The insect's body is designed in such a way that food for it is key point to normal existence and further reproduction. The question that interests many parents, how long adults can live outside of humans, can be answered easily and simply - as long as they can live without food.

How long do lice live?

Typically, an adult can live without food for no more than two days. Although there is an opinion that insects can live up to 10 days if the temperature environment drops to 10-15 degrees. At low temperatures, adults hibernate, waiting for the next time of reinforcement.

In addition to human hair, bloodsuckers live well in linen, pillows and clothes, periodically biting their owner in different parts bodies. For example, a child can be bitten not only in the hair, but also on any closed area of ​​the skin, since his skin is very delicate and ideal for insect punctures.

How long do lice live outside the human head?

No one knows how long adults live in clothes and bed, periodically feeding on blood. This way of existence puts their body into a slow life cycle, thereby slowing down their ability to reproduce normally. The same cannot be said about nits, which live quite a long time without feeding due to their durable outer shell.

Typically, adult individuals feed about 4-5 times a day, so it is easy to guess that a violation of the usual regime leads not only to a decrease in the reproduction rate, but also to death. Despite the fact that hair bloodsuckers live for about one month, this time is enough to multiply greatly.

Where do lice live besides the human head?

Head lice live at home in any belongings of an infested person. This could be bed linen, pillows, clothes, combs and even home carpets. Therefore, at the first opportunity, they easily end up back in the hair or to a completely different person. For this reason, infection often occurs in children's sports or dance sections, where children share mats and costumes. At the same time, girls with long hair are more susceptible to infection than boys with very short haircuts.

Do lice live in colored and short hair?

Despite the widespread belief that lice live at any length of hair, there is still a greater chance of getting into long strands than short ones. There have been cases when all family members became infected, except those who had very short haircuts. This suggests that lice are not comfortable living in hair that is too short.

Do head lice live on clothes?

Pediculosis develops very quickly and, unfortunately, unnoticed by many. One female lays up to 4 eggs of future offspring per day. What if there are 5-7 individuals per head? Within a day, the head will be covered with many new eggs, and within a week a whole tribe of little uninvited guests will live in the hair. Trying to get rid of this disease, many worry about the possibility of re-infection. “How long do lice live outside the human head?” – this is one of the most popular questions of concern to people undergoing treatment for this disease. Let's try to understand this issue, paying attention to some nuances that affect the life expectancy and development of insects. So, how long do lice live?

Lice lifespan

In order to understand how long lice can live, let’s first remember life cycle lice from the moment the nit forms.

Fact. In science, it is believed that lice do not have a larval stage of development. Therefore, the first stage is the formation of a nit egg, in the shell of which there is a louse embryo.

Terminology. Imago is the stage of an adult insect of an arthropod species that has a complex stage of development. At the imago stage, insects are capable of reproduction and settlement, but are no longer capable of development and growth.

Realizing the speed of development and reproduction of lice, it becomes clear how important it is to start treatment on time and stop their development.
Lice quickly develop and reproduce in the following favorable conditions:

• The source of food, which is a person, is always nearby. An adult feeds once every 3-4 hours. When entering the outside world, beyond human body, the head louse lives no more than 3 days. Pubic louse is less hardy - death from hunger occurs within 10 hours;
• the most favorable temperature for lice to live is human body temperature, fluctuations should not exceed 10 degrees Celsius;
• lice cannot live without air, so its absence leads to their death within a few days. This is used to kill body lice - things are folded into a tight plastic bag and tie securely. The knot is left for a couple of weeks, after which the dead lice bodies are simply shaken off.

When it changes comfortable conditions environment, lice slow down in development, reproduce more slowly or stop doing so altogether.

Lifespan of a louse outside the human body

Body lice live mainly outside the surface of the human body, crawling onto it only to obtain food. Therefore, they are not so dependent on external temperature and other conditions external environment. The main condition for their normal existence is that the food source must be within the reach of insects.
As for head lice, they are more dependent on humans. They feed more often than clothes, and are also adapted to lay eggs only on hair. Without a person, the head imago comfortable temperature and the presence of air survives 2-3 days. If the temperature drops below 20 degrees Celsius, the imago goes into “hibernation” in anticipation of more comfortable conditions. This condition can last 1-2 weeks, depending on the temperature.
The pubic adult is the most sensitive to external factors. Therefore, without a power source, it can last only 10 hours if other conditions remain favorable. While waiting, the louse slows down in development and reproduction. When the temperature drops, it can live outside the human body for about a day.

How long do lice live outside the human head? actual question, which makes a person seriously think about the possibility of infection anywhere. is capable of covering a distance of 10 m in an hour. If there are several people in the same room with an infected person, everyone runs the risk of becoming infected, no matter what corner they are in.

Life cycle of insects

Every day, one louse on the head lays about 10 eggs. Egg laying occurs every 4 hours. Nits develop in the egg for about a week. They are born in the smallest individuals, the body length of which does not exceed 2 mm. They look like adult lice, but are lighter in color.

