The appearance of lice and nits on a person’s head can be considered a serious emergency, from which neither adults nor children are insured. If you are engaged in preventing the appearance of lice, then this is not a guarantee that they (lice) will never appear.
In most cases, parasites appear accidentally, as a result of close contact between people. If at least one person is infected, then lice easily appear on others. It is very important to know what these parasites look like in order to get rid of them in a timely manner.
What to do in such a situation? To get started, we recommend reading this article. This article describes in detail methods of controlling parasites. We also recommend that you consult a specialist. Read the article >>>
What kind of lice do humans have?
Human lice are representatives of the suborder “Lice Eaters”. There are 2 types of parasites. These include:
- Head lice , which appear in the hair on a person's head.
- Body lice , which prefer to live in the folds of clothing, but at the same time feed on human blood.
There is another subspecies of human lice - these are pubic lice, which appear in the intimate areas of the human body. This subspecies of parasites is distinguished by the special structure of its limbs. Therefore, the disease may have an appropriate name - body lice, lice pubis, lice capitis, as well as mixed variants, when 2 types of parasites can be found on a person’s body. In the photo below you can see what human lice look like.
Main symptoms
Pediculosis.
Signs of the appearance of blood-sucking insects on the body:
- severe persistent itching, which is felt on the body and on the scalp, sometimes it is paroxysmal: it occurs as the number of parasites increases and their activity increases;
- a rash appears: red dots may have purulent contents and are localized in places where lice bite more often;
- peeling, crusts, and cyanosis appear, which is caused by a long course of head lice.
Upon examination, you can see parasites. Nits are located on hairs, and they cannot be removed without special tools. You can only pull out or cut off the hair on which the parasite is located in a protective shell. With frequent bites, the secretory function of the glands is disrupted, wounds are formed that become covered with crusts, and even scratching. As a result, the condition of the skin quickly deteriorates - this is a consequence of the vital activity of parasites.
These symptoms appear when infested with different types of lice. Only on the body, when bitten by body parasites, cyanosis of the integument appears less frequently and crusts do not form as intensively. The reason is that on the pubis and scalp the affected area is smaller than the surface of the body. Here the lice bites are more concentrated. In areas where lice bites are located further apart, only red dots or scratches remain.
Head lice
These parasites appear only within the hairline located on the human head: on the head, in the beard, in the mustache, on the eyebrows (eyelashes). These parasites do not have wings and therefore cannot fly, but only crawl, and quite quickly. In one minute they can cover a distance of up to 20 cm in length, which is a significant indicator for such miniature parasites.
Appearance: description
Adults are not large in size: females grow no more than 4 mm in length, and males only up to 3 mm. Due to such small sizes, it is almost impossible to examine the parasite in more detail, especially with the naked eye. But if you use a magnifying glass, it’s easy.
Parasites are distinguished by an elongated, flat and almost transparent body. Hungry individuals are colored grayish-brown, but after being saturated with blood they acquire a red, almost scarlet color. In the process of saturation, the parasite's body increases in size and takes on an almost round shape.
Important fact! Head lice are considered very bloodthirsty parasites: adults feed at least 2 times a day, and larvae feed up to 8 times a day. In this case, adult individuals drink 0.7 ml of human blood.
On the chest of the parasite there are 3 pairs of limbs armed with very sharp claws, which allows the insect to move effortlessly on human skin. The breathing apparatus is located on this part of the body. On the head you can see simple eyes, as well as antennae, which act as a rather sensitive organ of smell.
The oral apparatus has a rather complex structure and consists of:
- From the hole around which chitinous hooks are located, which allows the parasite to be securely held on human skin.
- From a stiletto, which represents a piercing needle.
- From the tube that carries human blood into the insect's intestinal system.
Interesting to know! Lice have a rather short proboscis, so during the process of saturation with blood, the head of the parasite is in the wound, and the parasite itself is forced to raise its back almost vertically.
What do lice larvae (nits) look like?
Female lice are quite fertile and are able to lay eggs several times during the day. A nit is a capsule that is covered with an adhesive membrane. It is thanks to the adhesive substance that the egg is attached to the hair. When examined under a microscope, a tail is identified, which fixes the parasite on the hair.
Live and dry nits differ in their appearance. Living eggs are white and glisten when illuminated. After the louse hatches from it, the white shell gradually darkens to a gray-yellow hue, but remains on the hair. This visually leads to the fact that the number of nits significantly exceeds the number of lice.
