Head Lice Facts

Head Lice in fact prefer clean scalps rather than dirty scalps. It is understood that it makes it easier for Head Lice to move through the hair. That is not to say that you should cease washing your hair, however be preventative rather than having to cure.

Head Lice don’t have wings and they can’t jump. They crawl around the head very quickly and can quickly move from one person to another. Most commonly, they are transmitted by having close head to head contact with an infected person but also from sharing combs, brushes and other accessories you can increase the chances of getting Head Lice dramatically.

There are more than one type of lice. The three species are Head Lice, Body Lice and Pubic Lice. Head Lice are the most common and need to have contact with human blood to survive.

Head Lice do not transmit disease. There is currently no evidence to support that they do, however who knows, in the future something may get confirmed.

The Head Lice itch is as a result of a reaction to the head louse saliva from their bite, not the Head Lice crawling around the hair. The saliva reacts with your blood and quite often is not immediate. In many cases, the itch becomes noticeable almost 5 – 6 weeks after the bite.

You only need to treat the person with Head Lice not the whole family (if no one else has signs or symptoms of Head Lice). It is recommended that you check everyone in the family and it is up to you if you want to treat everyone, BUT it isn’t necessarily required as a preventative measure.

NEVER USE PETROL/GASOLINE to treat Head Lice. Amazing, but some people have known to do this. Not only is it flammable – including any fumes that come off your head – but it can irritate the skin.

There is no evidence that Mayonnaise can kill Head Lice, however, many people have had success with it. Some people have commented that Head Lice can literally hold their breath for many hours so if you are going to use Mayonnaise you will need to keep it in the hair for probably 24 hours at least.

Head Lice can affect anyone of any age, colour, race or religion. People of African descent have been noted not to suffer from Head Lice as much as other races, however anyone can get Head Lice.

Many Head Lice medications need prescriptions as they are pesticides. For this to happen, in the United States of America, the FDA (which is the Food and Drug Administration), has to have tested, researched and approved information about the product and deemed it safe. However, many people are using home remedies for various reasons (see “Natural Homeopathic Home Remedies” for reasons).

School children of about the ages 3/4 until 10 statistically have Head Lice infestations due to the amount of close contact they have with other children.

Females are more prone to have Head Lice than males. This is probably due to the fact that women tend to share hair accessories and there are more balding men in the world than women.

Adult Head Lice live for about 3 – 4 weeks and will lay about 10 eggs per day. They are about the same size as a sesame seed or a grain of rice. They fix themselves on the hair roughly 1cm from the scalp.

Water can not kill Head Lice. Instead, they go into an almost state of suspension or hibernation and will remain steadfast to the hair to hang on if the head is submerged in water.

Nits can live longer than Head Lice away from the head. Head Lice tend to die after about 24 – 48 hours away from the head whereas the Nit can survive for up to 14 days away from a head.