Lice are small, parasitic insects that do not fly but instead live on skin and feed on blood in the body. A lice infestation can affect the body, the scalp or the pubic area. The lice that affect different areas of the body vary in appearance. Once an infestation occurs, the lice continue to reproduce and lay eggs, called nits, which hatch about a week later. Home remedies and medicated shampoos help to eradicate the lice, but removal of the nits may prove difficult.
Transmission
Lice crawl from person-to-person through direct contact with a person with an active infestation. Nits and lice may also transfer through contact with contaminated items, such as clothing, linens and hairbrushes.
Symptoms
Symptoms of lice include extreme itching in the affected area of the body. The lice may bite and cause red bumps on the skin. The adult louse, about the size of a sesame seed, may cause a tickling sensation from moving the hair. Nits stick to strands of hair and resemble dandruff, but they cannot be brushed off.
Diagnosis
Diagnosis for lice involves examining the skin and hair for the adult lice or the nits. Body lice usually live in the seams of bedding or in clothing and may be difficult to see on the body. Diagnosis of pubic lice, also referred to as crabs, involves seeing active lice or nits in pubic hair; pubic lice may also infect eyebrows, eyelashes and chest hair.
Treatment
Head and pubic lice require a medicated shampoo or a lotion to kill adult lice and a fine comb to brush the nits from the hair. Some infestations need repeated treatments or prescription-strength medications. Body lice usually do not require treatment; washing linens and clothing in hot water will help get rid of the lice. An over-the-counter lotion or shampoo can help remove stubborn lice from the body. Repeating the medications seven to 10 days later helps kill off any newly hatched nits left behind by the first treatment, reports the Merck Manuals.
Prevention
Preventing lice includes not sharing personal items, such as hats, brushes and hair accessories and taking vigilant care to avoid bedding, sofas and clothing of infected individuals. To prevent pubic lice, individuals need to avoid sexual relations with infested persons.
