What happens if lice go untreated

Much like any human parasite, it is important to treat head lice. Leaving them untreated can have serious consequences both for the carrier and for people they meet on a casual or more much closer basis. Whilst many of your searches may tell you that head lice are a harmless inconvenience that are easily solved with a little head lice product treatment, this casual approach ignores the true impact and consequences of not dealing with them can have.

Leaving a head lice infestation untreated or not sufficiently treated means that the infestation is unchecked and will continue to multiply. Head lice eggs, or nits, take 7 to 11 days to hatch, then the head lice take 9 to 12 days to become fully grown adults. At that stage they can then mate, and they lay their first eggs 24 hours after mating. The female, adult louse only needs to mate once and after that she lays up to 10 eggs a day for the 30 days of her lifetime, so she lays eggs in total.

Multiply that by many lice on the head and someone can have a heavy infestation quite quickly. This will simply continue if untreated and from there a severe to very serious infestation will occur. Untreated head lice may degrade the scalp and affects it health and that of the hair. If the follicles become blocked, then hair loss may occur. It is hard to have well-conditioned hair if it is covered in head lice eggs, lice and bacteria.

For example, frequent scratching can cause breaks in the skin that can leave you vulnerable to infection. Since lice feed on human blood, severe, chronic infestations can lead to blood loss and iron deficiency anemia.

In addition, an allergic reaction to louse feces or bites may trigger a rash in some individuals. Know that in most cases these complications are rare. Lice are generally harmless, but they are important to get rid of. If you suspect that you or your child has lice, a physical inspection of the affected area can usually—but not always—confirm your suspicions.

If the exposure was recent or you just learned of an outbreak at school or were informed that a sex partner has crabs , you may not see any clear evidence of an infestation. The lack of physical evidence doesn't mean that you are in the clear.

Lice can be mistaken for many things, particularly in the early stages. What you may assume to be dandruff, acne, or insect bites may later evolve into a full-blown lice infestation.

By this stage, others may be affected. If you suspect that you or your child has lice, call your healthcare provider. While there are numerous over-the-counter lotions, mousses, and shampoos available to treat lice infestations, some products may be less effective for certain types of infestations.

There is evidence that certain subspecies of lice may be developing resistance to drugs commonly used to treat infestations, including pyrethrin found in products like Rid and Triple-X. Moreover, the treatments that work for head or body lice may not work for pubic lice or vice versa.

As distressing as it can be to hear that you or your child has lice, infestations are readily treatable. If using an over-the-counter lice killer pediculicide , follow the instructions carefully and use a lice comb to remove any eggs attached to hair follicles. Clothing, bedding, and towels used by an affected person should be laundered in hot water at least degrees F and machine dried using the hot cycle.

Clothing and items that are not washable can be drycleaned or sealed in a plastic bag for two weeks. If you have lice and are too embarrassed to speak with your healthcare provider or pharmacist, consider using a telehealth practitioner who can ensure you get the correct treatment and may even be able to prescribe medications for you. Adult lice will start laying eggs the moment they infest a host. Symptoms can begin when the nits start hatching into nymphs. For head lice, this can take around eight to nine days.

Body lice take slightly longer, around one to two weeks, while pubic lice nits hatch in between six and 10 days. The intensity of symptoms will increase as the lice population grows. Itching is the main symptom of all lice infestations. For head lice, the main affected area will be the scalp, while body lice can cause intense itchiness around the groin, waistline, and upper thighs. As per their name, pubic lice "crabs" mainly affect pubic hair, causing itchiness in the genital area.

Prolonged scratching can lead to sores and infection, particularly with head or body lice. Get our printable guide for your next healthcare provider's appointment to help you ask the right questions. Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life.

In: StatPearls [Internet]. Updated November 20, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Head lice: frequently asked questions FAQs.

Updated September 17, Body lice: frequently asked questions FAQs. They're not a sign of poor hygiene — head lice need blood and they don't care whether it's from someone who's clean or dirty. Lice are tiny, but you can still see them — though it's not always easy.

An adult louse is grayish white or tan and about the size of a small sesame seed. Lice move fast, so you're actually more likely to see their eggs than the lice themselves.

Louse eggs are called nits. Nits look sort of like dandruff, except they don't brush or fall off as easily as dandruff. Lice attach their nits to pieces of hair, close to the scalp. If you think you have lice and see a small, oval blob on a strand of hair, it's probably a nit. If nits are yellow, tan, or brown, it means the lice haven't hatched yet.

If the nits are white or clear, the lice have hatched and just the egg remains. Lice eggs hatch within 1 to 2 weeks after they're laid. Besides seeing nits or lice on the head, itching — or the feeling of something moving around on the scalp — is another clue that you might have lice.

Like mosquito bites, the itching is a reaction to the saliva of the insect. Some people with lice also get a rash of small red bumps from scratching.

If you think you have lice, call your doctor. Your doctor can recommend a medicated shampoo, cream rinse, or lotion to kill the lice. These may be over-the-counter OTC or prescription treatments. Besides making your hair messy and oily, mayonnaise is unlikely to treat head lice. Here's why, and what you can try instead. From vinegar and tea tree oil to simple olive oil, numerous home remedies are available that work to get rid of head lice. Read on to find out which…. Lead in water pipes can cause a number of long lasting health effects, and experts say children are particularly vulnerable to them.

Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. Other Types of Lice. Body Lice Infestation. Read this next. A Close Look at Lice Bites. Medically reviewed by Judith Marcin, M.