Sigh. India seems determined to test my will to be here at the moment. It’s given me another gift — for the second time, head lice. Actually, my husband was generous enough to give it to me. He’s probably returning the favour after I gave it to him in Kolkata.
Before you all recoil in horror, I’m just thankful that it’s not as bad as it was the first time. Back in Kolkata, huge bugs were literally jumping out of my hair. My head was itchy but I didn’t think much of it. That is, until a bug appeared on the white pillow beside me. (I say bug, because these were mutant lice). I scratched, and more of them tumbled out of my hair. They were huge!
You cannot imagine the horror I felt. Or the embarrassment, when I had to explain to a crowded pharmacy what was wrong with me. I can only imagine I got the lice from my western girlfriends, who were doing community work with children in the slums. They were scratching their heads too.
Now, my husband and I are scratching our heads again. He was scratching when I came back from my last trip away. Dandruff, he thought. But there wasn’t any there. Soon enough, I started scratching as well. Sick of the mutual scratching, I checked our hair tonight. Ah, eggs. No insects though.
Now, let the fun treatment begin! (At least, we have water at the moment).
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[Comment deleted because it was irrelevant.]
[Comment deleted because it was irrelevant].
Hmmm, what does Shaunak’s comment have to do with anything we’ve been discussing? It seems more like angry spam than any sort of reasoned discussion.
I agree D. I think I’ll delete it.
Shaunak, I’m sorry, but you’re going to have to stick to the discussion topic. Thank you.
Just Joking! Don’t get offended
Shaunak, I’ve deleted your comment. Please don’t provoke people.
Hi! Nice post
Just kidding, I felt the same way when I lived in Chennai as an American with headlice. Of course I found out later it was quite a normal occurrence, and if I never got it- then that would have been abnormal.. a right of passage as such. 
My Indian friend in US told me an interesting thing. She did not know when she came to US head lice had such a bad reputation. When she had kids, and one got head lice, she did not think twice. She took her kid for a hair cut. Should have imagined what ensued from there. That hair dresser banned them from the shop, and she never figured out why until some years later.
Hi Sharell! I have been writing you before but this is my second time to comment on your articles. I really like your website and make sure to visit it at least every other day.
Reading your articles helps me to be prepare once my husband and I finally decides to move in Mumbai. It also prompts me of the things I have noticed before with my short visit in India and my everyday life with my husband family although never realized as a famous occurrence in India. Until I read your blog.
My first experience with indian head lice was during our wedding in the Philippines. I was assisting my two sister-in-law to get prepared with their hair and make up when I notice my younger sister-in-law (who have very long and curly hair) have a lot of small white thing in her head. I did have lies when I was like 10 years old so I know how lies egg looks like. I was quite shock to saw a lot of it in one head. I am quite sure the hair dresser saw and wonder what was her reaction. It is abig no no in our country specially if you are an adult. I told my husband about this and told me that even SIL husband tease her about it. He said its been there for a long time. What confuse me is that it seems like she dont want to do anything about it…tskk.
Oh my gosh JLS, isn’t she bothered by all the itching? That’s terrible!
How could she not want to get rid of it!! Her whole head must have been full of lice.
Jennifer, I can just imagine the horror! I want to get a haircut here now, but don’t dare go to the salon until I’m sure all traces of my problem are gone! Or maybe it wouldn’t be such a big deal here.
Honestly…I am not sure too how she can manage it or maybe she is so used to it. I can say her full head can be full of lice since to have that much lice egg in one strand of hair then she surely must be having a lot.
Anyway, I do love her it is just that I dont really have the courage to open up this topic to her.
Next time I’ll see her I will try to see if it is still there.
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