Within 1 month the nymphs pass full cycle When growing up, they molt 4 times. At the last stage, the genital organs are formed. Immediately after molting it begins. It is after the birth of the first or second generation of lice that the patient notices.

On a note!

Being on the hair with full access to a food source, the louse can live for more than a month. But troubles happen when an insect falls accidentally or deliberately explores the area in the house. How long lice live on the head - about 45 days, outside of it - depends on environmental conditions.

Life outside of man

How long lice live without food is a controversial issue. According to various sources, from 1 to 3 days. At room temperature, the insect can live for three days; once outside, it dies almost instantly in frost, within several hours at temperatures below +10 degrees Celsius.

The body temperature is about 37 degrees Celsius. If a nit with a torn hair falls to the floor, its development will stop. It is not so important how long she lives, the main thing is that she will not appear alive.

On a note!

On a note!

Experts say that pediculosis is not transmitted from a patient by shaking hands while being at a distance of 50 cm from him. But if you have to stand for a long time, there is a risk of infection. A louse can slide or fall from one person’s head or climb over rough clothing onto another.

FAQ:

• Can lice live in pillows? They can stay there for some time until the head lies on that pillow. If it is the head of a healthy person, it will happen. If a sick person continues to sleep on the pillow, the insect will return to its usual habitat.
• Do lice live in bedding? Head lice have been present in bedding for some time. It will not live there because it will not be able to lay eggs, the air temperature and humidity are not suitable, and there is no food.
• Do lice live on clothes? There is a certain type of lice - either clothing or linen lice. They live exclusively on the tissue surface and feed on human blood. are located on different areas body except the head. The life cycle is somewhat different. Nits are deposited in folds and seams. In terms of lifestyle they are more reminiscent. Capable of living under certain conditions temperature conditions. Hot washing kills.
• Can lice live on the sofa? If this is the sofa on which a sick person sleeps, lice may remain there for some time. Infection is possible if another person sits or lies on it. Insects are capable of settling temporarily on a bed and staying in bed. Without food, the human louse dies within 2 days.

The main way is contact with the head, comb, hats. Infection through things occurs less frequently. Preventive measures: use your own head accessories. Periodically wash your hair with shampoo containing essential oil tea tree, lavender.

This article reveals the essence of such a disease as pediculosis, the causes of its occurrence and methods of treatment. The main types of lice and their life cycle are also discussed here.

1. pubic louse;
2. human louse, the latter of which is divided into head and body louse.

Pubic louse

They give rise to the disease pubic pediculosis, in which incredible discomfort is felt, primarily in the area of ​​the pubic bone, anus, less often in the armpits, as well as in the scalp of the face and torso.

The head is an area that cannot be infected because it has round section hair, and the legs of the louse are designed in such a way that it rests only on hair of a triangular cross-section.

Head louse

The main nutrition is blood, which is released as a result of biting the skin, which causes severe itching. Such a louse can live without food for up to two days.

Its lifespan is short - 45 days, but the danger lies in the fact that they are very prolific: a young louse lays about 15 eggs a day, which mature in 7-8 days, and are capable of reproducing themselves.

Cootie confirms the belief of many people that only unscrupulous people have lice, because they live on clothes that are rarely washed and live on those people who do not properly observe the rules of personal hygiene.

In addition to unpleasant itching on the body in places of contact with clothing, it is a source of infection with such serious infections as typhus, Volyn fever, and relapsing fever.

Because the head louse is the most common among infected people, let's take a closer look at the life cycle of head lice .

Life cycle of head lice

On average, it is believed that the life cycle of head lice is 3-4 weeks (at best - 16 days, at worst - 40 days), during which the louse lays 2-3 hundred nits.

In this case, the life cycle includes several stages of development:

1. Fertilization.
2. Laying eggs- the nit is attached by the mother to the human hair with a sticky liquid a few centimeters from the scalp, which makes it resistant when washing the hair. The duration of this stage is approximately a week.
3. Larva. The nit turns into a larva, which forms from 1 to 10 days, depending on environmental conditions.
4. Nymph. The larva, having shed its skin, turns into a nymph, which is an insufficiently mature individual. The duration of this stage is a week, during which the nymph molts two more times and turns into a fully formed louse.
5. Adult insect – imago has the peculiarity of reproducing and laying eggs within two days after its first taste of food.

How long does a louse live without a person?

As noted above, a body louse can live without a person for up to 4 days, a head louse for up to 2, and a pubic louse for up to 9 hours. Moreover, their life expectancy decreases or increases depending on the air temperature.

Causes of head lice

The main causes of pediculosis infection are:

• Infection from another person
• Non-compliance or insufficient compliance with personal hygiene rules
• Ignorance of prevention methods or neglect of them
• Frequent change of sexual partners
• Finding a person in places with large crowds of people during an exacerbation of pediculosis (during times of war, hunger strike, disasters, as well as mass relocations).

