Lice are probably the most famous parasites that feed on human blood. They can settle in the hair or on clothing. The disease associated with the appearance of lice is called pediculosis, and louse bites are an integral part of this pathology. It is worth noting that the place where this parasite has stuck, then heals and itches for a long time, so you need to know how to deal with lice and relieve symptoms.
Head lice
Most often, a person has a head louse, which feels great in the hair. Also, a head louse can live in a thick beard or mustache of men.
There's a female and lays her eggs. They are attached near the hair roots, but at a safe distance. For extra protection, eggs are covered with white bloom. They are also called nits.
How do you get head lice:
- upon contact with an infected,
- through the patient’s personal belongings, such as a hat, towel, or pillowcase,
- when swimming in the same pool or in a pond with a louse peddler,
- when using shared bedding.
The risk of becoming infected is much higher in crowded places.
It is worth noting that lice bites on the head are more common in children. After a lesion, the skin is covered with bright red spots that itch. It is also possible the development and a strong allergic reaction.
If there are a lot of lice in the head, red spots can take on a blue tint. This form of pediculosis is considered very dangerous.
Linen louse bites
The second most common. Linen or clothes louse. The bites of this parasite are also quite dangerous for the human body.
The affected place is very itchy. Sometimes a person simply cannot control the process of combing, therefore, in the future, deep and non-healing wounds appear at the site of bites. Also found and forms with ulcers.
However, this is not the only danger that a lice bite can pose. Sometimes these parasites are carriers of typhoid and fever. At the same time, the risk of infection increases with the active combing of bites. Particles of dangerous parasites fall into deep wounds.
It happens that a person for a long time does not even notice the existence of body lice on his body. This happens only with those patients whose skin sensitivity is below normal. And only after the bite of the laundry lice is covered with blue bloom, and the insects have already multiplied to the size of the army, does a person start a fight with pediculosis.
It is worth noting that this pathology is treated at any stage, however, when the patient is running, it is necessary for the patient to undergo a full examination in order to ensure that the body is not affected by the active development of the parasites.
Pubic lice. A big problem
Lice bites on a person can appear almost anywhere, including in the intimate area, as well as in the armpits. Parasites that live and breed in these places are called pubic.
The symptoms of pubic lice are as follows:
- red small spots on underwear,
- nits found in pubic hair,
- persistent itching in the intimate area,
- swelling of the skin in the pubis or armpits.
It is worth noting that sometimes pubic lice crawl on a person's eyelashes. In this case, pediculosis can already harm a person's vision, since constant scratching of the skin in the eye area can lead, for example, to the formation of conjunctivitis.
What is moose louse?
Moose louse is a small insect that is not particularly known among the population. In fact, many met this bug, but confused it, for example, with a tick. They are especially numerous in forest areas. There they make their way into the hair of a person, bite through the scalp and drink blood.
When a man after a hike in the forest finds lice bites on the body, or rather, on the scalp, most likely, he suffered precisely from such an insect.
However, doctors strongly advise that if such a louse is found, do not panic and do not run to the clinic to receive specialized care. Moose lice are absolutely not interested in people. They more often live on the body of elks, whence they received their scientific name “elk bloodsucker”. In the human hair, they appear completely random and do not multiply in such an environment.
Are elk lice bites dangerous?
But if the bloodsucker did end up in the human hair and bit it? What to do? A question arises whether elk lice bite is dangerous? What is it fraught with?
From a medical point of view, not a single disease was recorded that could be transmitted from the bite of the elk kreiososki. But these bugs can deliver a very unpleasant feeling to a person. The lesion site may hurt and itch for a long time. Also likely to appear redness and swelling.
In this case, the person can provide first aid by taking an antihistamine and use a soothing gel.
Also, doctors recommend defending themselves in forests from elk lice with headgear, since the insect most often jumps to this area.
How does a louse bite? Process
So, how the lice bites look, has already been disassembled. But with what help does this parasite do it?
When it enters the hairy part of the body, the louse is wielded with sharp stylets that are located around its mouth. It is worth noting that fleas have the same stilettos, therefore they are often confused by bites.
Next, the louse begins to advance into the deeper layers of the skin until it reaches the blood vessel. That is why when considering lice, often her body is in an upright position, and the head is completely sunk into the skin.
Simultaneously with the bite, the parasite injects a special enzyme into the blood. He does not let her curl up quickly.
Allergies to the bite of the parasite, in principle, does not occur. Itching and inflammation can occur precisely because of the injected enzyme, which is a foreign body for the human body.
For a person, the bite of an adult louse is much more dangerous, although the larvae can also damage the skin. The fact is that in the saliva of the larvae there is very little of the same enzyme, therefore, their bites are almost imperceptible.
As for the nits, they are completely devoid of sharp stiletto, so they can not bite. However, patients with pediculosis often complain of itching, which is caused by nits.
First aid for bites
Find parasites on the human body is not so difficult. One has only to remember that lice live and multiply on the hairy parts of the human body.
A bit more complicated things are with the lice bites. In this case, you should, first of all, examine the clothes of a person. Most often, the larvae and nits can be found in the folds of the fabric and immediately after detection, proceed to the first security measures.
