How to Spot Lice on the Body

Body lice are tiny parasites that feed on blood. These insects live in the seams and folds of clothing and fabrics and deposit their eggs and waste on the skin and clothing. Body lice are transmitted through contact with infected persons. This includes direct contact, as well as contact with infected clothing, towels and bedding. Although a body lice infestation is a nuisance, with proper treatment a body lice infection is curable. However, the first step to curing a body lice infestation is verifying the presence of the parasites.

Things You'll Need

• Magnifying glass
• Flashlight

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Instructions

• 1

  Use a magnifying glass and a flashlight to closely examine the body. Look for the presence of crawling lice or eggs. Look for adult body lice, which have six legs, are tan to light gray in color, and about the size of a sesame seed. Look for eggs, which are very small and yellow to white in color. Eggs are hard to locate on the skin.

• 2

  Use the magnifying glass and flashlight to closely examine the clothes. Look for the presence of crawling lice or eggs. Check the seams and folds of the clothing, as this is where lice are typically found. Look around the waist and armpit areas of the clothing, as this is where the eggs are often found.

• 3

  Look for the symptoms of body lice. Symptoms include severe itching; raised, red bumps or rashes on the skin; thick, dark patches of skin; and skin sores or infections due to scratching.