What Is It?
Lice are tiny insects that live on the hair and scalp (head lice), body (body lice), or pubic area (pubic lice). They feed on blood and cause itching, irritation, and visible nits (eggs).
Symptoms of lice will include:
- Itching on the scalp, body or genital area.
- Lice on the scalp, body, clothes, or pubic hair or other body hair. Adult lice may be about the size of a sesame seed or slightly larger.
- Lice eggs on hair shafts. Lice eggs, called nits, stick to hair shafts. Nits may be hard to see because they're tiny. It's easiest to see them around the ears and at the hairline on the neck. Nits can look like dandruff. But you can't brush them out of hair easily.
- Sores on the scalp, neck and shoulders. Scratching can lead to small bumps that appear red on white skin and may be harder to see on darker colored skin. These sores may get infected.
- Bite marks. These are small areas of blood and crust on the skin. They appear mostly around the waist, groin, upper thighs, and pubic area.
Yes. Lice can spread easily through direct head-to-head contact, sharing personal items like hats, combs, or towels, and using contaminated bedding or furniture.
To prevent this:
- Avoid head-to-head contact with people who may have lice.
- Do not share personal items like hats, combs, or towels.
- Wash bedding, clothing, and towels in hot water and dry them on high heat.
- Vacuum floors and furniture regularly.
- Check hair regularly for lice and nits (eggs).
- If lice are found, treat them promptly with over-the-counter or prescription medications
If you're not sure that what you see is lice, call your healthcare professional. A doctor or pharmacist can help you choose the most appropriate treatment for your specific situation.
Some common over-the-counter treatments include:
- Permethrin: Approved for children as young as two months, commonly found in brand-name products like Nix. It kills live lice but not their eggs, so a second treatment about a week later is typically necessary.
- Pyrethrins: Approved for children two years and older, often found in brands like Rid. It is a natural insecticide that kills live lice.
Other Treatments:
- Wet combing: A manual method that involves using a fine-toothed comb to remove lice and nits from the hair, often combined with conditioner.
- Heat treatment: A professional option that uses heat to desiccate and kill lice and their nits.
- Manual removal: Combing the hair with a fine-toothed comb to remove both nits and lice.