Subcutaneous human lice - a widespread myth. The same as lice, appearing from the nerves, or whole tumors, completely populated by lice from the inside. It is usually said that lice live under the skin, trying to explain or describe scabies, a common disease caused by a completely different parasite other than lice.
However, the myth of subcutaneous lice in humans has gained wide popularity for several reasons:
- Lice are really very small, and even in their normal life situation, they are barely noticeable. Many believe that if they are not visible on the head itself, the lice are also invisible under the skin.
- The symptoms of the disease, the responsibility for which in the people is shifted to the subcutaneous lice in humans, are very similar to the typical pediculosis - the same itch, the same migratory irritations.And once having seen lice on the head with such symptoms, it is easy to blame them for scabies.
- The causative agent of scabies is indistinguishable without a microscope. Of course, popular rumor should somehow describe what a person can not see. For this, and was invented subcutaneous louse.
Today, science has already described well the scabies themselves, and the way of life of its pathogens, and the lice themselves. Therefore, in order to reliably navigate the causes and differences of these parasitic infections, one should know their pathogens well.
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“I had subcutaneous lice this summer after a trip to the village. Awful thing. On the skin there are small bumps, under which the louse itself is visible in the sun, and itchy terribly. You can not scrape them off, you can pick it up with a needle and pull it out. Itching is very acute at night, you can not feel it in the daytime. At the hospital, he was prescribed Permetrine ointment and was forced to lie in a ward for five days. They said it was very contagious. ”
Julia, Ogonevka
A little bit about lice and their biology
All lice are human external parasites. They are not able to penetrate the body or under the skin, but they are very well adapted to hold onto the hair due to the special structure of their paws. The photo is visible head louse under the microscope - its hook-shaped legs are well distinguishable:
Lice under the skin almost never fall, and even in exceptional cases, hitting the wound is selected from it.
By their inability to live inside the human body, lice resemble other ectoparasites - bedbugs, ticks, fleas. However, lice differ from all of them in that they have perfectly adapted themselves to the constant presence on the surface of the human body - here they feed, they rest here, here they lay eggs-nits, which stick to the hair.
On a note
Existing cootie (underwear) - an evolutionary form of the head, adapted to live on clothes and from time to time crawl onto the human body and bite him. These lice also can not live under the skin, but among other parasites occupy a special position - they, like, and do not live on the human body, but are constantly present in the immediate vicinity of him.
Lice larvae, tiny copies of adults, also live only on the surface of the host's skin and never penetrate under it. Therefore, the question whether there are subcutaneous lice, you can definitely answer - no, not.
Who lives under the skin: in detail about the causative agent of scabies
So what is the notorious subcutaneous lice?
Under this popular name hides another parasite - scabby itch, or scabby mite. He has practically no relation to lice, his relatives - encephalitis mites and spiders.
The photo below shows a scabby mite under a microscope - it has 8 paws visible (there are only 6 of them in human lice):
Human ticks were given subcutaneous lice in humans for the similarity of the symptoms of infection with the symptoms of lice infection - severe itching, noticeable blisters from the bites and the invisibility of the parasites themselves.
The pruritic itch itself produces an itch, with constant skin punching and biting to suck blood. As it moves under the skin, the female mite constantly lays eggs, from which new larvae emerge, continuing to do the same.
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I was told that one grandfather had a lump on his forehead, and for many years. And when it was cut, it was full of lice!
Irina, Moscow
Usually, an infected person has 1 to 15 ticks on his body. Already this amount causes so severe itching and discomfort that a person is forced to apply to health care facilities.
In special cases - among vagrants, for example - several million ticks can live under the skin.which, in addition to itching, can lead to tissue necrosis and the development of particularly severe forms of scabies - Norwegian scabies, nodular scabies, dermatitis and pyoderma.
In the photo - the appearance of the hand of a man with Norwegian scabies:
It is impossible to examine without a microscopic scabies mite, but in the place of its location under the skin a small dark point is visible (see photo):
Thus, it can be said that the so-called lice in the people under the skin are scabby mites that can cause irritations that are outwardly quite similar to pediculosis.
How to distinguish infection "subcutaneous louse" from lice?
Some symptoms of subcutaneous lice infection quite closely resemble the signs of the disease that skin lice cause. However, these diseases have clear differences:
- "Subcutaneous lice" on the head do not occur. Only in exceptional cases in children can a mite infect the upper back of the neck and chin. Most often, the tick affects the interdigital space, genitals in men, armpits, abdomen, sides, buttocks, elbows.Unlike scabby mites, lice most often parasitize on the head or pubis.
- Subcutaneous lice do not leave characteristic marks from bites. If there are such traces - ordinary lice should be suspected. In this case, the first symptom of scabies is a rash. The photo below shows a characteristic rash with scabies.
- Scabies is characterized by the presence of mite moves under the skin, which can be seen when examining places of itching or palpating with a finger.
