Busting Myths: Do Lice Prefer Dirty Hair?

Many people have preconceived notions about who catches head lice and why. For example, some people think that poor hygiene causes head lice. Today, we’re discussing if hygiene is a factor in getting infested. Read on to understand more about your risk factors for getting lice, as well as preventive measures you can take.

Does Washing Your Hair Prevent Lice?

Washing your hair is a vital part of personal hygiene, and how often you shampoo and condition your hair depends on your lifestyle and hair type. However, it’s important to know that head lice are attracted to neither clean nor dirty hair. All they require is warmth, protection, and a reliable food source from the blood of your scalp—so clean and dirty hair are equally at risk for infestations.

What Does Cause People to Get Head Lice?

Children between the ages of three to 11 are at the highest risk for a lice infestation. Lice are transmitted by head-to-head contact, and since this age group is always in close contact with other children—in parks, classrooms, or daycare centers—they’re the most likely to get infested.

Females with long hair are also prone to head lice, since long hair provides more surface area for the lice to grab onto. Long hair can also be a means for lice to spread while in contact with others. One way to lower the risk of an infestation is by keeping long hair pulled back and out of the face.

Adults who live with small children are also more at risk than other adults to have a lice infestation. Since small children are more likely to be infested, and also more likely to be picked up and carried closely by a parent, transmission is more likely.

How to Tell If You Have Lice

One of the first symptoms of a lice infestation is itchiness. If your head is inexplicably itchy, using a nit comb can help you check if you have head lice. Besides doing self-checks, parents should also conduct frequent head checks on their kids.

How Do You Prevent the Spread of Lice in Your Home?

If you are already dealing with an infestation, there are a couple things you can do to stop the spread of lice between the members of your household. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, quickly treating the infested person, as well as avoiding close contact with other family members while awaiting or during treatment, is the best way to avoid spreading the infestation.

The elimination of head lice should also follow a two-step process. First, you need to ensure that you wipe out all live lice, nits, and eggs from the hair and scalp of the infested person. Then, you should also wash any bedding or clothing that the infested person recently came into contact with.

Lice Treatment in Orlando, Savannah, and Jacksonville

A lice infestation is a concern for many parents. Fortunately, you can keep this at bay by limiting head-to-head contact, and performing frequent head checks. If you do have an infestation, seek help from Fresh Heads Lice Removal. At our lice clinics, we can get rid of your lice in a single treatment! Book your appointment today!

Schools Without Lice

Our mission at Fresh Heads Lice Removal is to eradicate lice from schools across the US. We’re partnering with the Lice Clinics of America to create a Schools Without Lice program. Through this program, we provide school nurses and teachers with free resources, screenings, and treatments. If we work together, we can have schools without lice!