A person and without medical care is able to handle the lice bites himself, thus providing first aid. What is recommended to do:
- first you need to thoroughly wash the affected surface with soap and water,
- then the surface must be decontaminated and dried. It is recommended to make propolis tincture, but in its absence any alcohol-containing liquid will be suitable, for example, medical alcohol, vodka, etc.,
- for removing unpleasant sensations, bites can be treated with "Rescuer" or "Fenistil". Also, itching perfectly remove menthol-based ointment.
If an allergic reaction occurs, it is advisable to consult a doctor, and before that take a suitable antihistamine.
Drug treatment
The treatment of lice with drugs is indicated only if the patient has experienced a severe form of the disease.
Specialist help is needed if a patient has a high fever from biting lice, has headaches or nausea.
Most often, dermatologists prescribe such drugs:
- hydrogen peroxide to treat lesions. It dries bleeding wounds, speeds up healing and eliminates the risk of infection,
- Balsam "Rescuer", which perfectly eliminates itchy skin,
- hydrocortisone.
Also, the doctor must explain to the patient that head lice is a contagious disease. Throughout the treatment, it is recommended to limit contact with family members and comply with basic personal hygiene standards.
Preventive measures
To protect yourself from biting lice, it is recommended to carry out prevention, in which there is nothing difficult:
- do not use someone else's underwear and bedding,
- it is recommended to take a shower every day and wear clean clothes every day,
- after returning from the trip, the head and other hairy parts of the body should be carefully examined,
- Things need to be washed and ironed,
- keep clean and tidy the house.
Such simple preventive measures can protect both children and adults from lice.
Lice bites and their consequences
The jaws of the lice are similar to peculiar stilettos located on both sides of the oral cavity. When a louse bites with sharp jaws, it pierces a person’s skin down to a blood vessel and immediately begins to suck blood. During this process, it slightly raises the back of the body, and the head tries to plunge deeper into the body of the host. The louse injects saliva into the wound, which forms in its salivary canal and contains a special enzyme that prevents blood from clotting. This enzyme acts on the nerve endings located at the site of the bite, which ultimately causes a person to redness and itch.
If you observe the process of feeding your lice, you can see through the translucent body of the insect how it fills with blood.
The bite site has a slight swollen redness that begins to itch violently. Sometimes you can even consider a specific point of injection, in which a dried drop of blood remains for several hours.
In one meal, the insect sucks out about 0.5 ml of blood. In a day one louse makes 4-6 punctures.
If there are few lice, their bites are almost invisible. But if these insects are significantly larger, then in some places the appearance of large areas of skin lesions, framed with bluish spots, is likely. In the advanced case, lice bites can cause a severe allergic reaction, which is characterized by rashes, a sharp increase in temperature, swelling of tissues, an increase in lymph nodes.
Some mistakenly believe that not only lice bite, but also nits, but this is not so. Nits are just parasite eggs with a particularly durable sheath, with which they are securely attached to the hair of the host. On the head, they are more noticeable than lice, but do not have vigorous activity.
How to distinguish a louse bite from the bite of another blood-sucking insect
A distinctive feature of lice bites is their relative painlessness and they begin to be clearly felt only some time after the parasite leaves its feeding site.
The same flea bite resembles a prick with a needle, which is more noticeable for a person. And with ticks, it is also quite difficult to confuse the lice. At the site of the tick bite appears solid bump of considerable size. Also important is the fact that a tick can suck blood for several hours or days, and a couple of minutes is enough for lice.
Most lice bites are like mosquito bites, only after it is almost impossible to see the trail of a mosquito bite, because it has a too thin proboscis. But with a louse bite does not make a mistake - a blue stain appears around it.
Unfortunately, the painlessness of the bites has negative consequences. Insensitive people, the first bites may be completely invisible, so the symptoms of lice will become apparent only at a late stage of infection. And by this time the parasitic insects will have time to multiply significantly and infect other people in contact with the lousy man.
Human lice morphotypes
On the human body lice live exclusively in hairy areas. There are two independent morphotypes of human lice - pubic and head parasites. Their difference is due to parasitism on different types of hair. In turn, head lice have a subtype - wardrobe, underwear or clothing lice. Interestingly, head and body louses, when changing habitat, can change. These two morphotypes were divided not so long ago, and the head louse, dwelling in the seams of human clothing, after a few generations begins to resemble a wardrobe.
Pubic louse lives in the hair in the pubic zone or, in some cases, in the armpits. This insect looks very peculiar - it has powerful long legs and a short torso. It is believed that the most unpleasant sensations from the bites of pubic lice and their host, they deliver permanent discomfort.
Fortunately, many experts believe that pubic lice will soon become an endangered species, as people’s health conditions become better even in poor countries.
Head louse lives in hair, mustache and beard. It is less dangerous than the ward, because it is practically not a carrier of typhus, but it still poses a threat of lice.
As for body lice, they look similar to head lice, but differ from the latter way of life. Most of their lives they spend in the folds of clothes, there they lay eggs. They move to the owner's body only to be filled with blood, so their bites are located on the trajectory of their route.
Linen lice appear only in those people who do not take off their clothes for a long time and do not change their clothes.
What is the danger of lice
What are dangerous lice? These parasites can be potential carriers of pathogens of dangerous diseases, so the sooner they are detected and identified, the better.
For example, in the body of lice can live bacteria - rickettsia - which are carriers of a large number of similar diseases. After being bitten by a louse, a person can become infected with typhoid fever or typhus. Infection usually occurs when scratching the bite site, when the insect is crushed, and their insides fall into a bloody wound. Also, scratching an itchy spot can lead to wound decay and pyoderma.
According to historians, more people were killed by battles and battles during the war of 1812 and into the First World by portable lice typhoid fever.
And today, pubic lice are rarely carriers of dangerous diseases, but the risk exists, so the problem of infection must be given serious attention. As a rule, people in African countries are suffering, since the main cause of lice is the failure to follow basic sanitary and hygienic rules. However, the possibility of lice infestation in crowded places, or in premises where preventive and disinfectant measures are not carried out properly, is not excluded.
How to treat lice bites
If the louse bite is solitary, then it does not need treatment and passes itself after a few days. If infection with lice has taken a serious form, then the consequences can be eliminated with the help of ordinary pharmaceutical means, for example, with hydrogen peroxide. Her affected skin is disinfected before the wound has healed.
Also a good remedy is hydrocortisone ointment, which prevents the development of allergic rashes.
If lice bites caused an allergic reaction, you can treat them with Menovazin, Gold Star balms or Lifeguard balms. They will help reduce itching and rash sizes.
If there are pustules on the body, it is useless to engage in self-treatment, and an urgent need to consult a doctor.
Today, there are many drugs on the market that can effectively destroy parasites. But this is not enough: for the final deliverance from dead lice, and from traces of their vital activity, you must carefully comb the hair with a comb. Many preparations for pediculosis can be purchased without a prescription, but prior to use, it is imperative to examine the composition and instructions, since there may be preparations containing pesticides.
In addition, to get rid of lice, additional measures are needed - to review all the clothes in order to study the folds and seams and get rid of the one where lice and nits will be found.
How to get rid of lice methods of traditional medicine
The safest treatment methods are using herbal, mineral, and essential oils. They cover the insect's body with a thin film, the spiracles are blocked, and the parasite dies from suffocation. In addition, the oils take care of hair and skin, do not penetrate the circulatory system and are completely safe even for a small child.
The application uses the essential oils of tea tree, clove, eucalyptus, orange, juniper, rosemary, lavender. The antibacterial properties of the oils prevent the infection from penetrating into the wound from the bite, have a repellent effect, restore the epidermis.
Oils can be combined with each other, and with alcohol-containing liquids, for example, with alcohol, brandy or vodka. They promote the penetration of bioactive substances into the skin and dissolve the sticky substance with which the nits hold onto the hair.
Other acidic substances are also effective:
- pickled vegetables pickle,
- acids contained in the juice of berries and fruits
- various organic acids, such as citric, acetic, tartaric, malic.
Thanks to the acid, the process of combing parasites is simplified, since it damages the chitin of an adult louse and the shell of the egg, thereby destroying the insect at any stage of its life activity.
Also used decoctions of plants such as bird cherry, eucalyptus, lavender, wild rosemary, wormwood, celandine, tansy.
The combination of folk remedies and pharmacy increases the efficiency of processing.
You can use more aggressive substances - Dustov soap, turpentine, gasoline or kerosene, but these funds can cause an allergic reaction, damage the hair and skin, so they are used in extreme cases.
How biting lice and why they drink blood
Lice are the most common human ectoparasites, although they also live on several species of related animals. Parasites have special mouthparts that allow you to pierce the skin and suck blood. They live on the hairy parts of the body or in the clothing of their natural wool, and feed exclusively on blood. Parasites are attached with the help of three pairs of tenacious and stable legs, equipped with large and bent claws.
Lice are the most common type of carnivorous insects. Their presence is classified as a disease called pediculosis. The disease, like its predecessors, is spread around the globe. A person is not a carrier of one, but as many as three types of lice, so questions often arise about how the bites look and how to distinguish them.
Lice are transmitted from person to person through close contact. Children are a big risk group. Also, lice can appear on the body if the elementary rules of hygiene are not followed.
Note, In medical practice, there have been many cases of pediculosis that has arisen on the nervous system (after a nervous breakdown, psychological overstrain, diseases of the central nervous system). Can get lice in a person on a nervous basis, read on our website.
What feels sick
In the process of feeding, the louse pierces the skin and sucks blood from the vessel, which was quickly reached. In this case, the parasite tries to immerse the head as deep as possible into the skin. Through the salivary canal the insect injects an enzyme into the wound, which prevents blood from clotting. The enzyme acts on the nerve endings. For this reason, lice bites are not too noticeable.
People with less sensitive skin may not feel bites at all. But later they feel a strong itch, which only intensifies when combing. Unlike adult parasites, nits do not bite, as it is lice eggs in a protective shell.
Infection with chicken mite leads to a massive poultry flock and a decrease in egg production. How to deal with this scourge, read here.
Flax pests are very vile insects. Read more about them at http://stopvreditel.ru/rastenij/selxoz/vrediteli-lna.html link.
