Excoriation
Type: Symptom
Definition
Raw, abraded lesions on the skin resulting from repetitive and aggressive scratching.
Clinical Details
Because the pruritus caused by lice saliva is so severe, patients compulsively scratch the infested areas, physically damaging the epidermal barrier. These linear scratch marks are heavily prominent on the scalp, nape of the neck, and shoulders. They serve as primary entry points for opportunistic bacterial pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus.