Types Of Lice And Common Head Lice Symptoms

types-of-lice

Head lice are those not-so-fun little parasitic bugs that children may get at school or summer camp or at a friend’s house. We hope your children never get lice but if they are in elementary school, they are at risk to get and spread lice. Sometimes it just happens. They are spread through personal contact as well as by sharing belongings.

Three Types of Lice

The three different types of lice are:

  • Body Lice (Pediculus humanus corporis)
  • Public Lice (Pthirus Pubis)
  • Head Lice (Pediculus humanus capitas)

The three types of lice all come from the same family but they are a different species. The only type of lice we treat is head lice, which is the most common.

Symptoms of Head Lice

  • Itching

The most common symptom of head lice is itching. Lice bits often cause an allergic reaction that causes intense itching.

  • A Moving Sensation In The Hair

If you don’t get itching right away, you may feel like something is moving in your hair. It may be a tickling feeling.

  • Sores

You may develop sores from scratching while your head itches. They will go away after treatment.

  • Irritability And Trouble Sleeping

You might find yourself very irritated if you have lice. Your head just doesn’t feel normal and you have a hard time sleeping.

  • The Appearance Of Tiny White Flakes

Lice eggs might look like dandruff but they will not budge if you shake your head because they secrete a glue-like substance and stick themselves to the hair. They are called nits and have to be removed by pulling each one out with a lice comb.

Head lice are not fun, but luckily, they are the most common type of lice and are the easiest to treat. Lucky for you, we have a clinic right in the area that offers the best treatment around. Give us a call if you experience any symptoms of head lice and we’ll perform head lice checks for you and your family.

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1 comment
Olivia Smart says May 31, 2023

Thank you for pointing out that you might have a hard time sleeping if you have head lice. My husband has been having a hard time sleeping saying that he thinks there’s something on his head. I’ll be sure to check this out to see if we may need to look into lice removal.

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