How dangerous is it
Any disease while ignoring is fraught with complications. If the symptoms of lice remain unnoticed, the effects of the bites are as follows:
- purulent skin lesions and mats in the hair due to the large number of nits,
- nervousness against the background of constant itching
- insomnia and anxiety.
With timely treatment to the effects of this matter usually does not reach. Launched forms of pediculosis are characteristic of the homeless.
Itching in the hair part should be alerted. Incomprehensible chaotically located spots on the body also indicate the bites of linen lice. This means that measures should be taken immediately to avoid nervous breakdowns, insomnia and other consequences.
What are dangerous lice?
First of all, note the increasing discomfort that appears in the conditions of regular bites of blood-sucking insects. The louse can live on one of the body parts (underwear, pubic) or populates the hair (head). There is the most severe damage to the skin. Constant itching interferes with sleep, provokes changes in behavior: a person becomes irritable, nervous.
Gradually wounds appear, as bites are combed. In these places increases the risk of inflammatory processes. The condition of the skin worsens if a clothes louse attacks, and the hair when the head parasite has become infected.
It must also be remembered that the bite of a blood-sucking insect can cause the development of serious diseases: typhus, fever. This is because the louse is a carrier of various infections.
What do bites look like?
The result of contact with lice are local reddening of the skin on different parts of the body and head. To destroy pests, you should learn how to bite lice. In general, the affected skin looks the same as in the case of contact with other insects: red spots appear with a lingering center, itching. In the case of multiple attacks, the bites become larger, as a result, the skin acquires a light bluish tint.
Asking how bite lice bite, you should know that the appearance of pimples no more than 2-4 mm in diameter is typical for such insects. They are located throughout the body, except for the hairy areas. However, more often underwear parasites affect the skin on the abdomen, shoulders, buttocks. Given the localization of the bites, it is often the wrong assumption that other insects have attacked or so irritated the body.
Bites of lice after some time become quite painful and cause severe itching.
Against the background of high sensitivity of the host organism, a serious allergic reaction develops: swelling, extensive reddening appear. Pubic lice colonize the areas around the anus, genitals (pubis), much less often - the armpits, eyebrows, eyelashes. In these places bites will be found - red spots. Given the small size of the pubic lice, no significant traces remain of the proboscis in the form of the point where it is inserted, such as, for example, in the case of underwear or head brothers.
When combing, a crust is formed. It should be noted that the bite of lice appears in no particular order.
When biting blood-sucking parasites, the affected areas are often inflamed. Lice bites on the head with a weak infection is difficult to notice, however, if the number of pests increases, redness becomes extensive and goes beyond the hairy area.
When combing, a crust is formed. It should be noted that the bite of lice appears in no particular order. When attacking a large number of pests, the red dots are arranged chaotically.
Do they bite nits?
If you know exactly what it looks like and what is the younger generation of lice, you can correctly answer this question. So, nits are parasite eggs covered with a shelf protective sheath. This means that inside there is an underdeveloped parasite, which has not yet formed an oral apparatus to harm a person.
Lice bites look like small red slightly swollen specks, sometimes you can consider the puncture point of the skin
Asking whether nits bite can be answered negatively - louse at this stage of development is not capable of harming people. This assumption appears due to the large number of dry shells on the scalp. As a result, it seems that the louse in the form of nits regularly bites a person, which is completely wrong.
What are the symptoms, and what does the patient feel?
Common signs for different types of blood-sucking parasites:
- Intense itching
- Redness on the body - bite marks
- On the hair found nits.
But lice bites on the head and pubis are characterized by another common symptom - the condition of the hair worsens, they stick together. However, this happens with a strong infection, when there are too many pests, and in addition a person ignores the rules of hygiene - he does not wash his head and body.
Then the so-called mats are formed. This is the result of the work of the sebaceous and sweat glands of the head, but there is another factor - the gluing secret that provides attachment of nits to the hair, and the waste products of insects that bite a person.
If there are only a few biting parasites, then a person may not even pay attention to itching.
The patient feels severe itching when he is bitten by a louse. If wounds appear, pain is also added. An allergic reaction is manifested by edema, which impairs the quality of life and is dangerous. Intense itching interferes with sleep, a person becomes irritable.
Differences Between Lice Bites And Other Pests
Offhand, it is usually difficult to say exactly who attacked a person. The bite of the lice on the head and the pubis has the main distinguishing feature - red dots appear regularly. Other pests do not have the ability to constantly return to the hairy areas of the body. This is due to the peculiarities of the structure of the body - only lice have special hook-like growths on the legs to move through the hair.
The lice bites have a main distinguishing feature - they are arranged randomly
If the lice bites on the head can be distinguished by their localization, then upon contact with laundry pests remain traces similar to other insects: red dots of approximately the same size. Moreover, the skin is affected in the same places: on the stomach, buttocks, shoulders, back, arms. However, the bites of linen lice have a major distinguishing feature - they are located chaotically. But the bug bites so that as a result a chain of several points forms on the body.
This is interesting: Detailed photo of louse bites
How to treat bites and relieve pain?