Symptoms and signs
The clinical picture of pediculosis is similar for different types of pathology. The main symptom is severe itching, which is caused by the saliva of the parasite. The presence of adult lice and nits confirms the diagnosis 100%. For any head lice:
- sores and purulent wounds appear at the site of scratching;
- dermatitis and eczema develop;
- in the event of a secondary infection, the temperature rises and regional lymph nodes become inflamed;
- sleep and psychological balance in the body are disturbed;
- Nervousness increases.
When localized in the head, the hair becomes dull and has tangles. When head lice is advanced, the temples and back of the head acquire a whitish tint due to heavy infestation of nits.
The pubic appearance is characterized by the same changes in the eyelashes and eyebrows. Small hairs become filled with eggs, stick together and gradually break without treatment. The patient's appearance becomes repulsive and unpleasant.
With a mixed type of pediculosis, clinical signs appear in a complex. Lice are found in the head, on the body, and in clothing. The pathogen can only be identified by examining the louse egg under a microscope.
Where do lice larvae come from?
Most often, lice are transmitted through close contact, during which the louse moves on to the next victim. The nit cannot move on its own, so this type of infection is less common. This can happen if you share a comb, a hat, a bobby pin, or a hair tie.
Under the age of 12, children are constantly in contact with peers, so the prevalence of head lice in children and adolescents is high. And if a disease is detected in one of the students, it is recommended that all his classmates, as well as their families, undergo treatment.
What threat do they pose?
The immature nits themselves do not pose a threat, with the exception of the unattractive appearance of the hair and white formations in it. But when the louse begins its parasitic life, symptoms appear that can significantly worsen the quality of everyday life. These symptoms include:
- almost constant itching of the scalp;
- infection of scratches and wounds, their infection and suppuration;
- sleep disturbance;
- inability to concentrate;
- irritability, nervousness.
Sometimes typhus or age-related typhus can become a complication of pediculosis. Infection of damaged skin after a louse bite, which is dangerous to health, occurs as a result of contact with the waste products of parasites, that is, with liquids and feces. The main unpleasant consequence of infestation with lice and nits is constant discomfort and apparently dirty hair.
Head louse under magnification
Prevention
First of all, you need to remember that there is no 100% guarantee against head lice. People of any age, gender and social status are susceptible to it.
A lousy person can be encountered in transport, in the office, and in the store. Infection can occur anywhere. However, if you take precautions, you can significantly reduce the risk of lice infection.
Prevention consists of a set of measures:
- Strict adherence to personal hygiene rules: regular washing of hair and body;
- In public places, it is important to maintain distance and avoid close skin-to-skin contact;
- You cannot use other people's clothes, jewelry and hats;
- It is important to change underwear daily and bed linen twice a week;
- By ironing and hot drying you can get rid of both the parasites themselves and the eggs;
- When visiting the pool, you must wear a swimming cap;
- It is important to explain to the child that you cannot give your personal belongings to others: a comb, clothes, hairpins, etc. Sometimes an ordinary sweater can become a carrier of lice.
- Girls with long hair should always wear their hair in ponytails or braids.
- Both parents and children need to carefully study information about head lice so that they know what to do in case of infection.
Important! At risk are people suffering from alcoholism and drug addiction, as well as homeless people.
How they appear on a person’s head
The most common way head lice occurs is through close contact with an infected person , as well as wearing hats of such a person or using his comb.
Close contact for the appearance of lice and nits is those actions of an infected and healthy person in which their heads touch. For example, children often play together, after which lice immediately spread throughout the entire group of children.
Nits cannot appear out of nowhere, as they are a consequence of lice infestation, which can only be transmitted from another person.
Also, even if one capsule gets on the head, which happens very rarely, the disease will not be able to develop, since there will simply be no conditions for reproduction.
Capsules appear on the hairline almost immediately after several lice get on it, as the process of reproduction begins.
Development with incomplete transformation
Lice are classified as blood-sucking lice with incomplete transformation. They do not have a larval stage as such.
Already two days after the last molt, adult individuals begin mating. A couple of hours after it, they already lay eggs. Since food (that is, a person with his blood) is always available to them, starvation does not occur and parasites develop quickly enough.
Development slows down only in cases:
- Temperature drops to 10 degrees and below;
- An increase in temperature of 44 degrees or higher;
- Skin that is unacceptable for the development of insects (for example, if you apply mayonnaise to your hair, it will slow down the vital processes of insects due to its viscosity and fat content).
