the female.
This is especially easy to check by combing pre-moistened hair with a lice comb.
Nits or dandruff? The difference between nits is an oval shape, various shades from light gray to dark brown, while dandruff is much larger, painted white. Moreover, its particles can be present on the same head of unequal sizes, while nits are always approximately even.
Female lice often lay eggs in warmer areas: closer to the skin, on the back of the head or behind the ears. Dandruff flakes can be scattered over the entire area of the head.
It is associated with both diseases, but during dandruff it is slightly milder. Lice bites force a person to literally scratch their head with both hands, the itching is extremely severe.
Each of the diseases - dandruff and head lice - has a completely different clinical picture.
How to tell lice from dandruff? Pediculosis of the scalp differs in that:
- transmitted on contact with a carrier, also through household items (hats, combs);
- parasites can simultaneously settle on any hairline: eyelashes, eyebrows, hair, beard;
- by sight nits look like small balls whitish color, located at the very base of the hair and firmly glued to them;
- in most cases, nits are found first of all, rather than lice;
- the main symptom of head lice is severe itching, and constant scratching of the skin can cause inflammation and secondary bacterial infection;
- the disease in children can be accompanied by nonspecific generalized dermatitis, in which the sensitivity of the head to injections is greatly increased.
Useful information about head lice in the video:
What is the difference between dandruff and nits? The clinical picture of dandruff other, its signs:
- inflammation and peeling of the skin is accompanied by itching;
- gradually the pathology spreads to other hairs: eyebrows, eyelashes;
- numerous scales are very small in size;
- peeling can have local focal borders, or have a diffuse character;
- with oily seborrhea, the intensity of peeling increases, itching intensifies, bacterial infections occur, and inflammatory processes are caused by fungi and products of the decomposition of sebum;
- the process of keratinization of the epidermis is disrupted, accelerated cell division is observed, which leads to an increase in the desquamation of the stratum corneum.
Dandruff is caused by oval pytirosporum... If sebum secretion fails, these microorganisms receive conditions favorable for their life and begin to multiply, contributing to the appearance of dandruff.
Contributing factors are also an insufficient amount of vitamin B, the presence of chronic diseases, stress, mental disorders, digestive disorders, wetting of the hair during brushing.
What should be done
Dealing with dandruff is easy enough. Initially, you need to find out what became its root cause. This can be stress, poor nutrition, and improperly selected shampoo, or the abuse of other cosmetics.
If the cause was stress, then you need to learn how to control your emotions, properly rest, relax. If the provocateur is a diet, then it needs to be carefully reviewed. It almost always helps to exclude fatty, unhealthy foods, as well as alcohol and strong tea from the menu.
You also need to abandon the use of the usual shampoo, abandoning it in favor of medicinal products. It is better to buy anti-dandruff shampoo not in a store, but in a pharmacy.
Treatment of head lice is a longer, more painful and complicated process. The person will need to see a doctor and establish the root cause. He is prescribed special drugs. Head treatment is also carried out. This procedure involves the use of powerful tools.
Photo
How to distinguish dandruff from nits: see the photo below.
Dandruff on the scalp and hair:
Lice on the hair:
How to tell if a parasite has hatched from an egg or not
As we have already said, even after the lice come out of the capsules, the shell is still fixed on the hair and, if you do not take certain actions, it leaves only with their loss.
The difference between capsules of nits with and without an individual:
- an inanimate capsule is devoid of its original shape, therefore it is flat;
- dead nits have a dull color, and live ones are shiny;
- after the lice emerge from the cocoon, the color changes from pronounced white to cloudy with a yellow tint;
- if you press your fingernail on a live nit, a characteristic crackle will follow.
What to do if you have head lice
If you suspect head lice, the best solution would be to go to a doctor who will conduct an examination and prescribe the correct treatment.
If for any reason you do not want to see a doctor, go to the pharmacy, where you will be advised to buy the correct remedy for removing nits and lice.
To avoid infecting others, take the following precautions:
- do not be in crowded places and closed rooms;
- report your illness to people with whom you have been in contact recently;
- you should check for lice of those who live with you in the same room;
- activate hygiene: clean, wash linen and clothes, as well as clean bedding and carpets;
- it is forbidden to use other people's personal hygiene items - combs, towels, hats and bed linen.
Attention! If you are found to have head lice, carry out pest control immediately.
Thus, following our recommendations and photos, you can easily distinguish dandruff from nits. Remember, nits detected on time are the key to a quick recovery from head lice.
Treatment options
- special remedies for lice, which can be bought at the pharmacy, they are represented by shampoos, sprays, ointments;
- washing your hair with a weak solution of kerosene;
- daily combing of nits with a fine comb;
- the use of funds based on malathion and phenotrin.
After getting rid of lice and nits, steam your clothes, bed linen, towels and other hygiene items and do not use them for two weeks. During this period, the remaining parasites will starve to death.
Dandruff and lice are unpleasant. Treatment in both cases is important to start as soon as the first signs of the disease appear. You can find out about the most effective methods of therapy from a dermatologist. Many specialty shampoos are sold in pharmacies that are fast acting.
Decoctions
Them apply after shampooing... To do this, it is enough to rinse clean, damp hair with a previously prepared warm decoction of herbs. They can be made from nettle, chamomile, yarrow, or burdock root. Here are some recipes for decoctions that easy to prepare for your child at home:
- The main herb is yarrow... For 0.5 liters of water, you need to take 4 tablespoons of chopped greens and put the liquid on the fire. Bring to a boil and leave on the stove for 5 minutes. After this time, remove from heat, cover with a towel and let it brew for at least half an hour. Strain the resulting broth, cool to a comfortable temperature and rub into the skin every day for 1-2 months.
- To prepare a decoction of nettle, you need 20 g of its crushed leaves. Dry or fresh mass is poured with 400 ml of boiling water... Close the lid tightly and let it brew for 40 minutes.Squeeze the nettle, and pour 30 ml of apple cider vinegar into the resulting liquid. Instead of apple cider vinegar, table vinegar is also suitable.
The resulting liquid you can't rub your head yet... For one procedure, take 2 tablespoons of it and mix with 6 tablespoons of warm or hot water.
With this liquid rub not all hair, but only their roots. Do not rinse. Cover the head with a bag and tie it with a warm scarf or wrap it with a towel.
This healing procedure is best done at night. Rinse your head with clean water in the morning and rinse with a liquid of 30 ml of undiluted broth mixed with a glass of hot water. You can get rid of dandruff with this method in 3 months. In this case, the above described procedures are repeated every week 2 times.
Decoction treatment also pretty effective in the fight against seborrhea, however, you need to be patient and in no case interrupt the course of treatment if the result has not yet been achieved.
