Lice - what is this? Description and photo

A large number of people on the planet encountered pediculosis. According to legend, the louse appeared from dust, ashes and ashes, and was given to a person so that he was not lazy or lazy. But still only a small part of people were interested in what these parasites are, and are there any features of their appearance? In this article we will tell you about how a lice looks, because any enemy, as they say, you need to know in person.

What are they?

Lice are ectoparasites, in other words, creatures that parasitize on the surface of another living organism, that is, eat and live at its expense. In the case of humans, they live on the hair of the body. In particular, it concerns the head, since there is a lot of hair and the epidermis of the skin is thin. This allows parasites to calmly and freely feed on the blood of the host. There are times when lice live on pubic hair (in other words, it's pubic lice).

These parasites are classed as insects. They are small (0.4-6 mm), the body is flattened, with an enlarged belly. The stitching device is adapted to a parasitic life. When they pierce the skin, a small amount of saliva is released that blocks the coagulability of the blood, and the bite site is characterized by skin irritation and severe itching. The average louse exists for 40 days. However, without food and a host, it can live only about ten days, while the temperature of the environment should not be lower than 10 ⁰ C. The fatal temperature for these parasites is either minus 15 or plus 45 ⁰ C.

We get acquainted with the peculiarities of the appearance of parasites

Many people ask themselves how the head looks, and what are its features. Before we begin to list the external signs of this insect and some of its features, you need to know that it moves very fast (speed 23 cm per minute), why notice and catch it is very difficult. So, the lice:

• Have a grayish and whitish color;
• The length of their body is 2-3 mm, there are 6 legs;
• It is easier to see lice eggs - nits, which parasites put in large numbers;
• Nits are yellowish white, they cling tightly to the hairline (0.7 cm from the skin), so they are difficult to shake;
• They are small in size, not more than 1.5 millimeters;
• Usually lice and nits are located on the scalp, but it happens on the eyebrows and eyelashes;
• The life expectancy of these parasites averaged 4-5 weeks;
• Outside the head zone, nits can last about two weeks;
• They feed their lice with blood;
• Itching begins two or four weeks after infection and is provoked by the fact that lice, piercing the skin of a person, secrete through their salivary glands their gastric fluid.

Varieties of parasites

Before considering the danger of lice and nits, it is necessary to find out what kinds of lice they are. There are only three:

• The first and most recognizable species are the head lice that live on the head.
• The second include pubic parasites. They live on the hairline, located on the human genitals.
• And the last kind is a louse. As a result of evolution, it evolved from the first species. Over time, the louse lost flakes on the legs, which give the opportunity to hold on to the hair, so she adapted to live in folds of clothing.

What are the dangerous parasites?

Let's first understand what lice are? These are parasites, which in Latin are called pediculus humanus. From here comes another name for this disease - pediculosis. Since lice feed on blood, and their mouth organs pierce the upper layer of human skin, they can tolerate various diseases, among which there are also dangerous, for example typhus. Lice are parasites that actively multiply in conditions of natural disasters, when people stop observing the basic rules of hygiene.

A female parasite at a time can lay several hundred eggs, they are also called nits. Within two weeks, a young generation of lice is removed from them, followed by pediculosis. If you start and do not start treatment on time, then within a few months the lice will "stab" the host.

Ways of infection

The main reason for the appearance of lice in humans is simple non-observance of personal hygiene. They are transmitted in the following ways:

• Through bed linen;
• Headgear and personal use items, such as combs;
• You can also get infected in the pool or open water.

Sometimes lice can localize and lay eggs in the folds of clothing, where they are very difficult to find. From there they go out only for feeding, and then hide again. In such cases, the area of the axillae, the groin, the back and those places where the clothing fits snugly to the body are severely affected.

Where can I get infected:

• In long travel, when there is no way to follow personal hygiene rules;
• In kindergartens, schools, where children contact each other daily;
• On seasonal works;
• Where there is a large crowd of people, for example, in hospitals, trains, sanatoria.

In such places it is necessary to pay more attention to preventive measures, conducting periodic disinsection and deratization of premises. If you comply with all the rules, parasites stop multiplying, and public places will not pose a threat to human health.

