Lice bites: what they look like, features and methods of treatment

Recognize body bites

To be sure that a person was bitten by body lice, you just need to look at the nature of the location of these red dots on the body. Since these bloodsuckers do not jump or fly, but crawl, traces in the form of a track will remain on the bitten areas. If fleas, for example, leave bites scattered throughout the body, then chains of such bites will remain from lice.

Most often, relapses occur exactly where clothes come into contact with the body, inside which (or on the seamy side) lice live. As a rule, these are places of suture and other folds, inner seams of pockets, folds, collars, cuffs and other areas. This is especially true for clothes made of linen, cotton and wool. Also, such inhabitants like to live in other things made of fur or knitted fabric.

Diagnosis of head lice

There is only one diagnostic method - examination. With complaints of itching, patients turn to dermatologists, who diagnose by visual examination. The lice themselves are difficult to detect, so nits will be visible at the bottom of the hair.

Phthiriasis (infection with pubic lice) is often confused with sexually transmitted diseases, which also cause itching. A distinctive feature is cyanotic spots in the pubic area.

The presence of body lice is important to distinguish from scabies. The scabies mite makes holes under the skin and does not leave external damage on the body.

How lice bite and why they drink blood

A louse enlarged with a magnifying glass is not a sight for the faint of heart. The insect's mouth apparatus is a kind of stiletto, enclosed in a retracted soft tube. During a meal, the piercing-sucking proboscis is pulled out of the head capsule and, being pulled into the hole, works according to the principle of a pump, after which it returns to its original position.

The salivary glands produce specific saliva with anticoagulin properties, which the parasite generously injects into the wound. The substance prevents blood clotting, but at the same time causes irritation of the victim's skin after a bite.

Lice of all types and developmental stages feed exclusively on blood. They simply cannot swallow anything else. The stomach of one adult holds about 1 ml of blood. The hungry louse is saturated from 3 to 10 minutes, and already at the fourth minute, the blood that has filled the gastrointestinal tract of the parasite begins to leave through its anus.

Adequate nutrition is the most important condition for intensive reproduction and rapid development of parasites. Without constant access to warm human blood, insects weaken and die. For example, here's a table:

Ways to get rid of lice

Treatment will help relieve acute symptoms, but the problem will go away only after the destruction of dangerous insects. There are many effective ways to get rid of lice at minimal cost:

Within a week, the towel after taking a shower is changed to a clean one, to be soaked in boiling water. When cleaning floors in a dwelling, you can add a solution of Karbofos to the water. It kills lice at any stage of development.If the recommendations are followed, arthropods die within 5-7 days.

What lice bites look like on the body and how to treat

Lice bites look like small pimples that constantly itch, causing not only discomfort, but also harm to a person. Lice, like bugs and fleas, are carriers of dangerous diseases, therefore, if they are found in the hair, you need to immediately start fighting and further treatment.

Despite the fact that insects parasitize mainly in the hairy part of the body, they quite often bite the rest of the body. This is especially true for the neck. At night, when the parasites are more active, they descend on the neck and bite it. In the morning, you can find a large number of wounds on the neck. However, they are often confused with common allergies. Therefore, many begin to treat it precisely, without noticing the main problem.

What does a bite look like on the body

Bed lice bites and their subsequent symptoms are different for many people. Some do not notice their presence for weeks, others notice the first manifestations immediately. It all depends on the sensitivity of the human skin and the type of parasites. Punctures of linen or clothes lice on the skin look the same as ordinary head lice, but they mostly bite the whole body indiscriminately. The same cannot be said about pubic parasites, which are concentrated in a certain place, in which they parasitize and reproduce.

Very often, coming from the forest, you can find damage on your body that resembles a wound or blister. You can be sure that it was a moose flea trail. She is not a carrier of dangerous diseases, but the wound heals for a very long time and treatment is carried out both local and general.

Lice bite treatment

When biting, the parasite injects saliva with an anesthetic substance into the wound, so it is not always possible to feel the process. The person is already facing the consequences, namely:

• itching;
• allergic reaction;
• redness;
• small blisters.

When these signs are found, it is necessary to begin not only the fight against parasites, but also the treatment of the bites themselves. The first step is to examine a person's hair and clothing in order to know which type of lice will have to be dealt with. Lingerie parasites hide in the seams, in the belt and other hard-to-reach places of clothing.

If head or linen lice bites are found that match the photo, the following measures must be taken:

• treat the lesion with soapy water, preferably household soap;
• treat a fresh wound with hydrogen peroxide or alcohol;
• balm Rescuer or Fenistil very well saves from severe itching, smear until the symptoms disappear;
• if lice punctures do not pass for a long time, wipe the damaged areas of the skin with a cool solution of soda (1 teaspoon of soda per 100 grams of water).

