Uninvited Guests

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Okay...so, how scarey is this! Several of the students at my school have louses! Yes, that's what you just read....head lice! Mmhmm...that lil insect that burrows in your scalp and sucks your blood, how fitting for the month of October, but their existence is just disgusting and annoying! In speaking to another teacher she told me that I was not likely to "catch" this cantagious scalp creature as I use oils on my hair. They prefer an environement that is sebum-free, which will allow them to embed their nits (eggs) into the hair shaft and keep them warm. So, techinically this little yellow/brown/tan/white creature loves hair, but afro texture hair is just not a favorable environment for them to recreate! Works for me!

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Frankly, I wasn't alarmed to begin with. Recall that I wear a turban everyday, seldom do I exposed my hair, so the chances of them hoping on to me is slim. But I was still intrigued and interested to know more when the nurse pulled out atleast 5 kids from every class who had lice! IIIII knoooww! Here it's not a major thing; back home, school would have been shut down! Granted they aren't dangeourous and don't carry diseases, they are super contagious and all it takes it one! The nurse instructed us to look for students scratching their heads, this irritation develops due to the reaction to the lice's saliva. Additionally, you may not see lice as you would looking for ticks on a dog, instead you have to look for the nits using a find tooth comb. Directly behind the ears and along the nape of the neck. They are also hard to find if you have light colored hair!

If undiagnosed and untreated, head lice can lead to severe irritation and the worst case, bacterial infection. So much so, that the scalp begins to ooze and crust and your lymph glands become swollen. Gross, I know; but treatable. If caught in the premature stage, shampoos, hair drops and even a deep conditioning treatment with oils will send those puppies wailing. But for the worst case scenarios, one must see a doctor to recieve a perscription for antibiotics.

Again, afro textured hair is not a favorable enivornment, but it doesn't exclude you from being a victim. Those of you who wash your hair often, visits a multi-racial hair salon or babysit occasionally, be ware. You never know when uninvited guest will move in!