Lice Infestation Treatment Sterling, VA
Lice are small insects that can cause a multitude of symptoms and generally cause concern. Unfortunately, these tiny pests are common and can be transmitted from person to person. A lice infestation can form in a variety of places on your body, but most commonly it occurs on the hair and scalp. Different species of lice can also infect other places on your body, which give them their names: head lice, body lice, and pubic lice.
Lice treatment is available at Millennium Medical Care Stone Springs in Sterling and the surrounding area. If you suspect that you or your child may have lice, then visit our urgent care center to receive a diagnosis and treatment to get rid of these pests today. Call us at (703) 665-3242 to visit our urgent care center for an evaluation and treatment today.
People at a Higher Risk of Acquiring Lice
Head lice are common throughout the world and can affect anyone regardless of social or economic background. Children are typically more frequently affected than adults, and males are affected more often than females. Ethnic background may also be a factor as studies have shown that these tiny bugs favor certain climates as well as hair structure and length.
Body lice are common in poverty-stricken countries where crowding and low personal hygiene can facilitate the spread and multiplication of the parasite. Communal beds have a significant influence on the prevalence of body lice and its spread. Pubic lice are most common in sexually active teenagers and young adults with new or many recent partners. Patients with pubic lice also commonly have another sexually-transmitted infection.
“Body lice are common in poverty-stricken countries where crowding and low personal hygiene can facilitate the spread and multiplication of the parasite.”
How Lice Appear
Head lice eggs look like oval capsules that may seem transparent until after they hatch, becoming white and more visible. After eight days, the baby lice, also called nymphs, turn into adult lice that are gray-white and can be 2 to 3 mm in length. If one looks closely at the lice, they may see structures that resemble a mouth, which they use to suck blood from the scalp or body. They also have well-adapted legs, especially skilled at grasping onto one's hair. Body lice look similar to head lice but are larger in size (up to 3-4 mm in length).
Pubic lice look different than both head and body lice. They are round and stubby as well as smaller in size — 0.8 to 1.2 mm. They are also transparent, making them difficult to see unless they have recently fed, in which they gain a reddish tone. Their legs also look different and end in crab-like claws, giving them the common name of crab lice.
“After eight days, the baby lice, also called nymphs, turn into adult lice that are gray-white and can be 2 to 3 mm in length.”
How Lice Transfers
Head lice move directly from the infected area to a person who is touching that infected part or object. Lice cannot jump or fly, and they do not use pets as carriers. Sharing hair dryers, combs, or towels are cause for concern, especially those that may have come into contact with a person infected with lice.
Body lice are different from head lice in that they can live and lay eggs in clothing and bedding. Unlike head lice, they can live up to three days without a meal. This gives them time to transfer from one person's clothes or bedding to another person. Pubic lice are technically a sexually transmitted infection since they move from the pubic hair of one individual to another when they are in contact during sexual intercourse. It is less common but possible to encounter pubic lice from damp clothing, towels, or linens of an infected person.
“Sharing hair dryers, combs, or towels are cause for concern, especially those that may have come into contact with a person infected with lice.”
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Symptoms and Diagnosis
Symptoms of each type of lice vary depending on its location and severity. Diagnosis is similar in that each area needs to be examined for evidence of eggs or adult lice but differ in location.
Symptoms
Lice can cause itching that occurs as an allergic reaction from the lice saliva that is injected into the skin when they feed. According to the CDC, common symptoms of lice include:
- Tickling feeling of something moving in the hair
- Itching, caused by an allergic reaction to the bites of the head louse
- Irritability and difficulty sleeping; head lice are most active in the dark
- Sores on the head caused by scratching and can sometimes become infected with bacteria found on the person’s skin
Diagnosis
Our urgent care physician will suspect head lice if patients come in with itchy scalps, especially in children. The diagnosis will be confirmed once the physician inspects the hair and sees the live, adult insects. The determination may also be made if there is a high concentration of eggs found within the hair and on the scalp. Body lice have a similar diagnosis to head lice, but instead of the hair, the physician will look for lice in the seams of clothing. Occasionally, the physician may find body lice living or feeding on the skin, which is indicative of a more severe infestation. While pubic lice has a similar diagnosis to head lice by examining the patient's pubic hair for eggs or adult lice.
Questions Answered on This Page
Q. Who is more likely to acquire lice?
Q. How do lice transfer from one person to another?
People Also Ask
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Treating Lice at Urgent Care
For head lice, one of our urgent care physicians can prescribe topical creams or shampoos that specifically target lice and rid the patient of the infestation. If the infestation is particularly severe or reoccurring, the physician can also prescribe an oral medication. For pubic lice, the treatment is similar and calls for topical creams or shampoos that kill the lice. However, these lice are more resistant and may take longer to treat or require several treatments to eradicate the infestation.
For body lice, most patients will be educated on the proper methods of exterminating the insects without medication. These include bathing thoroughly and washing all clothes and bedding in high temperatures of at least 130° F water. For more severe infestations where lice are found on the skin, you may receive a topical lotion or cream.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Is a lice infestation required to be reported to schools and workplaces?
A. It is not mandatory to report lice infestations to a school or workplace, but it is highly recommended as they are extremely contagious. Most schools ask parents to keep their children at home when experiencing a lice infestation to keep the other children from risk.
Q. What is the standard school policy on lice?
A. Students with nits and lice do not need to be sent back home from school. Lice tend to stay close to the hair shaft, making it extremely difficult to spread it during school hours, especially when the child's hair is pulled back. Every school district can apply the "no-nit" policy under their discretion.
Q. Can lice spread diseases?
A. Head lice should not be considered a medical or public health hazard as it is not known to spread disease. Head lice can be an annoyance because their presence may cause itching and loss of sleep. Sometimes the itching can lead to excessive scratching that can sometimes increase the chance of a secondary skin infection.
Q. How long can lice survive if untreated?
A. Lice can only survive by feeding on human blood. They can live on a person's head for up to 30 days but cannot survive longer than one or two days once it falls off. Female lice lay about six eggs each day, multiplying the number of adult lice feedings without progressive treatment.
Q. How can I treat lice at home?
A. The first way to treat or eliminate lice at home is by wet combing, or using a fine-toothed comb on wet hair to remove the adult lice and eggs. Essential oils, such as tea tree oil, can aid in suffocating and killing the lice and eggs. There are many types of medicated shampoos that can both remove and kill lice over time as well as oral medications such as antiparasitics.
Start Feeling Better – Visit Us Today
By visiting us as soon as possible, our team can help get you the professional treatment you need. Instead of waiting around and allowing the symptoms to get worse, we can provide you with stronger medication and treatment options instead of ineffective store-bought products.
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Definitions
Call Us Today
If you live in the Tustin area, or need urgent attention regarding lice symptoms, call us today at 703-665-3242 or walk in; no appointment necessary.
Helpful Related Links
- American Journal of Medicine. American Journal of Medicine. 2023
- American Medical Association (AMA). American Medical Association (AMA). 2023
- American Medical Society For Sports Medicine (AMSSM). American Medical Society For Sports Medicine. 2023
- American Trauma Society. American Trauma Society. 2023
- John Hopkins Medicine Orthopaedic Surgery. John Hopkins Medicine Orthopaedic Surgery. 2023
- National Council on Aging. National Council on Aging. 2023
- Orthopaedic Surgery: Association of American Medical Colleges. Orthopaedic Surgery: Association of American Medical Colleges. 2023
- Radiological Society of North America. Radiological Society of North America. 2023
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