We talk about it less but lice can develop on the eyelashes and in the hairs of the eyebrows.
Lice can be found on your eyelashes and hairs from your eyebrows and cause of the itching and irritation (like when they are in the scalp). “Eyelash lice are transmitted through contact with another infected person” explains Dr Martine Bagot, dermatologist and venereologist. More rarely, it is possible to be contaminated by sharing makeup products to apply to eyelashes (mascara For example).
Definition: what are eyelash lice?
An eyelash lice is a parasite that can live on the eyelashes, or in eyebrow hairs. “They are either from the family of head lice that we find in the hair, or that of lice (pubic lice)generally located in the pubic area. indicates Dr Martine Bagot, dermatologist and venereologist. Lice cling to eyelash hairs and feed by absorbing small drops of blood at the level of the eyelashes. “It is quite rare to observe eyelash licethis phenomenon concerns rather people in social difficulty whose hygiene is precarious” reassures the expert.
How do you know if you have lice in your eyelashes?
Eyelash lice first appear as a feeling of discomfort or foreign body at eye level. “THE itching (like those felt in cases of hair lice) are one of the signs of their presence. In certain rarer cases and if the lice are not treatedthe eyelid may become red and swollen” develops the dermatologist. Eyelash lice can be noticed directly by the person affected.
“They are tiny but visible to the naked eye”
“They are tiny but visible to the naked eye” admits Dr. Bagot. Furthermore, they are annoying for the eyes. The patient can also observe kinds of debris on the eyelashes which could be eggs lice (nits). Consultation with a dermatologist will confirm the suspicion.
What treatments to remove eyelash lice?
“Above all, you should not use shampoo-type treatments recommended for lice on the head nor any other product without medical advice because their composition is not suitable for an area so close to the eye“warns Dr. Bagot. Among the treatments, we find:
- of the special lotions to treat eyelash lice in pharmacies which are suitable for application to the eyes
- “Vaseline is an effective solution applied to the eyelashes because it suffocates the lice” recommends the dermatologist.
- of the silicone eye drops (Opthasiloxane®) to suffocate lice.
“A healthcare professional will be able to remove the lice by hand using fine tweezers and their eggs. In all cases, it is recommended to consult a doctor or dermatologist” defends our expert.
WhatWhat are the possible complications of eyelash lice?
“If you scratch your eye and the lice are not treated, there are a possible risk of infection even if these cases remain relatively rare” recognizes our interlocutor.
Thanks to Dr Martine Bagot, dermatologist and venereologist in Paris.