What Are Lice?

Lice are parasitic insects that live on your body and eat by sucking your blood, which results in embarrassing and annoying symptoms, including intense itching and skin irritations. Infestations with lice are especially common in children, but may occur in people of any age and in any environment, regardless of cleanliness or personal hygiene. Consider these facts from the Mayo Clinic about lice.

Types

• The types of lice that may infect humans include head lice, which live on your scalp; body lice, which live in your clothes; and pubic lice ("crabs"), which live on the skin and hair shafts around your genitals.

Identification

• Mature lice are 2 to 4 millimeters long, have 8 legs and are wingless and live on the skin; nits (eggs) are usually found on the hair shaft and look like dandruff attached to your hair.

Features

• Reinfections with lice are common, especially if household and shared items such as towels, sheets and blankets are not adequately laundered.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of lice infections include intense itching, red bumps on your scalp and skin, and visible lice and nits in your hair, skin and clothes.

Treatment

• Over the counter shampoos and creams such as Nix or Rid or prescription medications Lindane and malathion (Ovide) are used to treat head and pubic lice; body lice do not require medical treatment.

Time Frame

• Lice can hatch from eggs within one week; multiple treatments may be necessary to kill existing lice and new lice that hatch from eggs.

Prevention

• The most effective way to prevent infestations of lice is not to share your personal items, including clothing, linens, hair accessories and headphones.