First of all, you need to start a fight with lice. Linen individuals are found on the seams of clothing, the head - on the hair, pubic - in the groin. If lice bite a lot and often, and the body’s reaction is rather serious, the affected areas are treated with:
- Soap and water
- Alcohol-containing solutions, especially recommended for this purpose tincture of propolis on alcohol
- Symptoms in inflammatory processes relieves Fenistil gel, ointment Rescuer, suitable and well-known means - Asterisk
- If allergies develop, bites on the body are treated with Menovazin.
The more the lice or other lice bite, the stronger the intensity of the symptoms. If there are signs: nausea, headache, fever, you should consult a doctor.
To relieve the symptoms of an allergic reaction when biting underwear or other types of lice, you can use antihistamines: Loratadine, Diazolin. However, you should not take them yourself. The doctor will prescribe the required dosage.
Why do lice infect human scalp?
Lice are blood sucking parasites which live exclusively on the human body. They are of several types: head, pubic and linen.
Head lice live on the hair of the human head. First of all, the parasites colonize the occipital and temporal part of the head, then, when the insect population increases, they spread to the crown and bangs.
Lice feed exclusively on human blood.. Therefore, for these insects, neither purity, nor length, nor color, nor the naturalness of the hair are important (lice affect both colored and natural hair), the most important value for them is blood vessels.
And the hair is used as a way to move, hold on the head and for breeding (the nits are attached to the hair shaft).
When to bite?
Pediculosis is transmitted solely by contact, that is, from one person to another.
Parasites can get on the head of a new victim also through everyday objects: a hairbrush, hair tie, headdress, towel or bed linen.
Adults need constant nutrition, in one day they eat about 4-6 times.
Without food, a louse can live up to two days in search of a new prey, but at the same time the insect, even being very hungry, will not drink the blood of the animal. Therefore, cats, dogs and other animals are not carriers of head lice.
As soon as the insect gets on the head of hair of the new victim, within 2-4 first hours of stay, the louse will surely make the first prokus scalp to refresh itself.
Every prokus is accompanied by itching, but with single bites, the person does not pay attention to them. When the insect population increases, and the bites become numerous, itching of the scalp and irritation become simply unbearable. In this situation, it is no longer possible to ignore them and the person begins to take measures to expel the parasites.
What happens during a bite?
The jaw of the louse has the shape of an acute and thin stylet, therefore the process of a bite for a person passes without pain. The jaws surround the salivary canal and the entire mouth of the insect; therefore, after a puncture, the insect sucks blood and prevents it from flowing out. After the bite of the louse, there is no bruising.
Lice bite can be described in detail as follows:
- Insect pierces the skin with its jaws.
- Finds the nearest blood vessel and starts to drink blood from it.
- While sucking blood, the louse tries to keep its head as close as possible to the site of the bite, therefore its rear part of the body involuntarily rises.
- When piercing the skin with its jaws, the insect injects a small amount of saliva into the wound. Such a manipulation does not allow blood to coagulate quickly, and the insect can be satiated in full.
It is this enzyme that provokes severe itching and irritation of the human scalp, after a louse bite.
What do the foci look like visually?
It is almost impossible to notice single bites of parasites, they become most pronounced with a large insect population.
Signs of a fresh bite:
- A very small red spot with a slight bulge (as if swollen).
- Coagulated blood is noticeable at the progus site; in an hour the blood is absorbed and becomes visually imperceptible.
- Short-term itching (no more than 10 minutes).
Numerous bites:
- At the initial stage, they visually resemble a small rash, very similar to an allergic reaction or dermatitis.
- Persistent severe itching, acquiring a chronic form.
- As the pediculosis is neglected, the bite spots unite into large spots.
- With constant scratching of these spots, the skin is injured, wounds appear.
- Through scratches and open wounds, an infection gets, suppurations, acne and boils are formed.
- A large accumulation of pustules can be crusted. This complication provokes hair loss and requires long-term medical treatment.
Prevention of pediculosis infection
High risk of lice infestation appears in the summer time. This is due to the fact that the most favorable temperature for the reproduction of parasites should be at least 30 degrees. Therefore, the simplest rules of personal hygiene and precaution should not be neglected:
- Do not use other people's hairbrushes, hair objects, hats, towels and bed linen.
- In places of large crowds of people to collect hair in a tight hairstyle. It is harder for parasites to catch their hair tightly packed than loose hair.
- In public transport and public places do not touch the head with high head restraints. Lice can live on any surface without food for up to two days in search of a new victim.
- Always avoid close contact with strangers, especially head to head.
Detecting lice only after bite marks on the scalp is very problematic, especially at the initial stage of infection. But due to its distinctive features, it is possible to accurately diagnose and time to start treatment.
Food insects
The source of replenishment of vital stocks for lice species is human blood. The adult individual feeds 4 times per day. Each procedure lasts at least 5 minutes. At one time the insect drinks about 5 ml of blood.
Food in the life of insects plays an extremely important role. Without blood, the female can not breed, lay eggs. Nymphs stop developing, do not go to the next stage.
Parasites live in a colony, but do not differ coordinated actions. Eat in scatter. With a strong infection, the discomfort is constantly present. Nymphs drink less blood at one meal, but make attempts to get food more.
