A video of a severe head-lice infestation has racked up more than 9.6 million views on TikTok.
Squeamish people should probably look away as Miranda Davis [@theliceangels] takes viewers through a day in the life of a professional head-lice remover.
The September 13 video shows the back of a young girl’s head that appears to be soaked in removal product. Davis can be seen raking the long, brown locks with a fine tooth comb. This is instantly covered with lice by the time it reaches the end of her hair.
In another TikTok video, Davis, who is based in Texas, said she removed the nits for free to help the young girl regain her confidence after unsuccessfully removing the lice for years.
The American Academy of Pediatrics published a clinical report that says head lice is not a sign of poor hygiene and are not responsible for any spread of diseases. However, the nits can cause a lot of stress for individuals.
The report adds that the female louse lives for up to three to four weeks and, once mature, can lay up to 10 eggs per day. These firmly attach to the base of the hair shaft with a glue-like substance produced by the louse. The eggs are incubated by body heat and hatch in eight to nine days. Nits grow up fast and reach adulthood within nine to 12 days. This means female louse can mate and begin to lay eggs in under two weeks. If not treated, the cycle repeats itself around every three weeks.
The report says a child or adolescent with an active infestation is likely to have had the head lice for four to six weeks prior to itching. This is how long it takes for one to develop an allergic reaction to the lice saliva.
There are many treatments available from pharmacies, but some people require extra help, like the girl in the video.
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So far, the clip has racked up more than 366,000 likes and over 4,000 comments since it was posted. Many TikTok users have taken the time to praise Davis and thank her for helping the girl.
One user has shared her experience, writing: “I remember having lice for months on in and it was the most stressful and difficult months of my life I feel so bad for the poor girl.”
Another posted: “Those are not millions.. those look like to be in trillions… or whatever comes after trillions.”
“Positive thing is, there’s someone like you to help this girl!” wrote a third user.
Newsweek reached out to @theliceangels for comment via TikTok. We could not verify the details of the case.
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