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Original poster

Any nurses here? I have body lice

88 replies

Calling · 29/05/2023 20:40

I don't say thus lightly but its not scabies. I have localised untense itching and can pick off visible

Any nurses here? I have body lice
OP posts:
dementedpixie · 29/05/2023 20:44

Body lice treatment

Because body lice mainly live in clothing and bedding, applying treatment to the skin is less important. The main treatment is directed at destroying the nits and lice in clothing and bedding. This can be achieved by laundering in hot water (at least 55°C), ironing with a hot iron, drying in a hot dryer or dry cleaning. If there are lots of lice present an insecticide may need to be applied directly to the body.
Clothing and bedding are sometimes treated with insecticide if there is an outbreak in a community.

dementedpixie · 29/05/2023 20:45

Where have you found them?
Any lice in hairy areas?

Original poster
Calling · 29/05/2023 20:46

... visible things like lice.
Went to Boots chemist this bank holiday Monday but to my surprise they had nothing available.
Bought neem oil, tea tree oil, washing and bedding, towels, clothes.
Any advice please?
Will call doctor first thing but meanwhile it is gross...

Any nurses here? I have body lice
OP posts:
TheYearOfSmallThings · 29/05/2023 20:48

Has any qualified healthcare worker confirmed that you have lice?

Original poster
Calling · 29/05/2023 20:49

@dementedpixie thank you, no lice in hairy areas, none in pubic area

OP posts:
Original poster
Calling · 29/05/2023 20:50

TheYearOfSmallThings · 29/05/2023 20:48

Has any qualified healthcare worker confirmed that you have lice?

Not yet, am hampered by bank holiday

OP posts:
moggerhanger · 29/05/2023 20:52

Are you sure it's lice? The photo is pretty fuzzy. Whereabouts on your body were they? And were they black, small and kind of stuck on?

Original poster
Calling · 29/05/2023 20:52

Am washing, drying etc. It is getting worse

OP posts:
Original poster
Calling · 29/05/2023 20:56

moggerhanger · 29/05/2023 20:52

Are you sure it's lice? The photo is pretty fuzzy. Whereabouts on your body were they? And were they black, small and kind of stuck on?

Sorry, tablet lens is not good for small things.

Lice are in arms, legs, shoulders.
I don't say this lightly and have had pubic lice many years ago, but they are not in pubic area etc and different shape

OP posts:
Original poster
Calling · 29/05/2023 20:57

Yes, they are black, small, stuck on

OP posts:
DrFoxtrot · 29/05/2023 20:59

Actual body lice aren't that common in people that wash regularly. You could take the evidence for someone to look at and confirm. Sometimes people think they've got lice and it's fibres from clothing or other random debris that they've collected. Do you have any hens or other birds?

TheYearOfSmallThings · 29/05/2023 21:00

I am not certain that you do have lice. The photos are unclear, and people often come to believe they have lice (or similar) when this is not the case. Even if you did your symptoms would not become rapidly worse in a matter of hours. That sounds more like anxiety.

Get someone qualified to check you tomorrow, and also consider where you would have picked up lice. Have you been living in a hostel with people who have lice? Do you have scabby bites? Or have you been living in a clean environment and mixing with relatively clean people? If the latter, you are unlikely to have body lice.

cuckyplunt · 29/05/2023 21:05

Cat fleas? Do you have cats?

dementedpixie · 29/05/2023 21:09

Fleas jump
They don't look like fleas

Sometimeswinning · 29/05/2023 21:15

I just googled it as wasn't aware that body lice was a thing. It looks like they are very rarely on the skin but hang out on clothes. Order some meds off amazon maybe. Google is your friend here. I wouldn't wait to be diagnosed.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 29/05/2023 21:21

Order some meds off amazon maybe. Google is your friend here. I wouldn't wait to be diagnosed.

Well this is obviously terrible advice.

Sometimeswinning · 29/05/2023 21:27

TheYearOfSmallThings · 29/05/2023 21:21

Order some meds off amazon maybe. Google is your friend here. I wouldn't wait to be diagnosed.

Well this is obviously terrible advice.

I do try 🤣. She's got some parasites on her. I'm not sure why you wouldn't have a quick Google and try and fix it yourself! It would be my first goto.

Original poster
Calling · 29/05/2023 21:33

@TheYearOfSmallThings @dementedpixie @moggerhanger @DrFoxtrot

They are biting/itching even where they are not touching clothes.
Not fleas, not jumping.
I have been mixing with people who are definitely not clean and have unwashed clothes.

OP posts:
Original poster
Calling · 29/05/2023 21:35

@DrFoxtrot no hens or birds kept.

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dementedpixie · 29/05/2023 21:36

Are they leaving marks on your skin?
Can you post a picture of an area affected?

Original poster
Calling · 29/05/2023 21:45

No noticeable marks. Sorry, the lens on thus tablet doesn't take good close ups.

Also, I have had intense itching on legs with small brown objects coming out.

Any nurses here? I have body lice
OP posts:
Pixiedust1234 · 29/05/2023 21:49

I have been mixing with people who are definitely not clean and have unwashed clothes.

Bed bugs rather than body lice?

Pixiedust1234 · 29/05/2023 21:51

Coloration is an important differentiator since bed bugs are brownish-red or mahogany colored, while lice are somewhat light whitish or gray in color.

Meant to put this in above post.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 29/05/2023 21:54

If you are washing regularly and changing your clothes regularly you are most unlikely to have body lice. Please talk to your GP tomorrow and take their advice on this.