As anyone who has a child at nursery, pre-school or primary school knows only too well, head lice is particularly common in young children and requires prompt treatment. In contrast to head lice, crabs or public lice is far less common and is usually spread through intimate contact.
Symptoms of Head Lice and Crabs
Typical symptoms associated with head lice, may include having an itchy scalp and neck, although it is often the case that there are no symptoms at all. Despite head lice being a very common condition in school age children and younger, there still exists to some degree much ignorance about head lice. For example, it is nothing to do with being unclean, as lice like all types of hair. Symptoms of crabs tend to be more noticeable as they are visible to the naked eye and can result in severe itching, which is most often felt at night.
As recognised by Jones (2004) in Travel Health, body and pubic lice are far less common than head lice, usually affecting coarser hair, such as those located in the pubic region. It is also possible for crabs to spread to other areas of the body, including to underarm hair.
How to Treat Head Lice and Crabs
As soon as one has identified head lice or crabs, it is important to get treatment and in the case of pubic lice or crabs, sexual partners will need to be informed. While there are many different home remedies for treating head lice, there are two main choices – either get a special head lice and nit lotion from the pharmacy, or repeatedly use a nit comb after each hair wash, having used lots of conditioner on the hair. This can take around 30 minutes and must be done every day for up to four weeks; there are also spray in anti-nit protection treatments available.
Treatment for pubic lice or crabs requires applying lotion to the whole body and depending on the brand, leaving it on for several hours. As with head lice, crabs should be treated once more, around seven days after the first treatment has been done. Obviously, between treatments and until one is clear of pubic lice, intimate relations should be avoided.
As highlighted above, head lice is very common in school-age and pre-school children, while crabs, or pubic lice, is less common, with both causing potential itchiness. Treatment for lice includes using a special lotion and nit comb, which must be repeated a week later. Sexual partners must be contacted in the case of crabs.
Source:
Jones, N. (2004) Travel Health New York: Rough Guides
Kate Le Page - Kate Henning-Le Page writes about eating disorders, body image and recovery issues. She specializes in anorexia recovery.
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