You may also be able to see the tiny lice, or small black dots on your skin. The infection is usually transmitted by prolonged physical contact, for example those sharing a bed or sexual contacts, but can occur less commonly by touching an infected person. Treatment is simple. Vaseline yellow soft paraffin should be applied to the eyelashes twice daily for 8 days.
This works by suffocating the lice and avoids any risk of eye irritation from the insecticide. It is advised that you re-examine yourself after 1 week and use a small eyelash comb to remove any dead eggs. Treatment is almost always successful. The most common cause for treatment failure is forgetting to apply the cream to areas such as hair in-between the buttocks, hair below the tummy button and under the arms.
The treatment kills the lice and eggs very quickly however the itch may continue for a few days. See related article on pediculosis and scabies. Lice are small insects that live on the skin. They are often connected to hair on the scalp or in the pubic area. When you have lice, it is called pediculosis. Scabies is a condition caused by mites, which are tiny, insect-like animals that dig under the skin.
Both conditions cause itching. If you itch on your scalp or other hairy parts of your body, and the itching happens at all times of day, it is more likely to be lice. Scabies usually is not on the head or neck area, and the itching is often worse at night. If you think you or your child might have lice, look at the scalp closely. Lice are hard to see, so it is best to look for the lice eggs also called nits , which are a light brown color.
They are attached to the hair shaft next to the scalp, often behind the ears or on the neck. Scabies is harder to see. The mites usually dig into the skin between the fingers, or around the ankles and wrists.
The areas where they dig may look like wavy, red, raised lines on the skin. Treatment is only needed if you see live lice. Lice can be killed with special lotions and shampoos that you can buy over the counter.
Two brands are Nix and Rid. Follow the directions carefully. Rid should be put on dry hair at the scalp. Nix should be put on damp hair at the scalp. Unfortunately having good personal hygiene, or using condoms and other barrier methods of contraception, such as dental dams, cannot protect you from pubic lice. Symptoms may not appear for several weeks after you have caught pubic lice.
Once they do present symptoms include itching in the infected area caused by an allergic reaction to their saliva, inflammation caused by scratching, blue spots or tiny spots of blood on the skin caused by bites, and black powder-like droppings in your underwear. Pubic lice can be treated at home by applying an insecticide shampoo, cream, or lotion.
These are often applied to the whole body excluding the eyes , but are sometimes only applied to the infected area. It is advised that you trim your pubic hair before using the insecticide treatment, as this will increase the effectiveness of the treatment. Remember to sanitize your razor or beard trimmer afterward! You will need to reapply the insecticide treatment after three to seven days to prevent a re-infestation.
Your GP or Pharmacist will be able to advise you about which treatment you should use. Some lice can become resistant to certain treatments, in this case the first treatment you try may not work and you will need your GP or a Pharmacist to recommend an alternative.
Do not shave your pubic hair off! The pubic lice will crawl into where you hair grows and lay more eggs, so whilst you may temporarily remove some of the lice — when your pubic hair grows back, the crabs will return, and in greater number. Also if you must scratch yourself, please cut your fingernails before doing so!
If you break your skin by scratching, the parasites can enter your body through the broken skin and cause another infection. You can relieve itching by having a bath with oatmeal, milk or aloe vera.
They may do some tests to rule out other skin conditions such as eczema. If you, or a partner, have genital scabies, you could also go to a sexual health clinic for diagnosis and treatment. You can treat pubic lice at home using an insecticide lotion, available from chemists without prescription or from your GP or a sexual health clinic. The doctor or pharmacist will recommend the best treatment for you.
Follow instructions for use, leaving the lotion on for the recommended time. You may need to use the treatment a second time, a week later, to make sure you have cleared the infestation. Other people in your household should also be treated, as should any partners or anyone you have had intimate contact with, such as sharing a bed.
Do not have sex or close body contact until you have been successfully treated. Insecticide lotions are also effective against scabies. You apply them to your whole body except your head and leave them overnight, rinsing them off after 8 to 24 hours. Follow the instructions for applying the treatment carefully. You may need to do a second treatment a week later. The itching may continue for a few weeks after treatment.
Hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion or antihistamines can help with this. Try not to scratch, as this can result in a secondary skin infection. If this happens, you may need antibiotic treatment. If left untreated, scabies can cause severe skin irritation. In cases of crusted scabies see below , clean the floors at home and vacuum your carpets and furniture such as sofas and armchairs. There is a more severe form of scabies called crusted scabies also known as Norwegian scabies.
0コメント