Head Lice Myths

Ever experienced head lice before? Do you even know what they look like?

Here is a pic.

Head lice do not have wings nor knees so they cannot fly or jump. Head lice only CRAWL and are fast and are therefore transmitted through head to head contact.

Head lice do not live in carpets, clothes, hats or sheets, they need blood to survive. An egg needs warmth to hatch is the reason why they are laid close to the scalp. The further away from the scalp, the less likely they are to survive. 

It does not matter if you have clean hair, head lice are not fussy. They don't care if hair is long, short, blonde, brown, washed this morning or last week. As long as they are warm, and have blood to drink, they are happy.

Head lice life span is 32 to 35 days.

Treating head lice

• Concentrate on the head - there is no evidence to suggest that you need to clean the house or classroom.
• No treatment kills all of the eggs so treatment must involve two applications seven days apart.
• If you are using lotions, apply the product to dry hair.
• There is no need to treat the whole family, unless they also have head lice.
• Only the pillowcase requires specific laundering; either wash it in hot water (at least 60 degrees centigrade) or dry it using a clothes dryer on the hot or warm setting.
• There is nothing out there that can help prevents head lice. Using the conditioner and comb method once a week will help you detect any head lice early and minimise the problem. Tying back long hair can help prevent the spread of head lice.
• Combs with long, rounded stainless steel teeth positioned very close together have been shown to be the most effective, however, any head lice comb can be use.