There are two types of lice infestation: the pediculosis of the head - the lice lives on the skin of the head, and are oftentimes found at the back of the head and behind the ears. Children are the ones more frequently afflicted, but adults can catch it, especially in they live together in a crowded house.

The second type of pediculosis is the pubic lice infestation. Lice lodge on the short hairs of the body, such as pubic hair in the groin area, axillary hair, beard, scalp margins, eyebrows, and eyelashes, and areolar hair.

Body lice lodge and lay eggs on clothes and transfer to the human host when they have to feed. They are blood sucking parasites that are equipped with needle-like mouths. During war or natural calamities lice can be carriers of fatal illnesses like typhoid fever.

Lice can be easily transferred from one person to another through head to head contact. There are three types of lice that can cause the infestations. Pubic pediculosis is caused by the mite called Phtirius Pubis. It is contracted through sexual contact and is highly communicable. One exposure is all you need to get infected.

The lice and its eggs can survive for a long time clinging on objects such as towels or sheets so that they are transferred from one location to another with great facility. Sometimes, a child diagnosed with this infestation could also have been sexually abused. Lice are tough insects and highly communicable and can be transmitted in so many ways, such as wearing items that have been used by individuals with lice.

Lice infestation commonly results to allergic reactions on the skin. The insects puncture the skin as they suck the blood to feed. The saliva could cause allergic reaction and skin inflammation and other secondary bacterial infections, which can develop within two days or more depending on the person's level of sensitivity and previous infection history.

Reaction can become unbearable if the individual is allergic to the bites and the saliva of the insects.

Pediculosis of the hair can be seen on the hairs of the head, and the eggs of the mites are white, round or oval shaped and they never slide by themselves on the hair. Before they exit the insect, the eggs are brownish and they become light brown to white after they exit.

Pubic lice bites bring about development of rashes or bluish grey macula, flat lesions (maculae cerulea) that could remain in the skin for a long time even after the treatment for infestation has been completed and the lice completely exterminated. The infected individual could likely be infected with other sexually transmitted disease as having pubic peducolosis is one sure sign of infection.

Generally, the lice stay on the clothes rather than on the skin. These insects are very resilient and will not be eradicated by themselves. So it is highly advisable for the infected person to see a specialist for proper treatment.