Video of horrifying head lice infestation shows hundreds of nits on a comb

A woman had to stop combing them out because the comb was full

The head lice being combed out of the child's hair (Youtube/guallan)

The scale this young girl’s head lice infestation is beyond most parents’ worst nightmares.

In a video posted on YouTube, a woman is seen struggling to pull a nit comb through the child’s wet hair.

After several minutes, the lice build up and the camera zooms in to show a cluster of writhing greyish-green parasites.

Some escape on to the girl’s neck and are put back into her hair so they can be combed out again.

Dee Wright, whose Hairforce salon provides a specialist lice treatment, said the video was similar to some of the worst cases she has seen.

“We see infestations of that nature,” she told MailOnline.

“We've even seen people with nests. That's where you've got so many lice they're clumping together.

“They're a big ball of lice fighting each other for survival.”

Head lice are a common problem for school children, particularly between the ages of four and 11.

According to NHS figures, around a third of pupils get head lice at some point every year, causing itching and a rash in some cases.

They are spread by head-to-head contact and climb between strands of children’s hair, sometimes infesting parents and teachers.

The head lice combed out of the child's hair (Youtube/guallan)

“A head lice infestation isn't the result of dirty hair or poor hygiene,” an NHS spokesperson said.

“All types of hair can be affected, regardless of its length and condition.”

They can be treated with lotions or sprays, or by wet combing using a fine comb as seen in the video.

Lice hatch from eggs in around a week and grow to full size within 10 days, feeding on human blood.