What are lice?

What are lice

One of the most irritable moments that a person could experience is perhaps when they find out that they have lice in their head. For those who are confused by reading this statement, it is recommended that you keep on reading this article and get to know what exactly lice is. Lice are very small parasitic insects with no wings that suck on human blood. Lice are widely disseminated, particularly among children, through direct skin contact and the sharing of personal items.

They are classified into two categories: sucking lice, which feed on their host’s oily secretions and bodily fluids, and chewing lice, which are predators that feed on skin, feathers or hair pieces, and detritus found on the body of the host. Eating lice reside within their host’s hairs or feathers, feeding on skin and detritus, whereas sucking lice puncture the host’s skin, feeding on blood and other liquids. They typically spend their entire life on a particular location, attaching their eggs, known as nits, to hairs or feathers. The larvae develop into nymphs, which shed three or four times before reaching full maturity, which takes around four weeks.

Lice are frequently cryptically colored to resemble the host’s fur or feathers. The hue of a louse ranges from light brown to slate grey; but, when sucking on blood, it can turn much dark. On a human body, you can find three types of lice: head lice, body lice, and pubic lice. Body and head lice are subtypes of Pediculus humanus, but pubic lice are a distinct species, Pthirus pubis. Lice combs and medicated shampoos or washes can be used to reduce outbreaks.

As mentioned above, the outbreak of lice can be managed by a specialized type of shampoo which is generally available in the market as anti-lice shampoo. There is also anti-lice shampoo for kids, which is specifically designed for children’s delicate skin and scalp. Using an anti-lice shampoo is considered as one of the best lice treatment for kids. The reason why this treatment is considered as the best is because of the fact that it is extremely easy to use and have no significant side effects to it.