Lice are obligate and highly specialized human parasites. They are absolutely not adapted to life outside of his body or on other animals. Only in exceptional cases can lice live and somehow reproduce in the hair on the body of some monkeys, but here they feel much worse than in human hair.
To the question of how long lice live without a person, one can give a simple answer - exactly as much as they can withstand without food. And the question of hunger for lice is very, very acute - usually a louse cannot starve for more than 2 days, and only when the temperature drops to 10-12 ° C can it last up to 10 days without food.
On a note
The pubic louse is even less hardy - it can starve at normal 28-30 ° C for no more than 8-9 hours, and after this period it will die if it does not reach the human body. But in water, lice, especially pubic lice, can survive for two days, and therefore are often transmitted from person to person in public bathing places.
How many lice live, so much they continuously eat. Head lice eat 4 times a day, pubic lice - every 3-4 hours.
From the above considerations, it is easy to understand that lice cannot live long outside the head and in general - outside a living being.
It is interesting
Frequently asked questions by parents like “how long do nits live” or “how long do nits live without a person” are not entirely correct. Nits are not independent insects, but only lice eggs, each in its own shell. Therefore, they do not live, but develop. Without a person, they retain their ability to develop for a long time - up to several days.
The specifics of the nutrition of lice and their dependence on the host
The only food for all types of lice that are found in humans is blood, which the parasites suck, piercing the skin between the hairs. It is wrong to assume that lice feed on the hair itself: some people think so for the reason that head lice are often found precisely clinging tightly to the hair.
The insect performs such a trick only in order not to fall off the head during human movements, when combing or washing hair. To feed, the parasite still has to descend to the skin, pierce it with its stylets and suck blood.
Each species and even each subspecies of louse is morphologically very well adapted to its habitat. The size and shape of the segments on the paws for capturing hairs, the shape of the body, even the general contours of the abdomen of the insect are conducive to living on a person and even on a specific part of his body.
For example, some lice live outside the head - the body louse has adapted to life on clothes and crawling onto a person's body when he puts on clothes. And the pubic louse settles exclusively on the pubic hair and in the armpits. Only in children can the pubic louse infect the hair on the head.
And further: Creepy photos of head lice, including macro photography (the article has more than 50 comments)
Head lice live not only on the head, but can also crawl onto the beard of men and even onto the eyelashes. Although, in general, the size of adult lice does not allow them to parasitize comfortably on too short hair.
In general, even on a person, lice do not live long. If the insect does not fall from the head and does not turn out to be poisoned by a special shampoo or kerosene, in the adult stage the louse lives a maximum of 40-46 days, the nymph develops an additional 15-20 days. In general, a louse lives on the head for about two months, and on the pubis for about six weeks.
But human head lice cannot pass to animals. In laboratory experiments, they feed on the body of monkeys, but in nature they are practically not found on primates. Therefore, these parasites are not able to exist outside of humans. The only exceptions are body lice, which do not live on the human body, but still eat there ...
It is interesting
In their inability to endure hunger strikes, lice are strikingly different from other parasites. For example, bed bugs can go hungry for months, and mites can go up to several years. A flea at room conditions can fast for up to 4 months, and at low temperatures - up to 1.5 years. Lice are amazing insects in this regard, but instead of the opportunity to starve, they have received from evolution a high adaptability to life on the human body - almost no ectoparasite has such a high specialization.
And the louse is not adapted to life without a person!
The body structure and lifestyle of lice indicate that during their evolution they managed to fully adapt to life on a person. Their paws have been modified so that they can do almost nothing except hold hair.The mouth apparatus of lice is adapted only for blood-sucking.
But the adaptability of the reproductive organs of lice to the human body is most noticeable: the female lays an egg in a plentiful sticky shell, and she does this only by moving along the hair. As a result, the egg remains attached to the hair. After leaving the egg, the larva immediately falls on the scalp and can feed.
It is interesting
In nature, human lice do not live. Species close to them parasitize on primates, but it is the human parasite that occurs exclusively on humans.
Outside of a person, lice live only on his clothes. This is how a special type of lice was formed, which can no longer live on the head, but are perfectly adapted to life on clothes (body lice). Here they lay nits, mate here, and crawl onto the human body for food. Lice that live on clothes have a slightly different paw structure, which allows them to confidently hold on to almost any textile product.
