Where do lice live under the skin? - briefly
Lice are external parasites that cling to hair shafts and the outer surface of the scalp, where they feed on blood from the skin. They do not burrow or inhabit any subdermal tissue.
Where do lice live under the skin? - in detail
Lice are obligate ectoparasites; they reside on the exterior of the host rather than within subdermal tissue. Adult head and body lice cling to hair shafts or clothing fibers, positioning their claws on the surface of the cuticle. They insert a short, needle‑like mouthpart into the epidermis to draw blood, but the body of the insect remains exposed. Eggs (nits) are cemented to the base of hairs or to fabric, where they stay attached until hatching.
Key points about their habitat:
- Head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) – occupy the scalp, especially behind the ears and at the nape; they move along hair shafts, never burrowing beneath the skin.
- Body lice (Pediculus humanus humanus) – live on clothing, migrate to the skin only to feed; they lay eggs in seams of garments, not in dermal layers.
- Pubic lice (Pthirus pubis) – inhabit coarse body hair such as pubic, facial, or axillary hair; they remain on the hair surface, attaching their legs to each shaft.
The feeding process involves piercing the superficial epidermis to access capillary blood. After a blood meal, the insect retreats to its current location on the hair or fabric. The life cycle—egg, nymph, adult—occurs entirely on the host’s surface. No stage of any lice species develops beneath the skin.