Body lice are tiny parasites that infest the human body and feed on its blood. They are about 2 to 3.5 mm long, nesting in clothing and furnishings, usually in the bedding of the individual affected by the infestation. They move on the host only when they have reached maturity and it is time to feed. Due to these characteristics, it is difficult to identify them on the skin and those affected often wonder the cause of their recent skin irritation.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Identifying Head Lice
Step 1. Know the common symptoms of their presence on the body
When they feed on human blood, they cause an allergic skin reaction, which includes:
- Intense itching;
- Skin rashes, especially in the armpits and waist areas;
- Red spots or raised wheals
- Thickened or darker skin.
Step 2. Examine the skin for irritation
These could be caused by stings or from continuing to scratch yourself - both indicators of the presence of head lice. If you keep scratching, you can also cause further blisters, which in turn can lead to bacterial or fungal infections.
Check the waist area, upper thighs and groin area especially carefully
Step 3. Look for lice on the body
Sometimes it is possible to see them feeding. Although not very common, you should still look for their presence in the waist area, upper thigh area and armpit area. Body lice are similar to poppy seeds in size, shape and color.
- Check all parts of the body that are irritated.
- Pay attention to areas of skin that are darker or more callused.
- You can grab a magnifying glass to help you with this quest, although it is not strictly necessary.
Step 4. Turn an item of clothing inside out
Lice live mainly in the seams of clothes; they invade the body only when they hatch and reach maturity.
Although rarely, they sometimes lay eggs directly on the human body
Step 5. Examine the seams of the garments
Upon reaching maturity, these parasites cannot live more than 5-7 days outside the host; for this reason, it is easier to find their eggs, or "nits", on a dress.
- Nits have an oval shape and can be yellow or white.
- Generally, they are found in the areas of clothing corresponding to the waist and armpits.
- They hatch within a week or two.
Part 2 of 2: Eliminate the Infestation
Step 1. Maintain a regular personal hygiene regimen
In most cases, the lice disappear once all the eggs and adults are removed from the body. Unlike head lice or pubic lice, body lice invade the skin surface when they need to feed and are not always present on the skin.
It is quite rare for eggs to be laid on the host
Step 2. See your doctor
They may prescribe creams and body washes that help reduce skin irritation or allergic reactions from parasite bites (or excessive scratching).
Step 3. Use a pediculocide
In extreme cases, your doctor may recommend a lice killer. Some of these are freely available in drugstores and are specifically indicated for killing parasites in two different ways.
- Ovicidal kills nits and only needs to be used a few times.
- The non-ovicidal one kills the adult specimens but not the eggs, so you should use it regularly, in order to avoid possible recurrence (due to the hatching of the eggs).
Step 4. Get rid of lice from personal items
Make sure you wash everything from clothes to bed linen to towels in hot water of at least 60 ° C; in this way, you kill all the lice and their eggs.
Step 5. After washing is finished, put the clothes in the dryer on a high temperature cycle
Unfortunately, some items of clothing cannot be dried in this appliance; in that case, you will have to consider getting rid of it.
Step 6. Seal any clothes you can't throw away in a trash bag
Leave the infested items hermetically sealed in the bags for 5-7 days, before rewashing them separately from the rest of the laundry.
Step 7. Vacuum your upholstery, mattresses and carpets
This appliance is able to eliminate any lice and nits that may have settled in the cracks or seams of the various furnishing elements. Eggs can lie dormant for up to two weeks, so it is very important to avoid the risk of spreading them to other people by removing them from common areas.
Advice
- Try to improve hygiene conditions and change clothes regularly if you want to eradicate lice from the body.
- These lice are often spread through close physical contact, but generally only when hygienic conditions are poor (for example in refugee camps, homeless shelters, and so on). Dogs, cats and other pets do not transmit this infestation.
- Sometimes, the use of chemical methods, such as fumigation or pest control, is necessary to prevent or control the spread of certain diseases due to body lice (eg typhus).
Warnings
- Body lice can spread disease, so it is important to tackle and eradicate the infestation as soon as possible.
- Body lice is also called "vagabond disease" when it lasts for an extended period. The skin becomes darker and harder in areas where lice bite most often, usually in the central area of the body.
- Outbreaks of relapsing fever and exanthematous typhus are caused by body lice.
- If you scratch excessively, you can cause serious secondary infections.