Interestingly, body lice, which live outside the human body, do not differ in longevity - their adults live as long as head lice - about 40 days. Once outside the human body, the louse lives up to 3-4 days, and dies of hunger if the person does not put on clothes.
And further: It's time to finally get those annoying nits out of your hair (the article has over 100 comments)
It is interesting
In laboratories, scientists use rat blood to feed lice or simply culture them on monkeys. Here, each louse lives without a person as much as it would live on a person himself.
But the lice that live on animals have nothing to do with humans.Accordingly, it is impossible to get infected from pets with these parasites.
Lice in dogs
Specialized dog lice live on dogs (more precisely, withers). They have somewhat longer stilettos for piercing thicker dog skin, as well as paws adapted to attach to dog hair. Dog lice cannot parasitize a person, and even in cases where they accidentally fall on a person’s head or body, they die within a few days.
It is interesting
Dog lice belong to the family of lice, slightly different from typical lice. But, like lice, they are highly specialized and can parasitize only one type of animal.
Cat louse and its features
The so-called cat louse, like the dog louse, belongs to the order of the louse and is adapted only to parasitize on cats. In all felines, these insects cause severe itching and skin lesions, and can also carry eggs of dangerous helminths.
For humans, cat lice are not dangerous. The lice that live on cats cannot even attach themselves to human hair.
Do lice live on pillows and blankets?
Of course, lice do not live on pillows and bedding. If only because here they have nothing to cling to and nowhere to lay nits.
In some cases, head lice can get on pillows from the hair of an infected person and stay there for several hours, waiting for the opportunity to crawl back onto the person’s head. Body lice can even settle in the folds of blankets and sheets, but these insects do not form permanent populations here.
But lice can be transmitted through towels, combs and hair ties.To prevent infection, you should first check the hygiene products and the person with whom you communicate.
20 interesting facts about lice
Interesting video: details about lice and methods of dealing with them
How lice infestation occurs and what is important to know about ways to prevent head lice
Learned a lot when my niece needed it.
Persistently and patiently poison with everything you can, and they have adapted to the latest generation of drugs. Lice do not know about the rules of their life and survive in spite of, and if necessary, they fall into hibernation, and under the best conditions are activated. The nit is even more cunning: it hatches when there are conditions for life.
The strangest thing is that I can feel them crawling all over my body, right down to the hairs on my feet! I don't want to be covered in kerosene. I bought an aerosol, I puff - I'm sitting in a bag. 40 minutes are written, “kills nits” ... While I’m sitting in a bag on my head, I feel how they crawl all over my body.Really, starting with the neck and ending with the legs! Armpits, chest, sides, belly. Somehow they don’t crawl along the back, it seems. Hair is not so much, we can say that there is none at all. But somehow they even manage to crawl on the stomach!
I read that they die from if you lubricate your hair with something greasy. There was coconut oil - I smeared it, I went smearing it all day. No effect. The oil dries up and you can feel them crawling again. The hair is short - it feels good. Shaving your head - is it worth it? I wash my clothes every day, I put on clean clothes every day. I can not overcome these creatures for a week.
I went to the hairdresser's unsuccessfully ... Previously, Soviet machines had removable knives that were soaked in a chlorine solution. Now the machines have no removable parts. The result is in the head. I want to try washing my head with tar soap every 2 hours. Only they do not die from this soap, but stupidly scatter again throughout the body. There is also some frozen lingonberries - I read that the juice of this berry washes away nits. As the hot water turned off. Apparently, you still have to shave your head.
Drink suprastin, or something like that ...
Apparently, it has already passed the nerves.
Maybe these are linen lice, there you need to check all the clothes, look in the seams of clothes.
You just need to iron all the clothes and linen. Or when washing, boil at high temperature.
An emulsion of benzyl benzoate will help.
Buy Nittifor, apply a bag on your head. And a comb in the pharmacy. Sit with a bag for an hour, and then comb out the nits and lice with a comb.
Nittifor, unfortunately, ceased to be produced. This was told to me at the pharmacy when I had to fight lice with my daughter.
Does hair coloring kill lice?
Something I did not notice after painting the disappearance effect!
