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Body Lice: Treatment, Cost And Side Effects

Last Updated: Jun 19, 2019

What is body lice infestation?

An infestation of body lice happens when a specific sort of lice attack the body and garments. Lice are parasitic insects which feed on human blood and can cause a great problem to the following body parts such as the head, body, and pubic zone. Various animals or pets, like pooches and cats, play a role in spreading human lice. To treat and evade attacks of body lice, Incredible neatness and routinely washing of clothing and bed linen are typically enough.

There are three sorts of lice that infect people (with their scientific names):

  • Pediculus humanus corporis known as Body lice.
  • Pediculus humanus capitis known as Head mite.
  • Pthirus pubis known as Pubic mite.

There is a lot of difference between the Lice we found on our body and lice we found on the head or in the pubic area. Body lice can only be found on the body. Individuals are the body parasite's host and lice will die in five to seven days in the event that they tumble off of an individual. Poor Hygiene regime like Crowding is the common reason for such Infection.

What do body lice bites look like?

  • Intense tingling (pruritus)
  • A rash caused by a hypersensitive response to body lice bites
  • Red bumps on the skin
  • If the lice have been there for quite a while, thickened or obscured skin, usually near the waist or groin can be seen.

What causes lice on humans?

Body lice are like head lice, yet have various habits. While head lice live in your hair and feed on your scalp, body lice normally live in your garments and bedding. They travel to your skin a few times each day to feed on blood. The seams of your garments are the most widely recognized spots for body lice to lay their eggs (nits). You can move toward becoming infested with body lice in the event that you come into close contact with an individual who has body lice, or with dress or bedding that is infested with body lice.

What causes infestation?

The body mite is bigger than different sorts of lice. They lay their eggs and leave waste on the skin and in apparel. Lice can crawl, yet they can't fly, bounce, or hop. Infestations happen worldwide and are spread by means of close person-to-person contact or through normally shared bed linens, towels, and attire. By and large, infestations of body lice are constrained to individuals who live in unhygienic or swarmed living conditions and who don't approach clean attire.

An infestation by body lice is typically diagnosed by taking a glance at the skin and clothing and watching eggs and crawling lice. The insects are about the size of a sesame seed. They are huge enough to see with the naked eye, yet an amplifying focal point can be utilized to help discover them. The eggs (called nits) are typically found in the seams of clothing.

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How do you know if you have body lice?

Shivering and little patches of blood and outside on your skin at the site of the bite marks can be seen if there are body lice. See your specialist whenever improved cleanliness doesn't dispose of the infestation, or in the event that you build up a skin disease from scratching the bites.

How are body lice infestation diagnosed?

An infestation by body lice is typically diagnosed by taking a glance at the skin and clothing and watching eggs and crawling lice. The insects are about the size of a sesame seed. They are huge enough to see with the naked eye, yet an amplifying focal point can be utilized to help discover them. The eggs (called nits) are typically found in the seams of clothing.

How is the treatment done?

Body lice are on a very basic level treated by totally washing yourself and any polluted things with cleanser and high temp water and drying garments in a machine dryer using the hot cycle Cleaning and pressing garments that can't be washed is likewise viable. If these measures don't work, you can have a go at utilizing an over-the-counter lotion or shampoo, for example, Nix or Rid. In the event that that still doesn't work, your specialist can give a prescription lotion. Lice-killing items can be toxic to people, to pursue the directions cautiously.

How do you prevent body lice?

Body lice, for the most part, infect people who aren't ready to wash or change garments routinely. Great individual hygiene and changing into clean garments at any rate once seven days ought to be sufficient to avoid body lice pervasion.

Clothing, bed linens, or towels should not be shared with someone who is already infested. If you discover body lice, machine washing and drying all plagued dress and bedding in high temp water should prevent body lice from returning.

How to get rid of body lice?

The individual should be washed from head to toe. The principle approach to dispensing with body lice is by expelling and washing or discarding infested garments and bedding.

Washing dress in boiling water can kill Body lice and their eggs, trailed by drying these things in a garments dryer set on high warmth (in excess of 130 degrees Fahrenheit for in any event 30 minutes). Cleaning or squeezing the garments with a hot iron will likewise slaughter the lice and eggs. Since body lice more often than not don't stay on the host, evolving as well as washing garments and bedding might be sufficient to wipe out these bugs.

Individuals with a lot of body hair can rely on a pesticide (pediculicide) which can clear these bugs completely when applied. OTC pediculicides containing pyrethrum concentrates or permethrin can be effective. Different pediculicides containing different classes of bug sprays are accessible by prescription.

How do you prevent body lice?

Body lice, for the most part, infect people who aren't ready to wash or change garments routinely. Great individual hygiene and changing into clean garments at any rate once seven days ought to be sufficient to avoid body lice pervasion. Clothing, bed linens, or towels should not be shared with someone who is already infested. If you discover body lice, machine washing and drying all plagued dress and bedding in high temp water should prevent body lice from returning.

What are the Home remedies for body lice treatment?

  • Housekeeping
  • Wash towels, bedding, and attire in hot, sudsy water and dry them in a machine utilizing a high warmth setting.
  • It is likewise best to splash furniture with an item that murders lice to kill eggs installed in texture filaments and creases.

References

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Written ByDr. Ashish DavalbhaktaMBBS Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery,FRCS (UK),FRCS,MS General Surgery,Mch (Plastic Surgery)Cosmetology
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