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Lice and dandruff are the most common conditions on the scalp. The lice and dandruff differences are almost unnoticed. Although both have similar characteristics, they are different.
1. Characteristics of Lice and Dandruff
Noting the difference between lice and dandruff is crucial as both can easily damage hair. Taking necessary measures to avoid them is important to maintain healthy hair.
It is good to know the causes, symptoms, and treatments for dandruff and lice. You can offer assistance to someone tired of dealing with these conditions, or even help yourself.
Knowing the differences between lice and dandruff is crucial to treating them correctly. Neglecting these conditions for an extended period can lead to severe problems.
Let’s have a closer look at the characteristics of lice and dandruff.
1.1 Lice
Different types of lice affect different parts of the body. Head lice are small insects that feed on blood and they suck it from the scalp and cause itchiness.
Lice are parasitic insects that are wingless and lay eggs called nits. Head lice are contagious and can easily spread from one person to another.
The infected person directly transmits head lice. This is a common issue among children and does not occur due to poor hygiene.
An individual directly spreads head lice when they come in close contact with someone who has head lice. These head lice can only feed on human blood. They can only survive in human hair.
They grow up to 3mm in length. You can find lice with a comb. You can get head lice by sharing bedding or clothes that you wear on your head. They cannot live in any other place except the human head.
Head lice cause an itchy scalp and make you uncomfortable. This is a symptom. The site is visible around the neck among long-haired people.
When you see live lice you can detect the condition. You might feel something crawling over your scalp. If you feel any of these symptoms, check your hair with someone’s help to find the lice.
How to Control Them?
Lice combs will help to find nits and lice. The nits or eggs are usually dark-colored, while the lice are light-colored.
The difference between lice and dandruff is easily identifiable. The nits will not come out easily and tend to stick to your scalp.
Many head lice treatment1s are available. You have to use such treatments twice to get rid of lice. The initial treatment removes adult lice. The second stage removes the newly hatched nits.
This way all the lice and nits are completely removed from the scalp. Prevent future head lice infestation2 by avoiding head-to-head contact with people who have head lice.
Do not share personal grooming products with anyone. Check out lice using a fine-tooth comb.
Read more about head lice infestation.
1.2 Dandruff
This is a chronic condition and it affects the scalp. It is a common condition that is seen in people all around the globe.
The real cause behind dandruff is unclear and a full curing treatment is also not known. Many factors contribute to the formation of dandruff. Seborrheic dermatitis3 is a more severe form of dandruff that causes inflammation of the skin.
Dandruff causes itchiness on your scalp. White flakes are visible when dandruff is present. This condition gets worse during winter but fortunately, it is not contagious.
It is not associated with hygiene. Skin cells replace themselves. Mostly these cells are not so visible. In people with dandruff, these cells are replaced rapidly and that results in the accumulation of dead cells.
Dandruff can occur due to mainly three factors. It may be due to secretions of skin oil4, skin microorganisms, or allergy sensitivity.
Some other causes of dandruff are oily skin, dry skin, effects of hair care products, or other skin conditions like psoriasis.
How to Control Them?
There are many products to treat dandruff. Mild dandruff is treated using anti-dandruff shampoos5. Medicated shampoos are also good for limiting dandruff.
Usually, men have severe dandruff problems. Older adults are less prone to dandruff. Other illnesses like Parkinson’s disease make you more vulnerable to dandruff.
Find more about dandruff.
2. Lice and Dandruff Differences
It is easy to get confused between head lice and dandruff because they have similarities as well as many differences.
2.1 Based On the Impact
The first difference between lice and dandruff is their impact. Lice are a temporary infestation. Dandruff is a chronic condition.
Both lice and dandruff cause itchiness on your scalp. But dandruff also sheds skin flakes that can even fall on your clothes.
2.2 Based On the Effects
Lice is an insect while dandruff is just a skin condition. Another difference between lice and dandruff is that lice are contagious but dandruff isn’t. If a classmate or family member has lice, you will likely be affected by it since close contact can occur.
2.3 Based On Location
There are locational differences as well. Lice lay eggs and stick them to your hair. Dandruff is on the scalp and not on the hair. The flaky cells may spread to the hair but dandruff is mainly on the scalp.
2.4 Based On Intensity
Dandruff causes more itchiness than lice whereas lice cause itchiness along with a crawling sensation. Lice can cause bacterial infections.
2.5 Based On Size
Lice are small, whereas dandruff flakes are in different sizes. Flakes can occur in different ways. It is necessary to understand the difference between lice and dandruff to get the proper treatment.
2.6 Based On Treatment and Prevention
Dandruff treatments and lice treatments are different. You can remove head lice by using medicated shampoos or home treatments, while for treating dandruff, you can use special shampoos that are designed for it.
Lice are preventable to an extent. You can treat lice but not prevent them, whereas dandruff cannot be prevented, but it can be reduced. Even though there are a lot of differences between lice and dandruff, they can make you uncomfortable and embarrassed.
3. Conclusion
There are many differences between lice and dandruff. They are not associated with cleanliness. It is essential to identify the issue and find the right solution for your lice or dandruff.
Don’t confuse lice with dandruff and make sure to evaluate the condition using the differences. Get the right treatment at the right time to avoid all the discomfort caused by lice and dandruff.
One must understand the lice and dandruff differences and undergo the required treatments as soon as possible.
Discover more information about hair care.
4. FAQs
4.1 How Can I Stop Lice and Dandruff From Spreading?
Avoid head-to-head contact with lice-infected individuals, refrain from sharing personal things like hats or combs, and wash bed linens and clothing in hot water. Maintain regular scalp hygiene, abstain from using harsh hair products, and attempt to control your stress levels to stop dandruff from spreading.
4.2 Is It Possible to Confuse Dandruff with Lice?
Yes, it is possible to confuse dandruff with lice since both can make the scalp itch and flake. The two conditions do differ in a few ways, though. While dandruff does not leave nits (eggs) on the hair shaft, lice do. Additionally, dandruff shows as white or yellowish flakes on the scalp, whereas lice are visible to the human eye.
4.3 Is Dandruff a Result of Lice?
Dandruff is not brought on by lice. Several things, including excessive oil production, an overabundance of yeast on the scalp, and a buildup of dead skin cells, can result in dandruff. On the other hand, lice are parasitic insects that reside on the scalp and suck blood.
- Vander Stichele, Robert H., Els M. Dezeure, and Marc G. Bogaert. “Systematic review of clinical efficacy of topical treatments for head lice.” Bmj 311.7005 (1995): 604-608. ↩︎
- Roberts, Richard J. “Head lice.” New England Journal of Medicine 346.21 (2002): 1645-1650. ↩︎
- Gupta, A. K., and R. Bluhm. “Seborrheic dermatitis.” Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology 18.1 (2004): 13-26. ↩︎
- Satchell, Andrew C., et al. “Treatment of dandruff with 5% tea tree oil shampoo.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 47.6 (2002): 852-855. ↩︎
- Potluri, Anusha, et al. “A review on herbs used in anti-dandruff shampoo and its evaluation parameters.” Research Journal of Topical and Cosmetic Sciences 4.1 (2013): 5-13. ↩︎
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