Head lice are a common problem among people, especially children. So, does lice like clean hair? While some believe that clean hair is less likely to attract lice, others argue that lice are not picky and can thrive on any hair type. This article will discover the truth behind the idea that lice prefer clean hair.
Does Lice Like Clean Hair?
The short answer is yes, and lice love clean hair. Yet, you are more susceptible to getting lice when you live with other people with head lice.
Washing your hair regularly and covering your hair with products like mousse or gel will make the lice stick to the hair better. A well-cleaned scalp will be an ideal environment for female lice to grow and lay eggs without problems.
Clean hair is the ideal growth medium for lice. However, that does not mean that people with poor hygiene conditions are not at risk of lice.
Substances need a host that can provide nutrition and protection for growth. And at this time, dirty hair or clean hair will be their habitat.
How To Prevent Lice?
Anyone can get lice, whether their hair is long, short, clean, or greasy. Yet, you still have effective ways to prevent head lice. Here are notes you can refer to.
- Check your family members’ hair for lice and nits.
- Do not share personal items such as hats, coats, scarves, combs, and brushes.
- If you have to share brushes and combs of someone with lice, disinfect them with hot water for 5 – 10 minutes.
- Do not lie on the beds, pillows, and couches of people who have head lice.
- Limit participation in close or direct contact activities.
- Wash clothes and bed sheets used by the person with head lice for two days. Then use a high-temperature drying cycle to altogether remove the nits inside.
- Vacuum the floor, furniture, or anywhere the person with head lice has sat or lay down.
How Are Lice Treated?
There are quite a few methods you can use to treat head lice. Some simple techniques you can use at home are:
Nonprescription Products
Permethrin 1% is the most common active lice treatment. It shows up in most over-the-counter lice treatments. To use lice treatment drugs containing this active ingredient, you must wash your hair and apply for the medicine directly.
Notably, it would help if you did not use conditioner to avoid drug activity. After about 9 days with Permethrin, you should use the drug again to remove lice and nits altogether.
In addition to medications that contain Permethrin, you may need other treatment options, including:
- Pyrethrins plus piperonyl butoxide: These chemicals cause lice to be neurotoxic. However, its resistance will increase rapidly.
- 5% Benzyl Alcohol: It may be available topically in resistant cases.
Oral Prescription Drug
Ivermectin (Stromectol) is one of the most commonly available prescription lice treatments. It is usually available in pill form for powerful effects.
Usually, adults will need two doses every 8 days to get rid of internal lice. Meanwhile, children must weigh at least 33 pounds to use the drug.
You will need close supervision when using this medicine in children, as Ivermectin can cause side effects similar to nausea.
Topical Prescription Drugs
Malathion or Spinosad is also a prescription drug. However, it is used directly on the hair and scalp. And after about 10 minutes, rinse it off with water.
When using these drugs, you don’t have to repeat the treatment. However, these topical drugs have many side effects and are cautiously used.
Malathion is not safe for use by pregnant and nursing women. This medicine is also quite flammable, so you should keep it out of heat sources during storage.
Meanwhile, Spinosad is not suitable for children under four years old. It can also cause eye and skin irritation. So, people with sensitive skin should consider it carefully before using the drug.
Remove The Lice From Wet Hair
Removing the lice from wet hair is a manual but effective topical lice treatment.
- To remove lice with a comb, wet your hair and scalp.
- Then, choose a comb with thick serrated teeth or an electronic brush to comb through small curls. And lice eggs and lice will be removable from the hair.
- After combing your hair with a specialized comb, clean any recently used items with high heat. Lice eggs can survive outside the scalp for quite a long time.
FAQs
There are many other exciting things related to lice habitat and lice removal. Here are the most frequently asked questions that you should consider.
What Are Lice Attracted To?
Head lice are attracted to blood, the scalp. They can live in all scalp conditions, from clean to shiny.
How Are Head Lice Spread?
Head lice are spread by close person-to-person contact. In addition, sharing hats, hair ties, and pillows with people with lice can also spread lice. However, this environmental transmission is quite rare under natural conditions.
What Is Hair Type More Susceptible To Lice?
Head lice do not mainly thrive on one type of hair. Because lice only require hair with a good grip, they can live and lay eggs on it. Therefore, factors such as length, color, or hairstyle usually do not have much effect on lice growth.
Does Lice Like Dark Or Light Hair?
Like hair types, head lice don’t particularly love a specific hair color. They can live in all different hair colors. Sometimes they will change their color slightly to hide their hair better.
Can Lice Survive A Hair Dryer?
Using a hair dryer, as usual, will usually not treat head lice effectively. Yet, if you dry your hair at high heat for a long time, you can successfully treat lice at home.
Conclusion
The above article has answered your question: ‘does lice like clean hair?’ Clean, oil-free hair and dirt will be a suitable environment for lice to grow, lay eggs, and produce. So, keeping your hair clean helps reduce the risk of lice on your scalp.
Ivirgo Hair Factory hopes you have known critical information to prevent and treat lice effectively through the above sharing.
I am Thomas Taw, the CEO of CITIZENSNIPS. I have experience in hair product development and chemical research, as well as sustainable resource engineering. In 2009, I co-created Sunsilk, one of the world's leading haircare brands. More recently, I was the CEO of SMOKINGPANDA LTD. I am a professional with a strong track record in delivering tangible results.
