Can Head Lice Live In Hair Extensions?
Everyone’s wished for thicker, longer, or fuller hair at some point in their life. While it’s hard to do naturally, extensions can give you the opportunity to have the hair you’ve always dreamed of. They’re made of synthetic or natural human hair, so many people think they’re immune to lice. However, that’s not exactly true.
What Are Lice?
Lice are considered to be gross by many people due to their appearance and the fact that they infest the hair and scalp. These tiny, wingless insects that are about the size of a sesame seed can be difficult to spot, especially in extensions. They are typically brown or gray in color and are visible to the naked eye. They feed on blood from the scalp and can cause itching, redness, and irritation. The eggs, or nits, of lice, are also unsightly, as they are small, white, and can be found attached to the hair shafts close to the scalp.
Can Lice Live In Hair Extensions?
The short answer to that question is yes. Lice can live in any type of hair, especially extensions, but the level of infestation will vary depending on the environment’s viability. Like any other place lice can be found, they can live for up to 36 hours in extensions.
Length matters when it comes to where you’ll find lice in extensions. The longer the hair, the more room they have to lay eggs, mate, and continue to wreak havoc on your scalp if you come in close contact with someone else with lice. While this isn’t necessarily a specific fact to extend, it is something to consider as you decide the length. If you spend a lot of time in a space where lice are common, such as a school, residential treatment facility, or camp, long extensions (or long hair in general) might not be the best idea for you. And while lice are more common in school-age children, most of the time, the parents catch it, too.
Can I Get A Disease If I Don’t Treat My Hair Extensions For Lice?
The good news is that head lice don’t carry diseases. Although they’re not something you want in your hair, you can take a deep breath in, knowing that you won’t get sick from them — for the most part. The only circumstance where you could have side effects from having head lice is if you scratch your scalp too much, causing scabs or bumps to develop. If left untreated, they could cause an infection.
Can I Prevent Lice In My Hair Extensions?
Whether you’ve only had lice once or if you contracted it multiple times, avoiding lice infestations with hair extensions in the future requires taking some preventive measures. While they can’t jump, they are easily spread by close contact. The only way to avoid a lice infestation is to avoid head-to-head contact with friends, family, and peers.
If you do use extensions, it is important to buy them from a reputable source, such as a professional salon, that uses high-quality, clean hair. You can also take steps to maintain your extensions, such as washing them regularly and keeping them clean. Additionally, it is important to practice good hygiene, such as washing your hair regularly, keeping it clean, and avoiding close contact with people with lice. If you suspect you have lice, it is best to see a healthcare professional or a hair specialist for treatment, as lice can spread quickly if left untreated.
How Can I Find Head Lice Treatment For My Hair Extensions?
Finding the proper head lice treatment for your hair extensions can be challenging, but it is possible. However, the first step to treating lice in extensions is to take them out. Removing them will eliminate the source of the lice, but you should continue to check for their presence for at least seven days after the extensions are out of your hair.
Avoid spending money on over-the-counter treatments like shampoos or chemical-based solutions when treating lice in hair extensions. These toxic shampoos are not effective. While they may kill adult lice, they do not kill nits. If the nits are not removed, the infestation will continue exponentially. The only effective way to treat head lice is professional lice removal. At Fresh Heads, our lice treatment focuses on removing all the lice in your hair or extensions with FDA-cleared medical devices.
Get Lice Treatment in Savannah, GA Today!
If you’re located in the Savannah, GA, area and need lice treatment, you’re in luck. Fresh Heads Head Lice Treatment Center is an award-winning lice treatment center that uses science-based treatments, making us everyone’s first choice for getting rid of lice quickly and efficiently. Our technicians provide you with under two-hour treatments and don’t require additional follow-ups. With a 60-day re-treatment policy, you won’t have to worry about returning multiple times.
We also have locations in Jacksonville and Orlando, FL, making it convenient for you to get quality lice treatment no matter where you are on the southeastern coast.
Schedule an appointment with us today if your extensions are infected with lice.
Schools Without Lice
At Fresh Heads Lice Removal, our mission is to get rid of lice in schools across the United States. We’ve partnered with the Lice Clinics of America to create the Schools Without Lice program. Through this program, we provide school nurses and teachers with free screenings, resources, and treatments. Together, we can have schools without lice!