Information on Lice

Lice infestations are quite common today. If you fear that you or your child may have lice, having some basic information can help you decide what your next step should be. For example, you may have questions about what lice are and what they look like.

 

Lice are tiny, wingless parasitic insects. They live for about a month and require blood in order to survive. Without blood meals, they die within a few days. There are three types of lice that affect humans:

 

Although some people who have lice will not have symptoms, most people experience itching. A common myth is that a person's risk of getting lice is related to their personal hygiene or cleanliness in the home or school. This is not true for head lice or pubic lice. However, it is true for body lice.

 

Many options exist for getting rid of lice, such as taking medication, nit picking, and treating the house.