- body size not more than 4 mm,
- elongated body,
- the color is light, varies with hair color, as well as food,
- translucent chitinous cover shines through the insides,
- parasites on the head, with a strong infection - on the beard, mustache, eyebrows.
Full louse increases in size, has a rounded body, the color with a red shimmer.
Body lice are parasitic on the body. However, they live outside it. Lay eggs in folds, seams, bedding, clothes, underwear. Biting the human body is crawled up to 4 times a day. Parasitic everywhere except the head. The structure of hairs does not play a role, and whether they are on the body.
Pubic louses settle in the intimate area. The female clings to the hairs, after a while she makes her way to the body, practically merges with the skin in color. Individual size not more than 3 mm. Outwardly, it looks more like a bed bug or a little crab. With a strong infection, the pubic louses settle on the genitals, the area of the anus, pubis, abdomen, chest, eyelashes, in the armpit. On the head, pubic lice do not live.
Bite process
Parasite bite process
During feeding, the insect lifts the body to the top, penetrates the head, as deep as possible into the human body. At the end of the diet, the blood continues to flow for some time. And at the site of lice bites remain characteristic marks.
Some people are interested in the question of whether the nits bite. By nits they mean the larva, which is inside the egg, under the dense shell. It does not have the ability to go outside, it feeds on the substance left in the egg. After 2 weeks is shown out. But this is not a nit, but a nymph of the first age. It differs from an adult individual in body size and color. Immediately proceeds to parasitism.
Features bites with pediculosis
Lice bite looks like most of the many traces that blood-sucking insects leave. In the warm season, body lice bites are confused with mosquitoes, fleas. It is difficult to distinguish even with careful inspection.
Lice bites on the head are the main symptom of head lice. Upon detection of damaged areas suspicion immediately falls on these parasites.
In the cold season, lice bites on a person can be confused with bed bugs. It is necessary to pay attention not to the bite itself, but its location:
- Bedbugs always leave a path with a pair of punctures. They bite mainly on shoulders, arms, legs, neck, back.
- Lice bite looks a little different. There are traces of damage to the skin randomly. In contrast to bed bugs, the stomach and face are still suffering if it is the bites of laundry lice.
Where to look for clues - signs of pediculosis
Head louse bites remain on the scalp, behind the ears, on the neck. A photo of head lice bites is presented below. With a moderate degree of infection, red spots remain with a slight swelling. Centered gore. Since there is severe itching after lice bites, scratches, sores, and wounds appear on the head.
Head lice bites
Head lice bites can not be confused with other insects, so you can immediately begin to treat pediculosis.
Body lice bites remain on different parts of the body. It is important to determine who has to deal with in order to find effective methods of struggle. Photos of lice bites can be seen below. Characteristics:
- there are red spots, swelling, inflammation,
- in the center of the pimple is a dark spot of dried blood,
- in contrast to bedbug bites, fleas, mosquitoes has a slight swelling,
- there are lice bites in the range,
- With a strong infection, a lot of small spots appear, the entire body can bite,
- detect easily in bed, clothes.
Linen louse bites
Danger of pediculosis
Lice bites provide a lot of inconvenience, discomfort.
- The affected places itch a lot. Itching intensifies at night, because at this time parasites activate the activity.
- A person suffers from insomnia, working capacity decreases, drowsiness appears during the daytime, and headache. Constant itching does not concentrate, irritates the nervous system. Embarrassing others.
- Scratches leave scratches, infection gets into the wounds. Ulcers, seals appear. Attaching a secondary infection is dangerous by the development of other dermatological diseases.
- A substance that injects lice into the human body, provokes a strong allergic reaction. Manifested unbearable itching, redness, burning, rash. If a person has a tendency to allergies, the situation requires immediate treatment. Prescribe antihistamines, antiallergic drugs.
A louse bite is dangerous by the development of dangerous diseases. Insects are the causative agents of typhoid fever. If after bites there is a general weakness, malaise, the body temperature rises, it is urgent to seek help from specialists.
Therapy of linen pediculosis is carried out a little differently. The main effort is directed to the processing of bedding, things. Wash at high temperature, subjected to chemical treatment. Take a shower with tar soap or a special shampoo that contains insecticides for lice.
Pubic lice is the easiest to treat. It is necessary to shave the pubic hair, genitals. Treat the bites with alcohol. Or apply a special tool, wash off after the time specified in the instructions. Wash clothes, bedding, underwear.
In each case, carry out pest control in the house. The bites themselves can be treated with Asterisk balm, Bepanten, Fenistil gel, calendula tincture.
What do lice bites look like
Each type of louse has its own characteristics, and, accordingly, their bites differ from each other. There are three types of bites from three types of lice:
- Head lice - pediculosis. This louse lives in the scalp, and in men it can move to a beard and mustache, if there are any. The bites of such lice are concentrated between the hair, often appearing behind the ears and behind the neck at the end of hair growth. At first the spots are small and they are often confused with ordinary redness or allergies. When the bites become larger, the spots may merge and become bluish.