If nothing was at hand, it is enough to anoint the damaged area with plantain or scarlet juice.

How to treat itching and allergic reactions

In most cases, lice bites go away on their own after a few days and do not require any treatment. But sensitive people may experience an allergic reaction in the form of severe itching, redness, swelling. Such wounds take a long time to heal and require additional treatment. What the complications of insect bites on humans look like can be seen in the photo.

An allergic reaction requires special treatment in the form of taking antihistamines. Treat the lesion with anti-inflammatory drugs. In order not to face the consequences of insect parasitism, it is necessary to constantly do simple prevention:

• constantly change clothes;
• do not give personal belongings, especially hats, to other people;
• periodically clean carpets with detergents;
• do not lean your hair against the head of strangers;
• inspect the bed in hotels before spending the night.

Everyone should know all the symptoms of parasites in order to start a competent fight with them and with their nits in time.

How to cure a disease

The methods of treatment - shaving the hair or wetting the hairline with kerosene - have long been outdated. They were replaced by shampoos, ointments, creams, sprays, lotions that deal well with lice.

Shampoo

Regardless of the brand of shampoo, the sequence of treatment is the same.

1. Hair should be combed vigorously from root to tip.
2. Shampoo is applied to the head and evenly distributed through the hair. It is especially carefully recommended to apply the composition to the temporal and occipital parts.
3. Cover your head with a plastic bag and wait for the time indicated on the package.
4. Rinse off the shampoo with a large volume of warm water.
5. Rinse hair with a solution of vinegar in half with water so that the sticky substance of the nits breaks down.
6. Comb out dead lice with a fine-toothed comb.
7. Wash your hair again with your daily shampoo.

Sprays and lotions

Such preparations are convenient to use and are no less effective than shampoos. It is easy to use them: the product is sprayed onto the hair, the time indicated in the instructions is waited, and then the lice are combed out with a comb.

The body of nits is covered with a dense membrane that protects against the penetration of drugs into it. Therefore, processing is required several times with a week break in order to kill new hatched individuals.

The patient's combs are soaked in alcohol for three hours, and then washed with soapy water.

To get rid of pubic lice, it is enough to shave hair in the groin and armpits.

Body lice do not like heat, so clothes and bedding are boiled and dried in the fresh air for a week.

The apartment of a patient with head lice needs to be put in order: vacuum the carpets, steam the sleeping place.

Lice infestation can occur unnoticed. The main thing is to start treatment on time in order to prevent complications.

What lice bites look like on the head is described in detail in medical treatises, on forums where problems are discussed. All mothers are obliged to know how lice bite, since head lice is widespread among children of preschool and primary school age.

What does a body louse look like?

Due to its small size, it is difficult to detect. The body length is usually 3-5 mm, grayish-yellow or whitish in color with a slightly elongated, oblong abdomen. When the blood is drunk, it becomes darker and more noticeable. There are no wings, which makes it difficult for the parasite to find a new host, since it has to crawl slowly, because it cannot fly and jump like a flea. The paws are not adapted for clinging to the hair, but they keep the insect well on the fabric.

How to detect body lice and where do they come from at home?

Usually, a person is not aware of the presence of these insects in his clothes until he feels a bite and itching. The presence of parasites should be suspected if:

• bites heal in about 4-5 days;
• itching appears on the body, next to the area of ​​the bites;
• an allergic reaction appears (rash, nausea, fever, headache, indigestion);
• small blue spots appear on the skin;
• rash of pustules.

Then it is worth carefully examining things. These parasites prefer to settle between seams, in the frills of clothes, their folds or in bedding: their colonies, from eggs to adults, are often found in the fillers of pillows and blankets. Bedspreads and capes should be checked. Prefer fabrics made from natural fibers. They do not like shiny smooth fabrics, satin.

It is easy to get infected with them: close contact of a healthy and infected person or use someone else's clothing is enough. Any gathering of people in public places can contribute to infection.

Danger usually lurks in places such as:

• in rooms where homeless people sleep;
• refugee camps, during war and natural disasters;
• trenches and dugouts during war and exercises;
• children's schools and kindergartens;
• public transport;
• rest homes;
• public baths;
• in the hikes of tourist groups;
• children's recreation camps;
• cheap, dirty hotels.

What do body lice bites look like?

This species does not have a proboscis for piercing, so the insect has to partially immerse itself in the skin, leaving sufficiently large and visible skin lesions. Irritation and redness appear around the bite. All this is accompanied by severe itching, rashes, spots on the skin. With heavy bites, ulcers, boils and purulent skin lesions can develop. Allergic reactions sometimes occur. Therefore, it is necessary to remove these parasites at home quickly. They bite the body in the lumbar region, sides, neck, buttocks, armpits, and thighs. In parts of the body covered with hair, they prefer not to bite, since their legs are not adapted to hold on to the hair

Body lice are a carrier of what diseases?

