Black lice are one of the varieties of blood-sucking ectoparasites, the appearance of which is caused by the infection of a healthy person by an infected one. Depending on the species of parasites and the specifics of their localization, several types of parasitic diseases are distinguished - pediculosis, phthiriasis.
To remove black lice, it is permissible to use chemicals or safer folk remedies. How to promptly detect infection with pediculosis and phthiriasis, get rid of parasites, and prevent their appearance - we will consider further.
Are there black lice and nits?
The color of skin parasites that feed on the blood of animals and humans can vary from light brown, yellowish to black. It turns out that black lice exist and belong to the species that parasitize the human scalp. They are large in size - up to two millimeters, and lack the ability to jump.
For comparison, the so-called pubic lice are minimal in size and light in color. The most common symptom of lice pubis is the appearance of severe itching and red spots in the groin area. Unlike head lice, pubic lice can only be picked up through sexual intercourse or when trying on someone else's underwear.
Diet
Antifungal Diet
- Efficacy: no data
- Terms: 3-6 months
- Cost of products: 1500-1600 rubles. in Week
The diet should contain many foods containing vitamins A, B, C, zinc, selenium, and nicotinic acid. It is recommended to consume the following foods:
- Dairy products - sour cream, cottage cheese, milk, homemade yoghurts, kefir.
- Eggs.
- Dark rice, whole grain pasta, buckwheat, millet, oatmeal.
- Lean meat, steamed or boiled.
- Greens, fresh fruits and vegetables - beets, onions, garlic, cucumber, dill, parsley, raspberries, apples, cranberries are useful.
- Legumes.
- Walnuts.
- Whole grain bread without yeast.
The following foods are excluded from the diet:
- White sugar.
- Broth, fatty foods.
- Milk.
- White rice, white bread, pasta made from premium flour.
- Alcohol – beer, vodka, sweet wines, fizzy drinks.
- Dried fruits.
- Store-bought confectionery, soda, packaged juices.
- Jam.
- Canned food.
- Pears, bananas, grapes.
- Peanuts, cashews, sunflower seeds.
Are there black nits?
Since an adult insect differs from larvae and eggs in having the ability to move quickly, it is difficult to visually detect the appearance of parasites. A characteristic external sign of lice infection is the appearance of black dots and nits on the hair, while the former are waste products of insects.
There are no black nits, since the color of parasite eggs can vary from white to gray, dark shades are excluded.
Prevention
To prevent the development of the disease, it is necessary to follow important rules of prevention:
- Infection with pathogenic fungi should be prevented. To do this, it is necessary to avoid contact with sick people and animals with signs of disease. It is important to always use personal hygiene products.
- It is important to wash your hair regularly and choose shampoos that suit your hair type.
- You should eat right and avoid strict diets.
- You need to move a lot and practice physical activity regularly.
- It is important to avoid stressful situations.
Reasons for appearance
The appearance of black lice and nits on hair is the result of an infection that can occur due to a number of factors.
Where do black lice come from and how can you get infected with them:
- Visiting various public places, for example, a swimming pool or bathhouse, traveling on public transport.
- Upon contact with a person infected with black lice or the belongings of an infected person.
- When exercising in gyms on fleecy surfaces.
- During sleep, for example, in a hotel, camp, sanatorium, kindergarten or other government institution.
- Infection with pubic lice occurs after sexual contact or wearing or trying on someone else's new underwear.
Black lice infestation can only result from contact between infected people. Transmission of parasites from animals to humans is excluded.
Important! Ectoparasites that live on animals can only live on a specific host. In the absence of the required amount of food, they can attack humans, but their constant parasitism on the skin or hair is excluded.
Treatment of scalp fungus
When the scalp is affected, complex treatment is used, including systemic antimiotics, local use of antifungal drugs and antiseptics, and hair removal in the affected area.
The hair in the hearth is shaved off. With black-spot (chronic) trichophytosis, the stratum corneum of the epidermis is detached according to Arievich.