- Cootie. In the people such louses are called bed or fabric. Their bites are often mistaken for the bites of fleas and bedbugs that live in bedding and clothes. These parasites live exclusively in natural tissues (bedding, clothes, towels) and are able to bite the whole body at the slightest contact. Such lice bite once every 4 hours, so you can notice bites in the morning or by wearing certain clothes. The wounds are dotted, they are evenly distributed throughout the body in small pink foci.
- Polythyroidism or pubic louse. This type of lice lives in the pubis, in the intimate parts of the body, less often they can be observed in the armpits, if there is hair. Oddly enough, but most often carry a similar disease men. This is the smallest type of lice and it is very difficult to detect them at first. Very often, pubic lice are confused with any infectious disease, as there is a severe itching in the genital area. The bites of such lice are very pronounced and noticeable, as the skin in those places is particularly sensitive. When pressed, the spots do not disappear.
If you feel an unpleasant itching and tingling, and pink and bluish spots are visible on the skin, most likely it is lice. To examine a louse, it is enough to use a magnifying glass. If after washing your hair or during the night the itch has not passed, you should visit a doctor.
If we talk about the symptoms, then they are nothing special and do not differ and are characteristic of all parasitic diseases in this way:
- Redness. The first sign of pediculosis is the appearance of red specks of small sizes, which at first are not accompanied by anything. Very often, people are not even aware of the presence of parasites on their bodies, referring to the fact that the spots were formed as a result of skin debating, excessive sweating, or food allergies.
- Itching. Lice feed exclusively on the blood of their host, on which they parasitize, and for this they have to bite through the skin. While the louse is small, the itch is almost imperceptible, but after only 2-3 days, the itch becomes unbearable.
- Bite marks. If time does not identify the problem and do not start treatment, the skin is covered with visible wounds. When a bite of several lice in one place, stagnation of blood in the subcutaneous tissue, it is poorly folded and a small bruise appears. Thus, on the body you can see small wounds with baked blood of a blue hue.
- Nits. Lice tend to multiply and lay small black larvae, covered with a white capsule - nits. They are very firmly fixed at the roots of the hair and it is almost impossible to wash them. You must use a special brush for combing. How to distinguish dandruff from nits, read our website.
- The deterioration of the hair. Each time, biting the skin, microcirculation of blood in the upper layers of the epidermis is disturbed, the blood flow worsens. This deprives the hair of good nutrition, hair follicles become weak, begin to come to the surface, and the hair falls out actively.
Interesting fact: Lice do not start in dyed hair. Naturally, parasites can migrate to such hair, but for a long time they will not linger there. Thioglycol Amonia, which is part of all paints, has a detrimental effect on insects. But it is worth remembering that staining for head lice should not be used as a medicine. If the paint gets on the open wounds of the head, it is possible to get severe chemical burns and cause allergies.
Danger of bites
Firstly, The danger of lice bites is characterized by the symptoms of the disease itself. Itching, burning, pain when touching the damaged place create tremendous discomfort. A person loses social adaptation, since treatment requires isolation in order not to infect others.
It is most difficult to move pediculosis to small children under the age of 5 years. During this period, they experience serious changes in the immune system, and the overall body temperature rises. Toddlers are not able to control itching and comb wounds to the blood.
Both in children and adults, the nervous system is visibly disturbed, irritability appears, sleep worsens, and even its complete loss. With a massive lesion, you can observe serious allergic reactions, rashes all over the body, swelling of soft tissues and a significant increase in lymph nodes.
There are also complications of pediculosis - pyoderma. This term refers to purulent damage to the skin when a hard crust forms on the skin after bites, and a purulent abscess occurs beneath it.
Of course, all these complications and inconveniences are nothing compared to the real problems that unexpected guests can cause. Lice are carriers of such serious diseases as typhoid (sypha and return) and Volyn fever. All diseases are infectious in nature and can cause serious complications. The danger of lice, what the consequences may be from pediculosis, you can read on our website.
Processing bites
Naturally that without special pharmaceutical preparations, treatment of pediculosis is not complete.
But if you suddenly find lice and bites on your body, it is necessary to provide first aid as soon as possible. For this you need:
- Prepare a soap solution. It is recommended to use tar or laundry soap.
- In order to avoid possible infection, it is necessary to sanitize the wounds with alcohol or any alcohol-containing solution (calendula, vodka, tincture tin).
- Inflamed areas should be lubricated with a soothing gel. This may be the Rescuer, Fenistil, Alfoderm. If there are none, you can use an ordinary ointment Asterisk.
- If an allergic reaction occurs and the spots spread throughout the body, the sores should be wetted with a solution of menovazin.
- At high temperatures, general weakness and nausea in children, the bites are treated with hydrogen peroxide.
All this means first aid that helps get rid of unpleasant symptoms and easier to transfer the disease. To find the best way to remove lice, you need to consult a doctor. Among the drugs for the treatment of pediculosis, most often used Nittifor, Pair Plus, Medifox. The doctor will be able to determine the severity of the lesion and select an effective course of treatment.
What is important to know about pediculosis:
Useful videos
How to remove head lice.
Ward lice (lice): definition, infection, symptoms, treatment, treatment of linen.