They are carriers of terrible diseases: typhus and pathogens of trench fever. Outbreaks of these diseases have always led to a massive plague of people during wars and revolutions. In our time, the population of the poorest countries suffers from them.

Where to look for evidence - signs of head lice

Head lice bites remain on the scalp, behind the ears, and on the neck. A photo of lice bites on the head is presented below. With an average degree of infection, red spots with a slight swelling remain. Clotted blood in the center. Since severe itching occurs after lice bites, scratches, sores, and wounds appear on the head in addition.

On a note!

Head lice bites cannot be confused with other insects, so you can immediately get started.

Body lice bites remain on different parts of the body. It is important to determine who you have to deal with in order to find effective methods of dealing. Photos of linen lice bites can be seen below. Characteristics:

• red spots, swelling, inflammation remain;
• in the center of the pimple there is a dark dot of caked blood;
• unlike the bites of bed bugs, fleas, mosquitoes, it has a slight swelling;
• lice bites are scattered;
• with a strong infection, many small spots appear, the whole body can bite;
• easy to find in bed, clothes.

Lice bites provide a lot of inconvenience and discomfort.

A lice bite is dangerous for the development of dangerous diseases. Insects are the causative agents of typhoid fever. If, after the bites, general weakness, malaise appears, and the body temperature rises, it is necessary to urgently seek help from specialists.

The body louse, like the head species, is miniature in size, reaching no more than 3 mm in length. The long and translucent body is difficult to discern among the hair or particles of the epidermis. They do not have wings, but they develop a unique jumping ability that allows them to quickly migrate to new areas. They can be encountered in the following situations:

• Close contact with an infected person (intimate contact, hugs).
• When using someone else's clothing, dressing gown, T-shirt.
• In close transport, at work in a team.
• When placing an infected item on a common hanger or closet.
• In the pool, public sauna, hospital procedures.

Hotel lovers are familiar with bed lice, the bites of which spoil the vacation. They should not be confused with bedbugs: insects differ not only in size, but also in the method of destruction, processing of the skin and surrounding objects.

Important! Lice can easily tolerate lack of food for several days, retain their viability when transporting packed items. Therefore, it is not always possible to establish the source of the infection, to associate it with a trip or a personal meeting.

Even clean people who look after the health and condition of personal belongings face a problem. After a vacation or a trip to relatives, they find skin rashes that itch and make it itch constantly. This is often attributed to allergies to detergents, climate change or new dishes. Those who do not know what linen lice bites look like should take a closer look at these signs:

Unlike an allergic reaction, red spots do not disappear after taking antihistamines. When viewed under a magnifying glass, it is easy to distinguish the place of a lice bite, which resembles a point on the skin.

Many people do not even suspect that body lice bites are fraught with health risks. They can bite a person who is infected with a serious disease, transfer it further. In addition, the insect injects a special substance under the epidermis that relieves pain and contains antibodies alien to the human body.

If linen lice bites on the skin do not heal for a long time, scarring begins, leaving unpleasant scars with a bluish rim.

Bite handling

To avoid infection of wounds and to relieve itching from lice bites, it is necessary to treat damaged skin:

1. The body is washed with soap - household, tar or other antibacterial.
2. The bite sites are burned with an alcohol-containing solution - calendula, cologne, vodka.
3. To eliminate severe itching - antihistamines, bactericidal external agents - Fenistil, Psilo-balm, Menovazin, Zvezdochka.
4. In case of allergic reactions, glucocorticosteroids are additionally prescribed - Sinaflan, Flucinar.

Treatment is prescribed by a doctor, you need to contact immediately to avoid infection, the development of allergies.

Useful video

Finally, we recommend that you watch a useful video about head lice:

The disease associated with the appearance of ectoparasites on the head and body is called head lice, and lice bites are an integral symptom of it.

Depending on what kind of parasite attacked - head, linen or pubic louse - the bites are localized on different parts of the body, and they always heal for a long time, itch and cause maximum anxiety.

Let's figure out what the bites of certain lice look like, what are dangerous for the patient and how to treat the damaged sites.

What kind of parasite is a body louse?

Lice are classified into 3 types:

• pubic;
• head;
• wardrobe.

Unites all varieties of lice by rapid reproduction. At the same time, they create discomfort for an infected person and are carriers of infections.

The linen louse is small in size with a thickening in the center of the body. The length of an adult is 3-5 mm. The color is light gray or light yellow. The wings are absent - this prevents them from moving long distances. The larvae of linen or body lice resemble adults, only of a miniature size of 1-2 mm. Full development occurs when 3 molts have passed.