Myth 2. Only unscrupulous people who rarely wash their hair are susceptible to lice. This is a false statement. You can get lice anywhere: in transport, at work, in kindergarten, school, etc. The source of infection is a sick person. Well-washed hair, on the contrary, is most acceptable to these parasites - it makes it easier for them to move around.
Photo of lice on the head
Description of the appearance and characteristics of nits in humans
To successfully get rid of lice, you need to know what nits look like on a person’s head.
Nits look like small translucent droplets or dots no larger than two millimeters in size.
Due to the ignorance of some people how to distinguish dandruff from nits, the disease becomes neglected. They are similar in itching and appearance. But there is still a difference. Dandruff flakes are flat, and lice eggs are round in shape. Dandruff is easily separated from the hair, but removing nits is difficult. By carefully looking at the color of lice eggs, you can distinguish them from dandruff.
By the appearance of the nits, you can easily determine whether larvae have hatched from them or not. If they are shiny, then the lice are inside the egg and that means they are alive. Dead nits have a matte appearance. If the eggs do not click when pressed, then they are empty. Living nits burst when pressed hard, producing a characteristic sound - a click.
It is also necessary to know the life expectancy of nits in order to choose the most effective methods for getting rid of lice. The life of a nit is short - only a week.
After this, the lice larvae hatch, and only after ten days do they reach sexual maturity. Then the lice begin to actively lay eggs. If you don’t know this, the fight against lice can drag on for many months.
Remedies for head lice
Knowing how to remove lice and nits, what methods and means are truly effective, you can get rid of “uninvited guests” in just two weeks.
Comb for combing out nits
A necessary tool for fighting nits is a special comb for combing them out. You can't do without it. This comb is sold separately in pharmacies or is included with medications for killing lice. To get rid of nits completely and without much harm to the hair, you need to constantly dip the comb in some vegetable oil during the combing process.
Medicines for lice
The choice of means for the treatment of pediculosis is quite wide. These can be pharmaceutical drugs and folk remedies, the most common of which are:
All these drugs should not be used once. After 10-14 days, the procedure must be repeated. This is necessary in order to destroy the lice that appear from the surviving nits.
Folk remedies for lice
Pharmacy drugs may not always be available, but folk remedies are always at hand. They also have a low price and have been tested by many generations of people.
To get rid of head lice, women can simply dye their hair with any dye, as long as it contains hydrogen peroxide. Read more about this procedure here.
A remedy such as dichlorvos for lice and nits has mostly positive reviews. It is capable of killing all small insects, including lice. But it cannot get rid of nits 100%; repeated application and mechanical combing will be required. Dichlorvos should be sprayed on damp hair, cover your head with a bag to prevent oxygen from entering, and put on a warm hat on top. Keep for no more than 30 minutes. Then wash off.
It must be remembered that dichlorvos is a toxic substance and it is advisable to use it outdoors or in a ventilated area to avoid intoxication.
If certain conditions are met, devices such as a hair dryer, curling iron, curling iron, straightener, or hair straightener can be used to get rid of parasites. Lice die at a temperature of 50-55°C; to destroy nits, higher temperatures are required, from 80°C. Any of these devices needs to process all the hair strand by strand, as close to the roots as possible. After this procedure, you can tell by the appearance of the nit whether it is alive or not. At high temperatures, nits will definitely die. But you will still have to comb out dead, dry nits.
Treatment
If signs of pediculosis appear, it is necessary to begin treatment. It is important to remember that parasites multiply at an incredible speed and every missed day of treatment will only complicate the situation.
Treatment methods are divided into three main groups:
Mechanical:
- haircut;
- combing;
- treatment with a hot iron or hair curling iron.
Chemical:
- Sprays;
- Ointments;
- Shampoos;
- Other pharmaceutical products.
Folk:
- Kerosene;
- Cranberry juice or vinegar;
- A mixture of mint infusion and pomegranate juice.
Attention! When using caustic substances such as vinegar or kerosene, it is necessary to check the scalp every half hour for burns or allergies.
At the first signs of them, you should immediately stop being treated with this method and buy a suitable pharmaceutical product!
Now readers know what lice head is, what causes it, what a lousy head looks like and what to choose for its treatment.
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Read further:
How to get rid of nits at home, traditional methods
Worms in an aquarium: what they look like, reasons for their appearance in fish, how to get rid of them
What lice and nits look like on human hair, in adults and children
Treatment of head lice and nits at home with folk remedies
Worms in the human body: in the intestines, liver, head, eyes and under the skin
How to get rid of lice and nits with vinegar at home: treatment methods
