Lice & Scabies Treatment

Head Lice

Lice are tiny parasites that feed on blood and therefore need a human host to survive. The different kinds of lice usually infect specific areas and as such, we categorise them into 3 different types.

Head lice are very common among children and are often spread around schools, possibly because children have more close contact with each other than adults do. The lice themselves are approximately the size of a sesame seed and they lay white or yellow eggs (known as ‘nits’) that are barely visible. The symptoms of head lice include an itchy scalp and contrary to popular belief, catching them is not related to personal hygiene. They are more common in girls though (possibly because they have more close contact than boys do) and they are less common among black people, perhaps because their hair has a structure that the lice find it difficult to hang on to.

Pubic lice are smaller than head lice (about half the size) and they have earned the nickname of “crabs” because of the lices’ claw-like front legs that enable them to cling to the hair. The small yellow-grey parasites are found in the pubic area and can be passed from one person to another through sexual contact. Again, these lice can cause intense itching in the pubic region and are hard to get rid of because the eggs are barely visible to the naked eye and cannot be removed by normal washing.

Body lice are probably the least common but they are almost identical to head lice. However, they tend to hide in clothing and bedding, so they can be hard to find and difficult to treat. It’s important to do so though, as left untreated, the lice can cause health complications like skin sores, bacterial infections, and blood infections. They are also arguably the most uncomfortable as the itching is not localised to one area, but instead affects the whole body.

Scabies

Scabies is another contagious skin disease that causes a very itchy rash, caused by female mites burrowing into the skin and laying eggs. Alongside the rash, you may notice small lesions (as thin as pencil marks) caused by the burrowing, but this is not always visible. You could also see red patches all over the body, but rarely on the face or scalp. Since the infection causes redness and itching, it’s especially hard for people with eczema or psoriasis to notice they have it, as the symptoms match those of their existing skin conditions. Scabies can be passed through any close contact and places such as nursing homes are common breeding grounds because of the number of possible human hosts.

Firstly, you will need to identify which kind it is that you have, as the treatments differ.

Head Lice Shampoo

For head lice and pubic lice, there are a number of medicated shampoos and hair oils that help to eradicate the infection, while body lice require lotions and solutions to get rid of them.

Scabies Cream

Scabies is slightly different but there are a number of creams and lotions you can buy to kill the mites and their eggs.

When treating lice and scabies, you will also need to eradicate your house of the infection, which means cleansing your bedding, clothes, furniture and carpets to make sure that there are no more parasites or mites waiting to re-infect people.

You can buy effective medications from UK Meds, with options to suit your whole family and fast delivery to ensure you get rid of the contagious parasites as quickly as possible.