Nits or parasite eggs are covered with a sticky shell. This makes it possible for them to firmly adhere to clothing or bedding. The shape of the nits is elongated, half a centimeter long. Miniature sizes reliably hide them from the human eye, and it is problematic to remove them mechanically if accidentally detected.

The optimal breeding process takes place at high temperatures up to 30˚C. Low temperatures (15˚C) have a negative effect on reproduction and growth. The killing temperature for insects is plus 60˚C and below minus 13.

The life span of males is up to 30 days. Whereas females exist for 45 days. During this period, one female lays 140 nits. As soon as the larvae emerge from the egg, it begins to suck blood once a day. At the same time, the first molt occurs, the second - after 5 days, the third - after 8.

The full growth cycle from egg to subsequent reproduction is 16 days. The breeding process is repeated again.Two months are enough to increase the size of the colony by several hundred times. Therefore, it is necessary to start the fight against parasites in a timely manner.

Lice types

• body size no more than 4 mm;
• elongated torso;
• light color, changes depending on hair color, as well as food;
• translucent chitinous cover shines through the insides;
• parasitize on the head, with severe infection - on the beard, mustache, eyebrows.

A well-fed louse increases in size, has a rounded body, color with a red tint.

Body lice are parasites on the body. However, they live outside of it. Eggs are laid in folds, seams, bedding, clothing, underwear. They crawl to bite the human body up to 4 times a day. They parasitize everywhere except the head. The structure of the hairs does not play a role, and whether they are on the body.

Pubic lice settle in the intimate area. The female clings to the hairs, after a while makes her way to the body, practically merges with the skin in color. The size of an individual is no more than 3 mm. Outwardly, it looks more like a bed bug or a small crab. With a strong infection, pubic lice settle on the genitals, anus, pubis, abdomen, chest, eyelashes, in the armpit. Pubic lice do not live on the head.

Human body treatment

Usually, the place of localization of lice is things, but both adult parasites and their eggs are found on the human body. Therefore, first of all, we go to the pharmacy for special shampoos that can completely destroy the entire population. Such funds are used as Medifox, NOC, Veda-2, Bubil, Lauri.

You can also hear good reviews about tar, dust or ordinary laundry soap: the alkali contained in them effectively helps to get rid of insects. They can even be used by pregnant women and young children.

Body treatment is an integral part of activities that include the fight against linen lice. Despite the fact that body bugs do not breed on the skin and hair of a person, a certain number of adults and nits may be present on the body.

A regular shower with antiseptics will be ineffective. In order to get rid of parasites, it is necessary to use tar soap. It is safe even for children and pregnant women as it does not irritate the skin and is not toxic.

It is worth making sure that the water in the shower is hot, the higher its temperature, the more effective the result will be. Although clothing bugs are resistant to many irritants, they die in extreme cold or heat.

The question of how to get rid of linen lice at home is also acute in modern society. However, even our ancestors actively used folk remedies for bed bugs. With some adjustments, certain methods are still used today.

Despite the fact that the body louse hides in clothes, it can lay eggs on human skin. Therefore, in order for the effect of combating these parasites to be higher, it is necessary to approach the process in an integrated manner, that is, to process not only clothes, bed linen and a bed, but also your body, in the first place.

To disinfect the body, you need to go to the hottest shower possible. You need to wash yourself not with ordinary flavored shower products, but better if it is laundry or tar soap. Since the composition of these products does not contain any chemicals and other harmful substances, this method is suitable for absolutely everyone, even for children and nursing women or women in position.

You can take a hot bath with decoctions of any of the herbs:

• sagebrush;
• parsley;
• mint and lemon balm;
• beet juice.

However, one should not rely only on the listed methods of dealing with lice. In most cases, no matter how thoroughly cleaning, washing, drying and ironing is carried out, you have to resort to more radical methods.

When, it would seem, all the funds have already been used, and the lice have not, no, and appear in plain sight, it is necessary to disinfect the living quarters.

Steaming with herbal decoctions is famous for its greatest efficiency. To achieve the best result, you need to go through every millimeter of your apartment or house, all furniture, walls, floors. Large items that cannot be washed at home should be dry cleaned. After steam cleaning, you can wash the room with water with decoctions of pharmaceutical herbs, and then spread the remaining bundles in the corners of the house and cabinets.

To be sure that a person was bitten by body lice, you just need to look at the nature of the location of these red dots on the body. Since these bloodsuckers do not jump or fly, but crawl, traces in the form of a track will remain on the bitten areas. If fleas, for example, leave bites scattered throughout the body, then chains of such bites will remain from lice.

