Body Lice | Disease Outbreak Control Division (2024)

FAQs

What is the method of control for lice? ›

Vacuum carpets and padded furniture to remove hairs with attached nits and any lice that crawl off the infested person. Put bed linens, pillows, stuffed animals and similar items in a dryer for 30 minutes on high heat to kill both live lice and nits. Lice do not jump or hop. They do crawl and cling.

Body lice are primarily treated by thoroughly washing yourself and any contaminated items with soap and hot water and drying clothing and bedding in a machine dryer using the hot cycle. Dry cleaning and ironing clothing that cannot be washed also is effective.

Body lice are ectoparasites that must feed on human blood to survive and have a global distribution. They assume 3 forms across their life cycle, starting with the egg or nit, progressing to the nymph, and finally, the adult stage. As with head lice, nits are oval and appear yellow or white.

A person that has body lice should shower and regularly change into clean clothes to get rid of body lice and keep them from coming back. Infested clothing, bedding, and towels should be washed in hot water (at least 130°F) and then placed in a clothes dryer on the hot cycle to kill any lice and nits.

Can vinegar kill lice eggs? Vinegar is one of the classic home remedies for lice. However, if you are trying to find out how to get rid of nits using vinegar, you should know that using vinegar to kill nits or lice eggs is totally ineffective. Vinegar has no negative effect on the lice eggs.

Start by wetting the hair and lubricating it with hair conditioner or olive oil. Comb the entire head from the scalp to the end of the hair at least twice during a session. The process typically should be repeated every 3 to 4 days for several weeks — at least two weeks after no more lice are found.

Machine-wash in hot water items that might be infested, and dry them with hot air. If you can't launder an item, soak it in hot water for five to 10 minutes, dry-clean it, or seal it in a plastic bag for two weeks to kill the lice and nits it might carry.

Coconut, tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon grass, and peppermint are scents popularly believed to repel lice. Using any coconut scented shampoo and conditioner is an easy way to increase your defense. At 1% concentration, tea tree oil killed 100% of head lice after 30 minutes.

Insecticidal agents that are neurotoxic to lice include permethrin 1% lotion or shampoo (Nix), pyrethrins 0.3%/piperonyl butoxide 4% shampoo (Rid), malathion 0.5% lotion (Ovide), spinosad 0.9% suspension (Natroba), ivermectin 0.5% lotion (Sklice), and oral ivermectin (Stromectol; off-label use).

Lice, Head and Body Lice (Pediculosis) is are tiny insects that can live on the scalp. They can create a tickling feeling or a sensation of something moving in the hair, irritability, and sleeplessness.

How easy does body lice spread? ›

They can also spread from contact with an infected person's clothes. Body lice bites can spread certain types of diseases and can even cause epidemics. Clothing and bedding that have been infested with body lice should be laundered in hot, soapy water and machine dried using the hot cycle.

Body lice usually infest people who aren't able to bathe or change clothes regularly. Good personal hygiene and changing into clean clothes at least once a week should be enough to prevent body lice infestation. You should also make sure not to share clothing, bed linens, or towels with someone who is infested.

Permethrin lotion,1% (Nix). This lice shampoo is approved for use in babies and children aged 2 months and older. Piperonyl butoxide with pyrethrins (A-200, Pronto, R&C, Rid, Triple X, Xeglyze). You can use this treatment in kids aged 2 years and older.

Most people successfully get rid of body lice infestations by regularly bathing with soap and warm water and washing their clothes. Try to bathe daily until you no longer see body lice or nits on your body, clothes, bedding or other fabric items, like towels.

Tea Tree Oil. Though many people are sensitive to tea tree oil, it has been shown to be effective at killing lice. One study showed a 100% mortality rate after 30 minutes of treatment. A tea tree oil-scented spray or shampoo may be useful in preventing reinfestation.

However, you can take steps to prevent the spread of lice among children and adults. Here are some tips on how to prevent the spread of lice: Don't share items that touch the head like combs or towels. Avoid activities that lead to head-to-head contact.

If you have body lice, first bathe with soap and water. After bathing, apply permethrin (Nix) to the affected areas before bedtime and then shower in the morning. Repeat this treatment nine days after the first application. Also take other measures to get rid of body lice.

Over-the-Counter (OTC) Products: OTC lice treatments include shampoos, lotions, and creams with insecticides like permethrin or pyrethrin. These kill lice and nits, but some lice strains may resist them. Prescription Medications: Stronger medications may be needed for resistant lice strains.