Lice are small wingless insects which are parasitic in nature and affect humans. There are two types of lice that mainly affect humans; head lice and pubic lice. These lice don’t just affect different parts of the body, they are actually different forms of the lice family (they also don’t affect animals). Head lice most often infect children, for no other reason than children are more likely than adults to be in close contact with one another, and to share items such as hats.
Head lice are also known as epiclesis. These are small insects which are parasitic in nature and feed on the blood of the host. Pubic lice are also known as the crab lice and are grayish white in colour.
Lice aren’t life threatening, however they can cause pain and bleeding. However, more than anything one has to deal with the embarrassment and the itching that these lice cause. The infestation of lice is mainly from humans to humans. They can be transmitted from one person to another and through combs, caps and towels.
The lice affect as nits (lice eggs) and as adult lice. The nits are colourless or white and adhere to the hair while the adult lice are reddish brown (red from your blood) in colour. These insects do not fly or jump, that is a common myth. They only disseminate from person to person through contact.
Getting rid of lice can be a nuisance. Many products fail to properly rid the problem as lice have unfortunately grown a resiliency to common shampoos. Treatment needs to be repeated for almost 2-3 weeks to make sure that there are no lice and nits left – as infestations can come back if not wiped out completely. The clothes of the person suffering from lice need to be washed frequently, or put in plastic bags (as without food, your blood, lice will usually die within 3 days). The towels, bedding and clothes need to be washed in hot water.
John Nicholls writes about lice, nits, and other pests which are common issues to families. Click to learn more about
head lice and
lice treatment options.
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