Do you have dandruff or maybe they are lice? So you can distinguish them quickly

"Start over again." The canteen that traumatizes children, that a month ago they had to say goodbye to the holidays to get fully into books, extracurricular classes and dining room food, brings with them a terrible annual appointment: the lice. If your children start scratching too much and you, by imitation, also notice many itching in your head, can alarm alarms.

But you don't have to worry beforehand, because the scalp it can sting for many other reasons that don't have to be some bugs who have camped there and are sucking your blood. DandruffFor example, it is a fairly frequent condition that can cause the appearance of something like "snowflakes" on dark clothes. Sometimes maybe you can confuse itching, but the good news is that both, although they are annoying, are generally harmless, and if you haven't dealt with either of them before, the doctors They can help you differentiate them (and get rid of them).

Lice vs. dandruff

Lice are parasitic insects that you might not know but can be found not only in the head, but also in eyebrows and eyelashes. When they are adults they place their eggs (nits) at the base of the hair shaft, near the scalp, and when leaving they must feed on blood. They are about the size of a sesame seed. They are easily spread from person to person (especially among children or adults who interact with them, such as parents or nursery teachers). But don't worry, they don't transmit no sickness, as explained in 'Prevention'.

Nits are like small grains of rice and are attached to hair follicles, while dandruff appears on the scalp

In the case of dandruff, it is an inflammation of the skin that causes peeling and itching. It is not a reflection of the lack of hygiene, it just happens because, although it is normal for cells to skin die and form flakes, some people experience an abnormal amount of these, which is usually accompanied by pruritus, redness and irritation. It can also be a symptom of seborrhea, psoriasis, mycosis or pediculosis.

Differences

Both cause itching, it's true, but you can tell them apart. Nits they usually look yellow or white, or they may appear the same color as your hair, although sometimes they can be confused with dandruff, the truth is that their appearance is more similar to small grains of rice and they are also attached to the hair follicles, so to remove them you will have to stretch some hair.

In the case of dandruff, it usually causes white or yellowish scales which are much easier to remove and are more visible than nits, are found in the scalp directly. In addition, as it is a dermatologist problem, it can also be accompanied by redness or burning.

Both problems itch in the scalpbut with dandruff probably you find pink skin and also the symptoms They will get worse if it's cold. With the lice you may observe bumps or red sores in the scalp as well as a tickling sensation and the nits we mentioned, at the base of the hair.

Treatments

Obviously, they will differ if you have one problem or another. It's fundamental kill the nits in case the lice afflict you, their cure usually implies topical over-the-counter treatments that will end them, but although some of these end up with the nits others do not, and therefore you will have to remove them of the scalp or with a Comb for nits very fine or with nails. If it doesn't work, your doctor may recommend a stronger prescription medication.

In the case of dandruffGenerally, shampoos that end with it should work, if used regularly. In case of being serious, your doctor I could advise you a topical medication with steroids to decrease inflammation. The incessant scratching it can be very annoying, in some cases even harmful, so the best is to tackle the problem sooner.