Mechanism of infection by head lice

Methods of transmission of lice

The main method of transmission of lice is contact. This can be contact either directly with the person himself or with personal items.

For example, infection can occur in the following ways:

• Thus, head lice crawl from one head to another.
• Pubic lice are transmitted through sexual intercourse.
• Body lice can be contracted through contact with clothing on which they live.
• You can also become infected with lice through personal hygiene products, such as a comb, hairpin, hat, scarf, etc.

Optimal conditions for the spread of lice

There is an opinion that lice appear only in people living in socially disadvantaged conditions. But this is not so, because most often healthy children aged 3 to 15 years suffer from lice.

After all, for example, in children's institutions there are usually no individual lockers, and lice can jump from one clothing to another in a common wardrobe. Moreover, these creatures, despite their small size, are capable of covering distances of up to half a meter.

Lice appear on the head of an adult much less frequently than in children, but when the living conditions are the most cramped, such as people living in communal apartments, prisons, barracks or barracks may have, the likelihood of contracting lice increases.

Also, among a marginal society, where there are unsanitary conditions and simply poor personal hygiene, this is an excellent habitat for lice.

Thus, optimal conditions the spread of lice for both children and adults are unsanitary conditions, crowded conditions and crowded conditions.

At-risk groups:

1. Children of school and preschool age.
2. Persons who frequently change sexual partners (pediculosis pubis).
3. Persons belonging to disadvantaged sections of society: homeless people, prisoners, drug addicts and alcoholics.
4. Soldiers living in the barracks.
5. Persons living in communal apartments, hotels, marriages.
6. Persons who do not properly practice personal hygiene.

Treatment

Pediculosis requires urgent treatment, since it does not go away on its own, and it is necessary to prevent the development of complications and further spread of the disease among the environment of the infected person .

There are two types of treatment:

• Medication.
• Treatment with folk remedies.

Treatment with medications

There are a variety of forms for the release of medications - ointments, shampoos, creams, lotions, solutions, powders, emulsions, aerosols. All of them are chemicals and have an insecticidal, that is, antimicrobial effect.

There are also combination preparations and medications based on vegetable and synthetic mineral oils.

Folk recipes

using folk recipes:

• Garlic paste;
• hydrogen peroxide;
• cranberry or pomegranate juice;
• a mixture of kerosene and oil;
• vinegar;
• alcohol;
• salt;
• dichlorvos.

Folk remedies, despite the fact that they destroy lice, are not always safe for humans, especially for children. Therefore, they should be avoided or used with extreme caution.

One of the methods for removing lice, in addition to the main one - combing out, is washing clothes that come into contact with the infected one, with high temperature, as well as its careful ironing.

It must be remembered that the most effective way treatment is a comprehensive treatment. Also, in order to protect your loved ones from infection, you need to treat all family members at the same time.

At all times, it was considered true that it is better to prevent than to neutralize.

Therefore, it is necessary to prevent lice infestation:

1. It is necessary to observe the rules of personal hygiene.
2. You must use only your own personal hygiene products.
3. Pin up long hair or braid it into a braid or ponytail.
4. Wash and iron clothes regularly.
5. Avoid crowded places or keep your distance.
6. Regularly examine the hair of your children and loved ones yourself or with the help of a medical professional.
7. Avoid marginalized individuals.

Conclusion

In our article, we answered the question of why lice appear on the head and how to get rid of them. It should be remembered that it is necessary to comply preventive measures to avoid this unpleasant disease.

Body lice's legs are designed a little differently than other species - thanks to them, they confidently hold on to any textile products.

For all types human lice the only food is blood. Insects suck it, after first piercing the skin with their stiletto jaws.

How long do they live?

All types of lice are perfectly adapted to their habitats, and are perfectly adapted to reproduce on the human body: the female, moving along the hair, lays an egg (nit) on it. After a while, the larva that emerges from it, landing on the scalp, immediately begins to feed.

The development of all types of lice living on the human body occurs quite quickly. This process requires consumption large quantity energy, so head lice feed at least 3-4 times a day. Pediculosis pubis involves feeding on insects much more often - every 3-4 hours.

Nits develop within 7-10 days. For body lice eggs at room temperature, this process can take up to 2 months, and low temperature thermositis development sometimes takes up to a year.

One week is exactly how long nits live at a temperature of -1 degree and below.

The development of a nymph (larva) in favorable conditions occurs within 15-20 days, and the lifespan of an adult insect is 40-46 days.

Insects that live on clothing have the same lifespan as head lice - approximately 40 days. And 3-4 days is the period how long lice live outside a person - during this period an adult body lice can do without food.

A head louse that accidentally falls from a human body can live no more than 2 days - it simply dies without finding another source of food.

A pubic louse can die of starvation much earlier - within 12-15 hours.

Bed linen cannot be a habitat for lice for the simple reason that they are not able to lay nits on it. Sometimes insects can fall from the head of an infected person and land on the pillow, waiting for some time for the opportunity to crawl onto the hair of another person.