Most often, relapses occur exactly where clothes come into contact with the body, inside which (or on the seamy side) lice live. As a rule, these are places of suture and other folds, inner seams of pockets, folds, collars, cuffs and other areas. This is especially true for clothes made of linen, cotton and wool. Also, such inhabitants like to live in other things made of fur or knitted fabric.

Preventive measures

To protect yourself from lice bites, it is recommended to carry out prevention, in which there is nothing complicated:

• do not use someone else's underwear and bedding;
• it is recommended to take a shower every day and put on clean clothes every day;
• after returning from a trip, the head and other hairy parts of the body must be carefully examined;
• things must be washed well and must be ironed;
• maintain cleanliness and order in the house.

Such simple preventive measures can protect both children and adults from head lice.

The bites of the linen lice in the photo are very similar to the bites of other blood-sucking insects. It is difficult to distinguish these marks from the marks made by bedbugs, mosquitoes and fleas. However, there are a number of signs that can help diagnose bite head lice.

Reproduction

A single mating of adults leads to the complete insemination of all the eggs of the female, which will be able to lay more than hundreds of nits for the rest of its life. Re-pairing is not required.

Within a few hours after insemination, the female begins to lay eggs, fixing them on the hair, about 2-5 pieces per day.

The louse lays eggs on the hair

After 7–11 days, the upper lid of the egg bursts and the nymph hatches. She begins to suck blood almost immediately after hatching, due to which it reaches maturation in 8 days. If the louse does not find a food source, after about 18 hours it loses its ability to suck blood due to dehydration and dies.

Linen lice: a brief description of parasites

Lingerie, body lice and body lice are the names of the same insect pediculus corporis. It is a parasite that feeds only on humans.

Body lice are most of the time on a person's clothes and glue eggs there. Five to eight times a day, the louse crawls onto the host's body to suck blood.

The insect is well adapted to feeding on the human body. He has a piercing-type mouth apparatus, similar to a hollow needle. The louse sucks the blood it needs within 2-3 minutes.

Each individual drinks up to 0.003 ml of blood at a time. Such a small blood loss does not pose a threat to human health. But in the saliva of the parasite there is a substance that prevents blood from clotting. During the bite, the louse injects it under the skin, because of which itching soon begins, the bitten area swells.

The lifespan of each individual is more than a month. A sexually mature female lays more than 10 eggs per day, attaching them to the tissue with a special mixture. Throughout her life, each female gives birth to up to 400 new individuals.

Bedbug as a threat

If the adult inhabitants of the house or children are bitten by a bug at night, characteristic marks remain on the body, which are quite difficult to confuse with any other skin lesions. The track of marks mainly on the back, thighs, buttocks causes severe itching and becomes a source of irritation. In addition, in the course of its life, the pest emits a very specific smell, by which the appearance of bedbugs can also be detected over time.

It is important to understand: it is impossible to get rid of the insect without the use of modern means and technologies for pest control. The vital features of bedbugs do not imply the possibility of poisoning them through food or water.

Blood-sucking insects easily hide under wallpaper, inside furniture, household appliances, they can live in children's plush toys, upholstered furniture, mattresses. The further the situation goes, the more difficult it will be to completely get rid of the pests. And only professionals have available drugs and technical means that can radically change the situation.

Insect feeding

The source of replenishment of vital reserves for is human blood. An adult feeds 4 times a day. Each procedure lasts at least 5 minutes. The insect drinks about 5 ml of blood at a time.

On a note!

Nutrition plays an extremely important role in the life of insects. Without blood, the female cannot lay eggs. Nymphs stop developing, do not move on to the next stage.

On a note!

A well-fed louse increases in size, has a rounded body, color with a red tint.

The proboscis is absent, thanks to which the blood-sucking insect easily gets to the vessel with blood. The mouth apparatus is similar to that of a flea. The insect sticks its cheekbones into the skin, gets to the vessels, injects a special substance so that the blood does not clot.

During feeding, the insect lifts the body to the top, penetrates with its head, as deep as possible into the human body. Upon completion of nutrition, blood continues to ooze for some time. And at the site of lice bites, characteristic traces remain.

Interesting!

A lice bite looks like most of the many traces that blood-sucking insects leave. In the warm season, lice bites on the body are confused with mosquitoes, fleas. Difficult to tell even on close inspection.

In the cold season, lice bites on a person can be confused with. It is necessary to pay attention not to the bite itself, but to its location:

• Bed bugs always leave a track with a double number of punctures. They bite mainly on the shoulders, arms, legs, neck, back.
• A lice bite looks a little different. Traces of damage to the skin are located randomly. Unlike bed bugs, the stomach, the face, if it is, also suffers.

Head lice

They are also called black lice. These lice spread in the hairy area of ​​the scalp. The emergence of a variety of parasites in this place is due to the fact that the larvae of lice, otherwise - nits, cling to the hair, and after seven days a new individual appears from the larvae, which, after a few weeks, will also be ready to create offspring. Lice spread from person to person through the use of a single towel, comb, pillow or hairpin.