No, it doesn't kill!
There are special paints for lice.
Yes, but not all, also does not kill nits.
Coloring kills. Lice's daughter was immediately brought out by Licener shampoo, but another based on mineral oil - no!
Coloring does not help get rid of lice.
Is there anything else from these creatures?
Emulsion of benzyl benzoate. Worth a penny.
Remov lotion is excellent. Antibit shampoo also helped.
I saw a child and was horrified. I began to treat, and I do not know what to do. The medicine did not help, the vinegar was diluted - only the stench. The lice themselves are 1-2 maximum per day, and apparently there are enough nits and larvae. How to get rid of nits? The hair is light, even under a magnifying glass shine.
We were treated with vodka - you spray it on your hair (you can add natural essential oil: eucalyptus, lavender, geranium or bergamot), put on a bag, wrap it with a blanket and wait 1 hour. You wash away. Vodka disinfects everything. Removes even nits. But I recommend to carry out the procedure once or twice with an interval of 3-5 days. This procedure will save even the thickest hair. Good luck.
Pure alcohol. Head pack. 5 minutes. No need to rinse. That's all.
Has anyone tried vinegar? Helps? And alcohol definitely helps, is it not harmful to hair later?
In Soviet times, they got rid of lice with cheap cologne. They wetted their hair, put a plastic bag on their heads, a cap on top (for aesthetics) and walked for several hours, preferably at night. And EVERYTHING!
hellebore water. The most effective drug.
In a barrel of tar))
I've been fighting for three months. I cook clothes for 30 minutes, dry them, then put them in the freezer for 3 days ... I change the bed every day. Hot shower, essential oils, hellebore water, dichlorvos, kerosene, tar soap, dust - I tried everything. I sit all in the film for 2 hours, and they, the creatures, crawl further! Especially after 5 pm a nightmare. What to do?!
Vinegar did not help - it only burned the skin.
Lice is a nightmare! I have absolutely no idea where I got them. 10 days ago I treated it with “Nyuda”, but, apparently, it does not work well for nits. After 3 days, I combed out five small lice. Processed 5 days ago with Para Plus. I combed my hair during this time twice a day. I didn’t comb out anything, but the feeling that they were moving through the hair remained, although there was no itching. It seems that this is already a mental disorder 🙂 When will all this end?! Today I will brush again. I hope it's nerves running through my hair 🙂
I read the comments, guys, half of you are sick not with pediculosis, but with a nervous breakdown. If you find nits and lice - this is a dermatologist, and if they crawl all over the body - this is a psychiatrist.
The products of the Paranit series help well (there is a shampoo, but the lotion is more effective, it is with oil). The child brought it from school, and this remedy was immediately disposed of. But just in case, they repeated it a week later. Everything else is nervous, they do not crawl over the body. Be strong and drink a sedative.
And of course, you need to rewash everything (clothes, bedding, outerwear), or at least hang it on the balcony for a week, and wear something else. Good luck!
An iron helps with nits, 200C - iron your hair (women), and everything will be ok. They can't handle this temperature. Just take thin strands.
It is necessary to process the head also after 7-8 days, as it is written in the instructions. Also scratch every day with a comb. They took him out quickly, but the head itched and someone walked on it for another month. It's nervous.
We tried Hygia shampoo, 120 UAH. On the second day combed - did not help. I washed again - did not help. Bought Pair plus, 200 UAH. With an interval of a week, the hair was treated twice. Washed clothes and hats. Sprayed with this spray jackets, combs. My daughter disappeared (seemingly), but I didn’t. The hair is very thick and thick. Two weeks from discovery (from school). I'll try alcohol.
I kept pure alcohol on my hair under polyethylene for three and a half hours (my husband poured water on my hair) - it didn’t help! Hairspray, too. Cucumber lotion didn't help. She burned with a hair dryer, washed her hair with almost boiling water - all in vain. This is all after pharmacy products.
I soaked alcohol with the addition of old Soviet perfumes and wrapped it under a plastic cap, usually on top for an hour or two. I comb out - there is nothing. I hope it passed)) Thanks for the advice and a good article.
I got rid of lice six months ago with Bars from a pet store, from fleas for cats. Try it, I advise.
Hello. Have you used Bars shampoo?
