Skin parasites, such as lice, scabies, ticks, and fleas, live on the skin of humans and animals, causing itching and redness. Treatment involves soaps and shampoos, and thorough cleaning of furniture and bedding. Fleas can transmit diseases and require treatment for pets and the home. Ticks are often found in forested areas and can cause infections.
Skin parasites are small, often microscopic invertebrates that live on the skin of humans and animals. They burrow or bite to feed on blood directly under the skin. Lice are considered to be one of the most common types of these parasites. Other common skin parasites include scabies, ticks and fleas.
Most lice, although very small, are visible without the use of a microscope. The three different types of lice that live on human skin are head lice, body lice, and pubic lice. All three varieties of these skin parasites are blood feeders and very easy to spread from one person to another. In most cases, the presence of lice on the body causes itching and redness.
Scabies is a type of skin mite that causes extreme itching. People who have scabies often mistake the infestation for an allergic-type reaction, because infested areas usually appear as bumpy red spots on the skin. These tiny bumps are actually the result of egg sacs that the mites lay when they burrow into the skin.
Treatment for both scabies and lice usually involves soaps and shampoos that kill the parasites. Most of the time, these shampoos and washes need to be repeated over a period of several days to be sure all parasites have been eliminated. Thorough cleaning and washing of furniture, carpets, and bedding is usually also necessary, because lice and scabies can be transferred to these items.
Fleas are often spread to humans by pets within their homes. Unlike other skin parasites whose bites often go unnoticed, flea bites can sometimes be painful. Most of the time, the bite area immediately becomes red and irritated. Though considered rare, fleas have been known to transfer dangerous diseases, such as typhoid and even the plague, in some cases.
Ridding a home of fleas can be quite difficult, but it usually has to start with flea treatment for pets. Unless pets are flea-free, there is little hope of keeping household fleas free. Most vets can prescribe monthly flea applications which often do the trick. Flea sprays for the home can be purchased at most hardware stores, but you may need to hire a professional exterminator if you have a severe infestation.
Ticks are another type of skin parasite that is often spread by pets within the home. Ticks usually live in forested habitats, so people who spend a lot of time outdoors are at a higher risk of being bitten by a tick. When ticks bite, they attach themselves to the skin where they begin feeding on blood. In many cases, tick bites lead to infection, so the bites should be cleaned immediately and treated with disinfectant.
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