In most cases, the causes of lice are related to some type of contact between people or items. When a person who has lice comes in direct contact with a person who doesn't, the chances that the lice will spread are great. It is possible to get lice from coming into contact with the clothing, bedding, or furniture of another person who has lice. Sometimes school children spread lice back and forth to each other by sharing lockers or having coat hooks next to each other, which allows lice on coats or backpacks to jump to items sitting next to the items they are on. Lice can also spread in the same way with people who work together or participate in other events where clothing, hats, or accessories are stored next to each other.
There are three types of lice that are common: head lice, body lice, and pubic lice. Anyone can get any type of lice, and the fact that a person has lice does not necessarily indicate that he has poor personal hygiene because it is typically so easy to catch and spread. Body lice does tend to be more common in homeless people and people living in situations where they are unable to bathe regularly. Schools frequently do head lice checks on students because the causes of lice are so often related to lots of people existing in close proximity to others day in and day out, and this is likely why lice is common in many schools.
The causes of lice in the pubic area are typically sexual. Pubic lice is normally seen more often in adults who are sexually active rather than in children because these lice are almost always passed through sexual contact. It is possible to get pubic lice from other means, such as from sharing clothing or bedding with people who have them, but this is rare. Pubic lice are also typically seen more often in people who have multiple sex partners rather than in people who are in monogamous relationships.
Regardless of the causes of lice, it is possible to get rid of them, although the process can be time consuming, and the lice likely won't disappear overnight. There are several different medicated soaps and shampoos on the market that will kill lice and their eggs when used. After using the shampoos and soaps, lice eggs must be manually removed if there are any attached to the hair. There are special lice combs that may help with this process. In addition to removing lice from the body, a person must also wash all of her belongings in hot, soapy water to get rid of any additional lice or eggs.