Signs

The most important sign of lice is severe itching. It is caused by a special substance - an anticoagulant, which lice inject into a wound on the head, it prevents blood from clotting. After a couple of days, wounds appear on the infected person's head. Lice bites develop into red markings that can be seen on a person's scalp and neck.

Each hair is covered with tiny white balls that can be mistaken for dandruff. These are lice eggs that stick the lice to the hair and cannot be shaken off.

With a complication of the disease, an infected person may develop inflammation of the lymph nodes.

Treatment

If there are primary signs of lice, you must immediately begin to remove them. Medicine does not stand still, in pharmacies there is a huge assortment of different means that help in the fight against this type of parasite.

Lice shampoo should be used according to the instructions written on the bottle, then rinse your head with water. After using the shampoo, the lice disappear and then they need to be removed from the hair, a comb with rare teeth can easily cope with this. If the procedure did not give the expected result the first time, since the larvae are nits, from which insects have not yet appeared, are not exposed to the shampoo, it is recommended to do it several times.

Complications

Head lice can cause more severe complications than the usual symptoms of lice:

• Bacterial infections due to scratching of the head. The wounds that form during head lice allow dust and dirt to pass through, which can cause severe inflammation.
• Typhus infection promotes the multiplication of infection and can spark an epidemic.
• Head lice can cause an epidemic in schools and kindergartens. And you yourself understand how dangerous it is, because children are most susceptible to this disease.

Precautions

If any of your household members have lice, the rest of the family should also undergo a treatment procedure and treat their hair with a special agent. In order to avoid the possibility of contamination, it is recommended to boil all hair accessories available in the house. Bedding needs to be boiled, and carpets and mattresses should be vacuumed.

Phthiriasis

Pubic louse or ploshchit live on the pubis and in the armpits. The parasite attaches to the base of the hair and hardly moves. Pubic lice bites look like small bluish specks and cause unbearable itching.

The pubic appearance is not adapted to life on the scalp. Its legs are such that they can cling to a hair that has a triangular cross-section.

A symptom of a strong infection with a square is the appearance of marks in the lower abdomen and on the buttocks. Brown spots can be seen on the underwear - these are traces of the pest's vital activity.

Phthiriasis is not easy to find. The parasite is small and hides at the very base of the hair. But after feeding, the louse acquires a brighter color and betrays itself. Pubic lice is often confused with a genital infection, because in both cases there is severe itching in the genital area. But the parasite betrays itself with bite marks. A lice bite looks like a cyanotic speck, which does not disappear when pressed.

Interesting facts about head lice

• The louse, according to its classification, belongs to the subclass of dipterans, but does not have wings, but has a similar structure of the respiratory tube. Flying insects were probably the ancestors of lice.
• The anatomy of a louse does not allow it to move in any other way, except to slowly crawl at a speed of 23 cm / min. Therefore, these insects are only transmitted through direct contact with an infected person or care items.
• Lice are blood-sucking parasites and do not feed on parts or secretions of the human body, such as dandruff.
• Lice do not have a preferred blood type. They prefer and digest any.
• Lice need blood and skin, and hair is not tasty at all, and for this reason, dyed hair is not an obstacle. However, with already existing head lice, hair coloring can partially destroy parasites with ammonia.
• Lice need hair solely in order to cling to it and then have unhindered access to human skin. The length of the hair is sufficient for this of the order of 3-4 mm.
• Lice prefer clean scalp as it is much easier to get to the food source without sebum.
• However, lice cannot get into the skin, since the anatomy of parasites allows them to cling to the villi of tissue or hair, live there, sleep and multiply, but at the same time the human skin is only a "feeder".
• Lice are not carriers of HIV, since the virus is very quickly destroyed by the enzyme system of insects.
• In the environment, lice can exist without blood for about a week, but during this period they very easily find a new victim. Often people get infected while relaxing on the beach, where parasites can wait for them in the sand.
• The most comfortable temperature for lice is 33-36 C, therefore, when a person's body temperature rises sharply (with fever), or drops sharply (in case of death), they leave their owner without regret.
• As a rule, body lice are found in countries where the level of sanitation is low (for example, countries in Africa, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, etc.).
• The main route of infection with pubic lice is sexual contact, however, parasites of this type can also be picked up through contact with personal hygiene items, and even in public places, for example, in a swimming pool or in a bath.
• In people with reduced immunity, allergy sufferers, pregnant women and young children, lice can cause complications such as chronic skin diseases, and provoke a pronounced allergic reaction. In addition, these parasites are carriers of especially dangerous infections - relapsing fever and typhus.
• Alcohol and drug addicts suffer from head lice more often than people without bad habits. Special studies on this topic have not been carried out, however, according to statistics, this is so.
• People of the Negroid race suffer from head lice less often. Perhaps the reason for this is thicker dark skin, which is more adapted to harsh weather conditions, and it is more difficult for lice to bite through it.
• Chemical methods of removing parasites and nits (using insecticides) are 98% effective, while mechanical removal is only up to 40%.
• Animals also have lice, but they are of a different species and do not transfer to humans. And the pubic and human louse lives exclusively on the human body and does not pose a danger to animals.