Systemic antimiotics include Griseofulvin, drugs containing terbinafine and ketoconazole, Fluconazole and Intraconazole.
Antifungal ointments and gels for topical use are represented by antimiotics of different groups. Lamisil, Exoderil, Mycospor, Clotrimazole, Bifonazole, Oxiconazole, etc. are widely used.
For local treatment, antiseptics are necessarily used: 2 - 5% tincture of iodine, a solution of furacillin, potassium permanganate and rivanol.
Preparations containing sulfur, tar and ichthyol have a good exfoliating effect. Salicylic acid has keratolytic properties. Applications of sulfur-salicylic ointment and lubrication of lesions with 2% tincture of iodine are indicated.
In cases of severe inflammation, combination drugs containing cortisteroid hormones are used.
For favus, griseofulvin is used orally. You can use drugs containing intraconazole or terbinafine. Removal of scutulae is done by applying salicylic ointment.
Read more about the treatment of microsporia, trichophytosis and favus in the articles “Microsporia”, “Trichophytosis” and “Favus”.
If you have the slightest suspicion of a scalp disease, consult a dermatologist. Only in a specialized medical institution will you be given the correct diagnosis and prescribed adequate treatment. Incorrect therapy aggravates the course of the fungal disease and increases the risk of infection of contact persons.
Rice. 25. The result of proper treatment of scalp fungus
Signs of presence
A black louse in the head provokes a number of unpleasant symptoms.
The main signs indicating a lice infection are:
- Severe itching of the scalp. With a large number of black lice, discomfort increases, scratching on the skin, wounds, and inflammation appear.
- The excrement of parasites, which are often mistaken for black nits. They can be described as small black dots.
- Directly, lice eggs or nits, which are white or gray in color, are attached to the hair shaft through thick mucus.
Black lice are carriers of a number of dangerous diseases of infectious etiology, helminthiasis . Infection with parasites can cause the development of hepatitis, tuberculosis, intestinal infections, ascariasis, and a number of other unpleasant, dangerous diseases. To prevent dangerous consequences, it is necessary to treat pediculosis immediately after the first signs of invasion appear.
Red dandruff (dermatitis)
Red dandruff is called so conventionally. In fact, this is nothing more than particles of epithelium that fall from an area of skin affected by fungus or dermatitis. Why is it red? Because the irritated area becomes inflamed, causing discomfort and, often, itching.
Scratching the area will only make the problem worse, as scratches and deep depressions in the affected area are a quick easy way for other infections.
The reasons for this are as follows:
- Fungal diseases.
- Predisposition.
- Unbalanced diet.
- Frequent stress.
- Lack of sleep and excessively long sleep.
- Alcohol consumption.
Methods of disposal
The modern market offers a wide range of different means, through the use of which you can remove lice and black nits. To remove a small number of parasites, it is enough to use anti-pediculosis shampoos and home remedies.
In case of severe infestation, the use of toxic pharmaceutical drugs is required, which have a detrimental effect on adult parasites, larvae, and eggs.
It is necessary to use the chosen remedy until the parasitic disease is completely eliminated.
Pharmacy products
In severe forms of parasitic infestation, getting rid of lice can only be done by using pharmaceutical products that contain toxic substances. Such drugs should be used with extreme caution, since violation of the instructions may cause poisoning.
The most popular pharmaceutical drugs are:
- Hellebore water. To destroy black lice, you need to thoroughly treat the hair strands and skin with liquid, and then put on a plastic cap.
- A simple and cheap remedy is boric and sulfur ointments. They have a detrimental effect on lice, but do not destroy nits. To get rid of parasites, regular use of the selected product is required for at least two weeks.
- Medifox. An emulsion that is highly effective against adult parasites, but does not have a negative effect on parasite eggs. It is necessary to treat hair and skin until the parasites are completely destroyed.
- Pedilin. A highly toxic shampoo that can be used to kill eggs and adult parasites. Contains insecticidal agents that are harmful to lice. To obtain the desired effect, you need to apply a small amount of the drug, lather thoroughly, leave for some time, and rinse.