Head lice
The head species of parasites lives in the hair part of the head. It is easiest to find them in the temporal and occipital parts. Head lice bites are among the hair, but can appear behind the ears and on the neck. If the number of wounds is large, then they can merge into bluish spots.
Pests nimbly hide among hair, but their eggs are striking.Therefore, patients with pediculosis are often interested in whether nits bite. It seems to them that itchy eggs cause lice, which are attached to the hair shaft.
Itching causes a special enzyme that the louse injects into the wound when it is bitten. It prevents blood from clotting and irritates the nerves in the skin. The saliva of the larvae contains less of this enzyme, so nymph bites do not blush so much and itch.
My son had small wounds behind his ears. I immediately examined the child's hair and found lice and nits. The pediatrician said that there could be more insects in her hair and prescribed an antiparasitic agent. But my child is allergic, so she did not take risks and simply cut her boy "to zero."
Photos of lice bites on the head show what wounds insects leave. They have the appearance of small red spots with traces of dried blood. Sometimes pus starts to stand out from them, which entangles hair and forms a crust. Such wounds itch more and heal longer.
Body lice
Biting lice is often confused with bedbug bites or flea bites. Parasites live on clothes and can bite the whole body. This species is derived from head lice. He adapted to live in the seams of clothing. There he lays his eggs. Bite the human body pest can every four hours. These wounds itch much and interfere with sleep.
In 1909, Charles Nicole found out that a clothes louse is a carrier of typhus.
Pediculosis causes:
- blistering, boils, papules,
- the occurrence of skin hardening,
- the appearance of age spots.
To understand what happened parasitic infection, it is worth looking at the photo of lice bites. You can see that the wounds are mostly located where the clothes are close to the body:
- armpits,
- sides,
- arms,
- lower legs.
In chronic disease, the entire body is covered with painful sores. The skin turns red and begins to peel off. Such pediculosis was called the "disease of vagrants." With a serious infection by blood-suckers, the human body adapts to linen lice and the place of bites ceases to cause great anxiety. But the skin does not become healthy.
The wardrobe look does not settle on wool, silk, and synthetics. Pests prefer to dwell on cotton and flax. Therefore, linen, sewn from these fabrics, needs washing at high temperatures and ironing.
Lice bites on the body can merge into large bluish spots, but they will not be on the head. A clothes louse cannot bite the skin in the hair.
Pubic louse or ploshchitsa settles on the pubis and in the armpits. The parasite is attached to the base of the hair and almost does not move. Pubic lice bites look like small bluish specks and cause unbearable itching.
The pubic appearance is not adapted for life on the hair part of the head. His legs are such that they can cling to the hair, which has a triangular cross-section.
The symptom of severe ploshchitsy infection is the appearance of traces in the lower abdomen and buttocks. On underwear you can see brown spots - these are traces of pest activity.
Phthyriasis is not easy to detect. The parasite is small and hides at the very base of the hair. But after feeding, the louse acquires a brighter color and impersonates itself. Pubic pediculosis is often confused with a genital infection, because in both cases there is severe itching in the genital area. But the parasite gives itself marks of bites. Lice bite looks like a bluish spot, which does not disappear when pressed.
The louse itself is easy to detect if you take a magnifying glass.
Differences between lice bites and other insect bites
Determining bloodsuckers will be easy if you know how to bite lice. These are the only insects that can live among human hair. Therefore, lice bites on a person will be located:
- on the head,
- pubic
- in the armpits,
- In men, bugs can live in a beard and mustache.
Linen lice can be confused with fleas or bedbugs because their traces are located all over the body. The main difference is that the second bites are often arranged in a row. A clothes louse doesn't bite like that.
I went to a friend to the country. We planned to rest there for several days. On the first night I began to experience pain and severe itching. In the morning the whole back was strewn with fine spots. A friend spread his hands - fleas. But it turned out that the biting louse was biting like that. We threw out the sofa on the same day.
Another characteristic symptom of lice is blue spots. Their appearance causes insect saliva.
How to relieve itching
Bite lice causes pain and discomfort. Discomfort can persist even after the destruction of insects. Often the head continues to itch after removing lice. But there are means that help alleviate the condition of the patient and soothe the pain:
- Wounds should be washed with warm water and soap. You can take baby or tar soap. It should not cause allergies, otherwise itching will only intensify.
- Treat comb vodka or alcohol. He will kill the bacteria and relieve discomfort.
- Lubricate the inflamed wound with ointment Rescuer. It will accelerate the healing of the abscess.
- Severe itching will remove the Asterisk or Fenistil balm.
- Menovazin is used if an allergy has developed from louse bites. In this case, you can take an antihistamine drug: Zodak, Lorotadin, Suprastin. Drink it should be, following the instructions.
Sometimes insect bites cause nausea, headaches, swollen lymph nodes. In this case, you should immediately consult a doctor. The doctor will determine if a serious illness has occurred, or if a severe allergic reaction has occurred.
To cure pediculosis, it is not enough just to handle bite sites. Need to get rid of lice. To do this, you should buy a special tool in the pharmacy. During the period of treatment it is necessary to change bed linen and clothes every day. In addition to these measures, sanitary treatment of the apartment is recommended.