Symptoms and causes of lice lice

Lice lice are not easy to spot. But if reddish dots from bites periodically appear on your body, then you can suspect that these are linen lice bites.

IMPORTANT! Linen lice bites are similar to bedbug and flea bites, but there is no definite sequence.

There are several sure signs that will help you understand that these are lice bites.

• The bites are single, not forming tracks, but at the same time they are quite frequent. They are located chaotically.
• Not only open areas of the body (arms, legs), but also the back and stomach can be bitten.
• Severe itching and swelling at the bite site.
• Insomnia.
• The bite has clear contours.
• There is a bright red dot in the center of the bite.
• Linear calculations.
• The skin on the affected areas is pigmented.
• Most often, bites are located in those places where the clothes fit tightly to the body: on the neck, in the armpits, in the waist area, on the lower legs.
• There are no bites on areas of the body covered with hair.

ATTENTION! If the symptoms above coincide with yours, then carefully look at the clothes you wear, bedding and underwear on the wrong side.

If lice hit your body by accident, and you carefully observe the norms of personal hygiene, then after a few days the bites will pass by themselves, and the insects themselves will disappear. With a large number of parasites, pediculosis occurs, which is dangerous with infectious complications.

REFERENCE! The life cycle of insects is just over a month. During this time, the female lays about 140 eggs (nits). After about five days, the larva hatches if the clothes are worn on the human body. When the temperature changes, the incubation period can last up to two months.

The reasons for the appearance of linen lice are as follows:

1. Disregard for personal hygiene rules. If this is definitely not about you, then read the following points.
2. Close contact with another person (kissing, hugging)
3. Staying in public places (at school, kindergarten, camp, transport, store, shopping center, cinema, lice can move from clothes to clothes).
4. Staying at a party, hotels, etc.
5. Trying on clothes in second-hand stores or the like, where things are stored in cramped, poorly ventilated areas, all in one place.
6. Swimming in a pond directly next to an infected person or after him (lice live in water, keeping their activity, up to 2 days.

IMPORTANT! Before starting the fight against body lice, make sure it is they. To do this, look at the photos of the parasites and compare them with the individuals that you see at home or on your clothes.

Symptoms of inflammation after bites

Getting an infection is a common complication after an insect attack or. The risk of infection of wounds increases in the summer, if the rules of personal hygiene are not followed. Typical symptoms of a linen lice bite:

• The temperature rises to subfebrile levels of 37–38 °.
• Ulcers or vesicles with a transparent exudate appear.
• Allergy develops into laryngeal edema, redness of the skin.
• Stool disorder is occasionally observed.
• The patient becomes irritable, appetite decreases.

In some countries with a dangerous epidemiological situation, body lice carry the plague or typhus, causing an epidemic.

In each case, the signs of infection proceed individually, depending on the age and immunity of the patient. In rare cases, the situation starts before sepsis.

Linen louse

Over the course of evolution, lice have adapted to survive and have migrated to tissues where they are most difficult to notice. They feed on human blood and spread infection. Separately, linen lice are invisible, and they can be found at a late stage, in the form of colonies, when they have already multiplied on all clothes, mattresses, even in the closet with linen.

Bed lice are similar to hair lice, but differ in a light, transparent abdomen, after being saturated with blood, acquiring a red or brown tint. The laundry louse looks inconspicuous. Their size ranges from 2-5 mm with an elongated body without wings.

In clothes and underwear, lice live in colonies, moving at a convenient moment to the body to get enough. Their life cycle lasts 32-36 days with a survival rate at a temperature of +45 degrees, and during this time females have time to lay up to 14 eggs (nits), and more at + 31-35 degrees.

But their weak side is love for high humidity, and if it is not enough, then the lice die even at a temperature of +5 degrees.

Therapy

Therapy underwear lice is carried out in a slightly different way. The main effort is directed to the processing of bedding, things. Washed 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 hairs on the pubis, genitals. Treat bites with alcohol. Or apply a special product, rinse off after the time specified in the instructions. They wash clothes, bedding, and underwear.

In each case, pest control is carried out in the house. The bites themselves can be treated with asterisk balm, Bepanten, Fenistil gel, calendula tincture.

