Does Lice Like Clean Hair?

There are a variety of myths related to the lice in hair. The most common myth is that lice prefer the scalp with poor hygiene or unwashed hair. Lice are tiny insects that make their home in your hair. But, even after washing hair, a person cannot get rid of head lice. It raises a stigma among the people and multiple questions arise that does lice like clean hair. Bursting the myth of head lice related to dirty or unwashed hair is the main subject of this article.

Getting head lice is not related to hygiene protocols. Any person can get head lice and proper management can help to get rid of these rascal insects as they suck your blood and multiply. It is common for insects to attract dirty places. B it’s not the same for head lice. Head lice are common around the globe. A recent study from experts explains that almost 6 to 12 million infestations affect the age group of 3 to 11 years in the United States.

Read the article about the spread, treatment, and prevention to deal with these miniature insects and also to know the answer to does lice like clean hair.

Is there any relation between head lice to poor hygiene or clean hair?

Head lice are common at any age. You can get head lice whether you are a child or an adult. But, it is more common to affect children. The most likely reason is that children tend to play in closer groups with their heads touching and transferring from one scalp to another. They can quickly move from head-to-head contact.

Head lice are usually more common among girls rather than boys. It is stated that girls usually play with their heads approaching each other. In addition, hair length has no concern with the head lice. But, it becomes difficult to find lice and their eggs in thick, long, and curly hair. This has fuelled a myth that people with coiled and curly hair cannot get head lice. Apart from this, any hair type can get lice.

What are the developmental stages of head lice?

Head lice tend to have three specific growth stages. These three prominent life cycle stages are as follows:

Nits

Nits are actually the eggs of head lice. These are clear or whitish bumps attached to the hair shafts and are closer to the scalp. The female head gets attached to the nit at the hair shaft. It takes almost a week to hatch the nit. Nits are usually mistaken for dandruff. Dandruff scrapes off from the scalp with brushing while nits do not.

Nymphs

As the nit hatches after a week, it is known as a nymph. Nymphs are like adult lice but of smaller size. Nymphs also take a week to grow into an adult larger louse.

Adults

Adult head lice are about the size of a sesame seed. They can be yellow or gray. Adult louse has six legs. Adult head lice have a lifespan of about three to four weeks. A female louse lays an average of six to ten eggs per day.

Head lice do not carry any kind of disease throughout the stages of the life cycle.

How can we know about head lice on the scalp?

Intense itching on the scalp or neck indicates the presence of head lice. The sensation of crawling or moving on the scalp can also be a sign of head lice. Check for the nits in the hair shaft to determine the presence of head lice. If it comes off easily, it can be dandruff. Nits are usually tougher to scratch from the hair shaft.

If head nits are present, there are maximum chances that any of the family members is having head lice. Check your school-going kids or anyone who is in close contact with you.

Also read: Is Dandruff Contagious?

What are the prevention protocols for head lice?

Head lice have no concern with how many times you have washed or cleaned your hair. There are no such confirmatory methods to prevent head lice. But, you can lower the risk by following these steps.

• Avoid close head-to-head contact at contact sports, games, or any slumber parties. Lice can only be transferred through close head contact with the person having head lice. Remember, you can not get head lice just by standing near any person. Avoiding head contact is the main thing to prevent head lice.
• Avoid sharing such accessories or clothes that touch the hair. It is possible to transmit head lice by sharing scarves, coats, or any other hair accessories.
• Avoid sharing brushes, combs, or other styling gadgets. If you share these items, then soak them in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes to avoid any head lice and other germs.
• Avoid using or lying on the common couches, beds, or pillows.
• Vacuum your furniture and floor to avoid contact with head lice.

Is there any way to treat head lice?

Treatment of head lice is essential to avoid any uncomfortable experience and continuous itching. Treatment involves the removal of head lice from the hair and any personal items that have been infested. Here are some ways to follow for the removal of head lice.

Lice-killing shampoo

There are multiple lice killer shampoos available over the counter to kill head lice. These shampoos can only kill adult louse but have no concern with the nits. Follow the usage instructions and repeat the shampoo every seven to ten days.

Fine toothed comb

It is better to use a fine-toothed comb every two to three days to completely remove nits and lice after using lice-killing shampoo. Check the comb for any nits and lice and clean or wipe the comb after brushing every section.

Essential oils

There are some oils available to deal with such infestations. You can use tea tree oil mixed in your shampoo to get rid of head lice.

Prescribed treatment

Apart from the home tips, there are some medicines available to kill head lice. Over-the-counter and FDA-approved medicines include:

• Permethrin 1% (Nix) – This medicine is safe for children of any age. If your baby is under 2 months and has head lice, consult your pediatrician for the proper management.
• Pyrethrins and Piperonyl butoxide (pronto, Rid) – You can follow this medicine for ages 2 to more. Avoid this medicine if you have an allergic response to chrysanthemums or ragweed.

Both these drugs have the potential to kill adults or live lice but not unhatched eggs. Moreover, you can also consult your doctor for any other treatment protocol to get rid of head lice.

If these methods do not help, your doctor may suggest you apply 1% lindane. It is quite a strong treatment and experts only suggest it if other treatments do not work. Using too much of this product or swallowing the product can cause various levels of harm to the brain or nervous system. This pharmaceutical management is contraindicated for the following:

• Infants or children’s
• Pregnant or nursing people
• Older adults
• People weighing under 110 pounds
• People with HIV or having seizures
• People with sores or skin allergies

Conclusion

It is a common myth that head lice are usually attracted to unhygienic or unwashed scalp. In contrast to this myth, head lice usually prefer a clean scalp with shampooed hair. They have no such concern with dirty hair. Head lice are tiny insects living on the scalp and causing severe itching. You can know about head lice for having nits attached to your hair shaft closer to the scalp. There are multiple home remedies to get rid of head lice. Moreover, if home remedies do not work, you can consult a dermatologist for the management of head lice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)