Please help - desperate

[licehelp]

I do a lot of travelling and stay in hostels. For the past few years I've had some kind of lice infestation. I just can't get rid off it. I have washed all my sheets in Borax, used Derbac and body cream etc but I just can't get rid off them.

They are very small white/cream oval shaped insects and they are in my hair and on my skin. They are driving me absolutely loopy.

It's not scabies as I don't have the red rash that scabies gives you, it's not headlice or pubic lice as they are all over my body. I even tried covering the whole house and myself in diatomaceous earth.

I have gone to my Dr and spoken to the chemist and my Dr prescribed Derbac M for my hair and some other cream for my body.

Can anyone help me as I'm going mad?

[AlCalavicci]

That sounds very unpleasant . I can not offer any medical advice but have you had all your carpets , sofa , mattress & pillows etc treated ?

[alexdgr8]

could it be bed bugs.
contact a pest control company for advice. you may have to pay.
why do you have to stay in hostels.
if you are travelling for work, can you not claim/add on the cost of a clean decent B&B.

[RandomMess]

No idea but because it sounds hideous!!!

[chaoticisatroll55]

Why do you stay in hostels when travelling? Do you mean abroad?

[endofthelinefinally]

Demodex?

[Lougle]

www.everydayhealth.com/lice/body-lice-symptoms-diagnosis-treatment/ Body lice?

[endofthelinefinally]

The condition is called demodicosus when the mites get out of control. You could google it and see if it sounds like your symptoms.

[w0kingpizzaexpress]

Sounds like body lice or clothes lice (same thing) I didn't think they lived on humans but only transferred to feed.

[InescapableDeath]

Have you looked up Ekbom syndrome? Has the doctor seen the infestation?

[licehelp]

It's not Ekbom syndrome, you can actually see the tiny lice. They are white or cream and oval shaped and they do get bigger.

I'm not a bloody dog and don't have mange!

I backpack a lot and stay in hostels when I travel, it's not for work. I've obviously picked something up from staying in shared accommodation. I did speak to the Centre for Tropical Diseases and they said it's something they would take on as a case as I may have picked them up in N Africa. The chemist said there are loads of different types of lice and insects and it could be anything really.

The Dr just gave me some cream for hair and body. I was told that they are very difficult to get rid off.

I haven't treated the whole house (except with diatomaceous earth). I have sprayed the bed and sofa, use tea tree oil in my shampoo and bathed in it as well (added to water obvs) but they keep coming back.

They seem to live for a long time away from me as I can travel for up to a month and they are still here when I get back. I'm going insane with it. They have a monthly life cycle.

[NanTheWiser]

It sounds awful for you. Derbac contains malathion, which used to be licensed for garden insecticides (no longer, as so many insecticides have been banned by Defra) and I would think it should do the trick. But do use as per instructions, as it’s powerful stuff and a bit unpleasant.

[RandomMess]

Have you considered razing your property to the ground to eliminate them 😳

Just more because it must be hideous.

[InescapableDeath]

I only mention Ekbom because of course if you were suffering from it, you would see them. I don’t mean to cause offence but t may be worth considering if nothing is working on them.

Has anyone else seen them?

[endofthelinefinally]

Did you look up demodicosus?

[Gigantopithecus]

can you post a photo of them?