Before choosing an effective remedy against black lice, it is recommended to consult with a specialist, since toxic anti-lice drugs have a wide range of contraindications.
Features of therapy in children and pregnant women
Most anti-lice medications contain toxic substances that can be dangerous for children and pregnant women. When parasites appear in people of the above categories, it is recommended to use the simplest but most effective method: generously apply any vegetable oil to the scalp and hair, then put on a polyethylene cap.
This remedy helps get rid of adult parasites, but does not have a harmful effect on their eggs.
Accordingly, to remove insects, it is necessary to repeat the procedure periodically for at least two weeks.
Diagnosis of mycosis of the scalp
Diagnosis of scalp fungus is based on collecting an epidemiological history, clinical picture of the disease and laboratory diagnostics.
Microscopy
With this type of study, spores and mycelium of fungi are detected, but it is impossible to differentiate microscopy from trichophytosis. Microorganisms are identified using the culture method followed by microscopy. The material for the study is the patient's scales and hair taken from the peripheral zone of the lesion.
Rice. 20. Microscopic picture of Microsporum canis (fluffy microsporum). The mycelium (photo on the left) and numerous exospores (photo on the right) are clearly visible.
Cultural examination
The most reliable sign of scalp fungus is the detection of growth of pathogens on nutrient media. Microscopy of the obtained material makes it possible to identify the type of mushroom.
Rice. 21. Type of colonies of Microsporum canis (fluffy microsporum). It is detected in patients with microsporia in 98% of cases.
Establishment of the tissue form of trichophytons
Microscopy of affected hair reveals the tissue form of trichophytons:
- Zooanthropophilic trichophytons belong to the group Trichophyton ectothrix (ecto - outside). The spores of these fungi are found on the outside of the hair. Trichophytons of this species are the cause of the development of infiltrative-suppurative processes on the scalp.
- Anthropophilic trichophytons belong to the group Trichophyton endothrix (endo - inside). The spores of these fungi are found inside the hair.
Rice. 22. Trichophyton ectothrix hair lesion.
Rice. 23. Trichophyton endothrix hair damage.
Diagnosis of scalp fungus using a Wood's fluorescent lamp
The emerald-colored glow in the rays of a fluorescent lamp (Wood's lamp) is characteristic only of microsporia.
Rice. 24. Fluorescence (glow) of hair in the rays of a fluorescent lamp during microsporia.
What causes seborrhea?
All the reasons for the appearance and development of seborrhea have not yet been determined. This disease may appear in adolescence during puberty.
But this is only the body’s response to an unexpected jump in hormone levels. Soon the skin is regenerated, and the disease itself recedes when hormonal levels normalize.
But if the appearance of seborrhea does not overlap with the age of puberty, then the factors causing the skin disease may be:
- heredity;
- hormonal disbalance;
- diseases - various tumors and Parkinson's disease, as well as epilepsy;
- infections;
- taking strong pills;
- hormone deficiency.
Sometimes seborrhea is spoken of as a family disease. The disease can be transmitted through genes; often patients with seborrhea have relatives who were given the same diagnosis.
Hereditary diseases are very common causes of seborrhea.
It happens that hormonal reasons lead to the appearance of seborrhea. This mainly happens to men, since sebum production depends on the level of sex hormones (male).
The unexpected appearance of seborrhea sometimes indicates damage to the ovary by a tumor.
If the hormonal levels in women are not in order, then this is due to an increased level of male hormones and decreased estrogen.
This hormonal imbalance is an alarming signal that a woman is overweight or worse, that she has polycystic ovary syndrome.
It happens that the causes of an excessive amount of dandruff are tumors of the reproductive organs, epilepsy attacks, Parkinson's disease, damage to the nervous system, infections and even schizophrenia.
The causes of seborrhea identified by experts are the use of anabolic steroids to increase muscle mass and the use of birth control pills.
Cases of skin disease manifestations in children are not uncommon. The reasons are a deficiency of sex hormones and low sensitivity of the sebaceous glands to these hormones.
