Intense itching that gets worse at night Rashes on the skin, particularly the neck, armpit, groin, and waistline areas of the body Tiny red spots or elevated bumps on the skin Thickened or darkened skin
Some other species of lice that can infest your body, such as crab lice, may also get into your eyelashes. Inspect your lashes closely for any signs of lice or nits. [3] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U. S. National Institutes of Health Go to source Sometimes, sores from repeated scratching can get infected with bacteria or fungi.
Check any areas of the skin that are irritated, darkened, or calloused. A magnifying glass can help you find clusters of eggs, but it is not absolutely necessary. You can see the lice or their eggs with the naked eye.
Mature lice cannot live longer than 5 to 7 days after falling off a host. Because of this, it is more common to find lice eggs, or “nits,” in an article of clothing. These eggs look like tiny yellowish or white ovals. These eggs hatch out in 1-2 weeks. Although it is rare, body lice can lay their eggs directly on the human body. Look for eggs directly attached to the shafts of body hair (for example, in the armpits or groin).
Unlike head lice or pubic lice, body lice only invade the body when they need to feed and are not consistently present on the skin. Nits are rarely laid on the body. Practicing good personal hygiene and regularly washing and drying your clothing on high heat settings are essential for getting rid of a body lice infestation.
Let your doctor know if you think your skin might be infected in areas where you’ve been scratching a lot. They can prescribe an antibiotic or anti-fungal medication to clear it up.
Ovicidal pediculicides kill nits and only need to be used a few times. Non-ovicidal pediculicides kill mature body lice, but not nits. You may need to use them multiple times to avoid re-infestation from nits that hatch.
Wash your laundry at least once a week to keep the infestation from coming back. If possible, change into clean clothes every day.
If you can’t dry something on high heat without damaging it, vacuum it to get rid of any stray lice or eggs. You can also spray it with a lice-killing product, such as Nix. [12] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source If you have no good way of cleaning or treating the item, you may need to destroy it. You can also kill any remaining lice by sealing the items in a garbage bag for 2 weeks, or by getting the items dry cleaned. [13] X Trustworthy Source Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Main public health institute for the US, run by the Dept. of Health and Human Services Go to source
Pair vacuuming with louse-killing spray to kill any lice and nits the vacuum doesn’t suck up.
