Will Head Lice Treatment Kill Body Lice?
WouterIf you suspect that you have body lice, the first step in eliminating them is to wash your clothes and bedding. Use hot water and dry them on high heat for at least 20 minutes. For clothes that can’t be washed, dry cleaning or pressing them with a hot iron can kill the lice. If the infested items cannot be washed, you can purchase an over-the-counter lice killer or prescription cream that can kill the lice. Regardless of which treatment you use, it is important to avoid exposing yourself to the lice for at least two weeks.
Another method is to use a fine-tooth comb. This method will kill the lice and their eggs, and it should be used for at least 14 days. The combing process is not a permanent solution, but it can kill a large number of lice and their eggs in a short period of time.
If you are not sure whether you have body lice, it’s important to understand how they spread. Body lice live on clothes and are spread through close contact. Unlike head lice, they spend most of their lives on clothing, and feed on the blood of their host. Once the female lice attach eggs to clothing, the eggs will hatch within a week or two, depending on temperature. Those eggs will fall off the host within a few days if they don’t have blood, so you should remove them as soon as you can.
If you notice that you have body lice, you should immediately wash your clothing and bedding. If possible, avoid sharing these items with others. Changing clothes at least once a week will help prevent the lice from coming back. In addition to this, avoiding scratching will reduce the risk of developing infections.