Leopard helped us from live lice. And from nits - an iron. They did this every 5 days, a month. And everything is ok.
Hellebore water is 100% effective.
How to use hellebore water?
Just like vinegar, dip the comb into the liquid composition.
After her, the next day we found a live louse and the nits clicked for two days. Again she was treated and found a louse after 3 days. Kerosene and sunflower oil will help!
Buy "Permin", smear the areas where there are lice, and walk for a couple of hours (you can also at night, just put something old on the smeared areas so as not to smear the bed). Rinse and comb out. Checked.
There is a good tool PAIR PLUS. Spray can. They literally die in a matter of seconds. Checked. I tested it on my daughter. Even kills nits. After the first application, repeat after five to six days. Helps a lot.
Children brought from school. First Fairy, then dog shampoo... Dead nits, even after Fairy found lice without movement, just washed off with water. I just don't know how not to get hooked again. Dogs can wear a special collar, and children can only be led out with special means.
God, help me escape from these creatures. Daughter brought home from school. At first they didn’t sniff, but this morning I look - she has nits. I started to comb out, they started to fall, horror! Although 5-7 months ago she already brought, they burned her whole head with something, it helped. And here it is again.
Where is hellebore water sold?
Kerosene + sunflower oil, 1:1. Under the package for 30 minutes. And on the bed on which they slept, do not sleep for a week.
Hellebore water is sold in veterinary pharmacies, but it does not help us ((
Hellebore water is sold in all pharmacies.
When combing, I came across a large louse, planted it in an empty bottle. As it turned out, she can live more than 3-4 days. And it lives with me for more than a week, every day I observe - it climbs, apparently trying to get out. It looks like they can last a long time outside the human body.
What a news! And everywhere they write that 3-4 days ...
Hello! Daughter brought from your school.I worked her head with Lavinal spray, the lice died, and not all nits.
The hair straightener helped! The nits melt and fall like husks. Take small strands. It is advisable to repeat the procedure in a couple of days. Irritation began from shampoos in a child, and manually cleaning is unrealistic ...
My daughter is 3 years old, she brought these monsters from the kindergarten. We bought hellebore water, treated the whole family (we made hair masks). I treated all combs, massages with the same tool and left it overnight, rinsed it in the morning. After the mask, the hair is combed out right in the bath, and the next day in the evening I made a mask for my daughter from cranberry juice, and for myself too. I combed it on a white diaper with a special comb (bought at a pharmacy). And the next day I washed it with a balm, supported it for 5 minutes, then washed it off. And then combed out again on white diapers. The next day, washed with shampoo and balm and combed again on a white film.
Then the comb stopped helping to comb out the nits from the hair - I looked for it manually! Hellebore water helped to get rid of all the lice and nymphs at once, but the nits had to be combed out and collected by hand for a very long time! After the first treatment with hellebore water, a week later it was again treated with it (and with cranberry juice the next day). A week later, treated with cranberry juice. I watched a show on YouTube, they said that the most effective way to get rid of lice and nits is to process the head for 3 weeks (every 5-6 days) and comb it out every day.
There was a feeling that someone was crawling over the head and all over the body. I want to go to a dermatologist - you never know, suddenly they also picked up scabies. In total, my daughter and I were ill in the family, but these monsters did not touch my husband and son.
I can't get rid of it either, it's been a month now.I tried hellebore water, and pediculene, and Veda 2 - nothing helped! How to be, help.
Paranit is a good remedy!
We brought from the kindergarten. At first I chose it manually, then they applied the NUDA product, after 45 minutes they combed it out with a comb and washed my hair with shampoo. My daughter's hair is thin, everything was quickly combed out, even the scales from "diathesis" were scratched off! And my hair is wavy, long - I swore a lot with foul language! Pah-pah, nothing was found after processing. No nits, no lice.
Expensive, and kerosene, it seems to me, is not for the little ones! As I remember my school years - they bite, run, but it helped!
After the death of the lice, the head continues to itch in those places where there are bite wounds ... The wounds heal for a long time, because before unhooking the louse injects a substance that prevents blood clotting into the wound - because of it, the bite site does not heal for a long time and itches.
Tin as lice are tired! Tomorrow I shave my head bald!