Symptomatology of the disease

With the development of pediculosis on the head most strongly affects the occipital and temporal areas. In these places we can observe the following typical signs:

• Intense itching, which leads to scratching the skin to the blood;
• The affected areas can turn into abscesses and furuncles in neglected cases;
• With prolonged pediculosis the skin becomes denser and in places pigmented;
• Visual inspection allows you to see on the hair nits, which cling legs and located 1 cm above the root of the hair.

Risk groups

Considering the main causes of parasite infection, we can identify the main risk groups:

• Very often lice on the head are observed in children who attend school facilities or kindergartens;
• Pests can be found in people from disadvantaged families who do not adhere to basic rules of hygiene;
• Travelers, if for a long time they do not have access to hot water;
• Often lice, photos of which are presented in this article, are picked up by the staff of institutions where there is a large flow of visitors who contact them: nurses, doctors, hairdressers, social workers and other services.

Existing ways of treatment

Cure pediculosis, of course, you can. To do this, it is necessary to choose the right medicines that well affect the parasites, inhibiting their vital functions and killing. But remember that getting rid of nits and lice is a long and difficult process, because it takes a long time to comb them out of their hair with a comb. To achieve the desired result and effectively get rid of lice, you must repeat the destruction procedure several times. After the treatment of the hair, it is necessary to comb out the dead parasites.

In the pharmacy you will be given a large selection of drugs that are sold without a prescription. The drugs are very effective, so do not be afraid to resort to them. But it is important to remember that the composition of medical drugs includes dangerous substances, pesticides, so they must be used strictly for their intended purpose, following the instructions strictly and observing all safety measures.

How to get rid of lice at home?

Also parasites can be withdrawn independently, without resorting to the help of a specialist. However, sometimes it is even better to apply at least for advice, especially if a child is affected by pediculosis. As you know, very small children, many drugs are simply banned, so you can not do without a doctor. Also it is necessary to be cautious in cases when the child has an allergy, asthma or nits settled on eyebrows or eyelashes.

What to remember during treatment:

• You can not use more than one medicinal product against lice;
• It is necessary to follow its instructions;
• Do not dry hair with a hair dryer after treatment with antiparasitic preparations, as in some cases they may contain combustible substances;
• Do not use hair conditioners or masks before applying anti-lice drugs;
• You can not wash your head after the procedure for two days;
• Do not use veterinary antiparasitic products produced for animals;
• Do not buy the same medicine more than three times in a row, because it shows that it does not help, it is better to take another.

Than to treat a pediculosis?

In the old days, ineffective treatment against lice was used. Used kerosene, tar soap, dichlorvos, vinegar and cranberry juice. To date, it is not advisable to resort to these methods, since more effective methods of treatment have already been developed. The pharmaceutical market presents various drugs for the treatment and prevention of pediculosis. These are shampoos and sprays. Here are the most popular tools:

• Crooked water;
• Boric ointment;
• Shampoo "Pedilin";
• The preparation "Benzyl benzoate";
• Parasidosis shampoo;
• Sulfuric ointment (5%).

Any of these drugs is prescribed by a dermatologist. Before you begin to use, you need to read the instructions and strictly follow it. All drugs are toxic and have a large number of contraindications (especially for pregnant women, small children, allergies or for people with airway pathology).

After the end of the treatment, you need to comb your hair with a metal comb, since lice can not all die during processing. In addition, they can be removed by hand, although this will take much longer. To facilitate the process of removing nits with a comb, olive oil is applied to the hair. It also has an anti-inflammatory and wound-healing effect.

Lice were crazy, what is it for?

In the interpretation of many dream books, despite the unpleasant associations that lice among us, they predict the acquisition of wealth. If you wish to shake them off your hair, then it means that in real life you want to get rid of troubles and problems. If the lice in the dream showered the whole head, and you want to throw them off yourself, it means that in life you were close to getting a big profit, but because of your indecision you lost this opportunity. However, lice that are not always seen in a dream are to profit, sometimes there are other interpretations:

• To see the parasites in a dream - to tears;
• Many lice can mean poverty or disease;
• If you exterminate them, then a successful surprise is coming;
• Some dream books consider the crushing of nits in a dream, like the news of death.