How Can Head Lice Turn Into Scabies?

The most common way to contract scabies is through the skin. It can also be passed on through sharing bedding. The mites of scabies are known to prefer moist and warm environments. Once infected, the symptoms may take anywhere from four to eight weeks to appear. This period is known as the incubation period.

The female head louse produces about 50 to 150 eggs, which are then attached to the head, neck, or body hair. Children with long, dense hair are more likely to be infested. The larvae are small, resembling the adult, but have different skin color. The larvae hatch within eight to ten days and go through three skin molts. The adult head louse lives for about three weeks, and feeds on human blood.

A person suffering from scabies usually has intense itching and a rash that looks like a pimple. In some people, the rash spreads to the whole body. It also affects the hands and feet, the genitals, the belt line, and the webbing between the fingers.

Pubic lice are similar to head lice except that they are smaller and have claws. They live in coarse body hair, including armpits, leg hair, eyebrow, and eyelashes. They can also live in hair on the face, but not on the scalp. The adult lice are two to three millimeters long and have six legs. The eggs are pale brown and attached to hairs. They can be transmitted from person to person or through sharing infected objects.