However, always with the appearance of any characteristic symptoms, one should first of all consult a doctor - only he can diagnose the parasite with maximum reliability.
The causes of the myth and what is behind it
The myth about the existence of subcutaneous lice appeared, most likely, when people suffering from lice tried to explain the causes of scabies. Even in the Renaissance in Italy, it was hypothesized that scabies is caused by some microorganisms, but doctors could not find them. Given the similarity of the disease to pediculosis, it is easy to assume that the same pathogens, only invisible, living under the skin, caused scabies.
In the future, these theories and myths were widely developed: folk doctors often frighten their patients with the stories thathow people get huge bumps on their bodies, which, when opened, end up with stuffed lice, about spontaneous generation of lice under the skin of dirt, and even that lice are constantly present under the scalp, but doze, and are only activated by stress and loose host nerves . And people believe.
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You know, let them say that lice are transmitted only from person to person, but I will say only that when I broke up with my boyfriend, I had a lot of stress, I didn't leave home for more than a month. And note, with any of the strangers are not in contact. But I had lice, of course I could not understand at first when I saw this stuff on my head, but I looked better and saw whitish spots, and no one else in the family had them, only I had them. And fortunately there were not many of them, so I quickly brought them out. So I made sure on myself that lice arise not only from dirt and other things, but from stress!
Fortunately, today all these guesses are dispelled, and at the same time intelligent doctors know how to quickly and easily get rid of real lice and scabies. Therefore, if some narrow-minded doctor starts telling you something about subcutaneous lice in the human body, you should run away from him. It is desirable - in the direction of the nearest good dermatological office.
Details about subcutaneous tongs: interesting shots
What is important to know about scabies and its symptoms: how to protect yourself
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Comb Neath Free copes well with lice and nits! Super remedy.
Yes, I agree. And Medifox helps a lot.
My daughter has lice for more than half a year, we can’t get them out, tell me.
Have you tried to bathe?
I read that lice under the skin can not live, they can only be infected. Not really believe it. I had a personal experience. When I was in the first grade, I got sick - my throat, cough, very high fever. She lay for a week at home, contacted only with dad and mom. On the first day after the illness, mother, braiding my hair, found a louse. No one else in their family had them. I think that they still have under the skin in a sleeping state, and during illness or stress they can go "up".
Natasha, lice can not live under the skin. I will not go into subtleties, but they are not allowed their structural features and vital functions. Louse you picked up from your friends at school. It happens that it is not immediately notice. Here I had a case: my uncle loved to drink wine, and the same alcoholic came to visit him. The sheepskin coat was on him, as if he hadn’t taken pictures of him for 10 years. I suspect that he licked him and brought him. And when a person gets drunk, he doesn't follow him.I was a student then, and lived with my uncle. But I decided to go to the hostel. He was examined, including by a dermatologist (!), And on his first day in the hostel, undressing, he found a louse on his clothes. Got rid of linen, washed. Uncle also forced to hold hygienic measures. That is, the doctor did not pay attention! So do not think that louses on us constantly doze. We catch them from someone.
I'm in a panic
Do not be surprised that I am 12 years old and I am such a smart girl. I know that children often have lice when they get sick. Causes: 1) high body temperature, which is why the child is constantly sweating. 2) When children get sick, they should not be washed, and therefore dirt is one of the reasons.
Well, if you need more reasons, then I can write. By the way, when I grow up, I will go to the doctor.
Our house burned down, and after 4 days I had insects on my head. You can't call them lice, I know what lice look like. It was a black dot and a lot of legs, they did not bite, but crawled over the face, ears, neck - it was a horror, because I was at work. That was in 1974. Just two days ago, I again felt that something was crawling on my forehead, started to comb out.These insects were not like those, but they look like a spider with a bag on the back, they could be seen through a magnifying glass. On your page there is an insect.
Mum for 2 years bite incomprehensible insects. We do not know what to do. Were all doctors, no one understands what it is. They are like a grain of sand, or there are white small larvae. Help me please. Maybe someone came across this!
There are chicken lice / mites. Once in the barn of these parasites picked up. Scary bit my head. Brought cellophane package on his head and a solution of vinegar.
P.S. Nothing became hair. Everything is good.
It has long been proven that lice appear more often in clean people, as it is easier for lice to bite through clean skin than dirty skin.
Tea tree oil in shampoo, five drops. Then dry the head and go with an iron for hair. And all ironed (bed iron every day). Check the head until there is no dry nits. This infection is very hard to get. I wish as quickly as possible to cope with this disease.
I take out the lice from the child for a day: first, I apply some lice remedy on the hair, then I need to comb it out with a comb, and then I look for nits and pull it out of my hair until I pull it all out. By the way, if at least one nit remains, then the lice will start again. For the lazy, I advise every 3 days to use the means of lice for a month. And do not forget to comb, but it can come to life.