Facts & Myths About Head Lice
Head Lice Facts vs. Myths: What You Need to Know
At Lice Charmers lice salons, we encounter a lot of confusion regarding head lice and nits. To help clear things up, we’re sharing the real facts behind the most common myths we hear at our salons.
1. They can’t fly.
Lice have specialized claws designed to cling to hair shafts. They are physically unable to fly or jump. You don’t have to worry about them “leaping” from one head to another; they spread primarily through direct head-to-head contact, such as hugging.
2. Lice stay in the dark.
This is one of the reasons it is so challenging to spot lice. They instinctively seek out the darkest regions of the head and stay hidden close to the scalp.
3. Nits camoflauge with hair color.
Lice eggs (nits) are masters of disguise. They can appear in lighter or darker shades of brown to match the hair they are attached to. This camouflage often makes nits even harder to find than adult lice.
4. Why does it itch?
While most people think the movement causes the itch, it’s actually the louse’s saliva. Most people have a mild allergic reaction to the saliva when a louse feeds, which triggers that persistent itching sensation.
5. Lice prefer clean hair.
It is a myth that “dirty” hair attracts lice. Lice don’t care about hygiene—they only care about a blood meal. Similarly, hair length doesn’t determine how many lice you have, though we often see higher rates in women and girls simply because long hair provides more “surface area” for head-to-head contact.
6. Shaving off hair will help.
Cutting hair short or buzzing it isn’t enough; you would have to shave completely down to the scalp to eliminate their environment. If that isn’t an appealing option, professional treatment is the best alternative.
7. They can survive underwater.
Don’t expect a swimming pool or a bath to solve the problem. Lice can survive for up to eight hours entirely submerged in water, and some studies have shown them surviving for 24 hours. They simply “shut down” and wait it out.
8. Lice can’t survive off the head.
Once removed from a human host, lice typically die within 24 hours due to dehydration. Even if a louse manages to get back onto a head after that window, it may be too weak to feed.
9. Lice are species-specific.
You cannot catch lice from your pets, and they cannot catch them from you. Human lice require human blood to survive and cannot thrive on dogs, cats, or other wildlife.
10. They are the size of a sesame seed.
While a mature adult louse is roughly the size of a sesame seed, nymphs (babies) are much smaller. Nits are even tinier—about the size of a single grain of salt.
Dealing with a lice scare? Don’t let the myths stress you out. Contact Lice Charmers today for professional, science-backed help.
