Lice
Treating Symptoms & Eradicating Pesky Parasites
When your head just can’t seem to stop itching, you’ll probably ask the dreaded question, “Do I have lice?” There are many possible reasons your head could be itchy, and lice could be one of them. The good news is, most lice are not dangerous and do not pose a direct health risk to carriers. The main problem many people have with lice is that they are irritating.
You should seek treatment with lice as soon as possible because they are contagious and pose a health hazard to your home, work, or school. Visit one of our Jupiter Medical Urgent Care Centers in Jupiter, West Palm Beach, Stuart or Palm Beach Gardens today.
How to Tell if You Have Lice
Children and adults affected by lice should seek treatment at the first sign of symptoms, as lice reproduce and spread incredibly quickly. It is easier to eradicate lice from your hair or body before they have had the chance to lay eggs and multiply.
While itchiness is the most common sign of lice, other symptoms include:
- Difficulty sleeping
- Red bumps around hairy areas
- Small, white objects in hair (not to be confused with dandruff)
- Itching so much that you start to develop sores
- A sensation that something is moving in your hair
Children are often more susceptible to lice since they are more likely to come into close contact with other children who may have lice. Very young children should be seen by a health care professional before they begin taking medicine to treat lice.
What You Should Know About Lice
Lice spread easily, so even just brief contact with an infected object, like a comb or hat, or a person who has already contracted lice can make even the most hygienic person susceptible.
There are three different kinds of lice:
- Head lice: Greyish white parasites about the size of a sesame seed that attach themselves near hair shafts on the scalp
- Body lice: Similar to head lice but larger in size, body lice live in clothing and feed on human hosts
- Pubic lice: Shaped differently than head and body lice, pubic lice cause intense itching and sometimes blue-colored sores
Head lice and pubic lice in particular do not carry any diseases and can only cause secondary infection due to scratching of the area. Body lice, however, can spread diseases like typhus and LBRF (louse-borne relapsing fever), so those affected by body lice should seek medical attention to eradicate the lice and ensure that they have not been infected with a more serious disease.