The louse is one of these parasitic insects that live not only next to a person, but also on him. This parasite feeds on human blood. He looks for places where the skin is thin, and it is easier to bite through it. The main place of residence of the parasite is the head. Distinguish between head, linen and pubic lice. This type of insect is small in size - only about 2-4 millimeters.

First aid for lice bites

An indisputable truth - as soon as insects are found, you need to start eliminating them.This applies to both the patient himself - treatment with insecticides, combing out nits, and his environment. It is imperative that along with the treatment, a complete refurbishment of the apartment is carried out with furniture cleaning, washing at the maximum temperature of bed and underwear, etc.

If it is not possible to start treating head lice right now, and the bite sites are very worried, you can do the following:

1. Treat wounds with soapy water and any alcoholic tincture - calendula, propolis, etc.
2. As an antiseptic, wounds are treated with Rescuer ointment.
3. The most common Asterisk, a balm known to everyone since childhood, helps to relieve itching.
4. To avoid allergies, Menovazin ointment is applied to the skin.
5. Go to the pharmacy for head lice remedies and, while the patient is resting, proceed with sanitation.

Drug treatment

Treatment of head lice with drugs is indicated only if the patient is faced with a severe form of the disease.

Specialist help is needed if a patient has a high temperature, headaches or nausea from lice bites.

Most often, dermatologists prescribe the following drugs:

• hydrogen peroxide to treat affected areas. It dries out bleeding wounds, accelerates healing and eliminates the risk of infection;
• balsam "Rescuer", which perfectly eliminates itching;
• 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 follow basic rules of personal hygiene.

Why are lice bites dangerous?

The louse itself is not dangerous - it is not poisonous, its punctures are miniature and in a single copy cannot, in principle, cause any inconvenience. But its threat, firstly, in a very high reproduction rate, and secondly, in the role of a carrier of a number of diseases.

Infection with ectoparasites occurs within a few seconds - being a rather slow insect, the louse can jump up to 1 meter, thanks to which it successfully migrates to a new victim and quickly develops the territory.

Previously, it was believed that itching on the head delivers the moment of skin puncture, but today it has been proven that this is not the case. At the time of the bite, the lice inject a small dose of anesthetic, that is, the person does not feel the injection itself. The danger lies elsewhere - the anesthetic enzyme is the strongest allergen, it is this substance that provokes itching, irritation and pain.

In addition to the standard consequences in the form of irritation and constant itching, lice bites are fraught with infection with more serious diseases:

• relapsing fever, manifested by multiple febrile attacks, severe intoxication, skin rashes, hepatosplenomegaly, yellowness of the skin and sclera;
• typhus leads to destructive changes in the vascular endothelium and the development of generalized thrombovasculitis;
• Volyn fever - an acute infectious disease with attacks of fever, pain in bones and muscles;
• tularemia is an acute zoonotic infection that affects the lymph nodes and internal organs

These are precisely the consequences of a lice bite - that is, the insect itself acts as a carrier in this case. Pubic lice can additionally carry infectious sexually transmitted diseases, but these cases are rare.

This is a well-known "horror story" that has no foundation. Yes, pubic ectoparasites are also carriers, mainly of diseases of the spirochetoses group, but the nature of immunodeficiency is fundamentally different.

In addition, head lice is dangerous with psychosomatic disorders, which is especially unpleasant for children and people with a conditionally mobile psyche. Symptoms:

• anxiety;
• sleep disturbance,
• decreased concentration of attention;
• irritability;
• nervous breakdowns, etc.

Even after getting rid of parasites completely, the person "by inertia" continues to itch for at least another week.

Do not forget about the allergy to lice bites, which is manifested by swelling, skin rashes, the appearance of crusts and exfoliation of the upper layer of the epidermis.

In children with an advanced form of pediculosis, pyoderma is often diagnosed - a purulent skin lesion provoked by the activity of streptococcal and staphylococcal bacteria.

Why is a body louse dangerous?

The fight against parasites should be started from the moment the bite is noticed. If this is not done, the wounds turn at the first stage into pustules, and the next stage - boils, ulcers. Subsequently, scars remain on the body.

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Biting through the skin during a bite, the parasite injects an anesthetic secretion that prevents blood from clotting. Bites are accompanied by severe itching, and in a dream, a person scratches the wounds, which causes them to bleed. Severe damage causes excoriation. Regular bites cause coarsening and thickening of the skin, changing its color - yellow-brown.

The main danger from a bitten parasite lies in the transmission of infections:

• quintan;
• relapsing fever;
• typhus.

There are times when pyoderma develops. You can read more about this disease in the article on photos, treatment and symptoms of pyoderma.

Attention! By crushing an insect on the body, you can get an infection. Since fluid from the abdomen enters the blood vessels through the wound