While some individuals believe that because lice are drawn to the scent of shampooed hair, they prefer clean hair.

Others think that greasy, dirty hair works as a repellant to hair lice. So which one is it, then?

Clean or dirty hair? Let’s find out as I dissect this topic.

Head Lice: What Are They?

Pediculus humanis capitus, also known as head lice, are microscopic insects that cling to the base of your hair shafts on your head and neck.

They remain near the scalp because they feed on blood multiple times a day.

An adult louse will expire in one to two days if it does not have an active blood supply.

The life cycle consists of three stages:

• Nits:

This is a term for lice eggs.

They are frequently mistaken for hair spray droplets or dandruff since they are affixed to the hair shaft close to the base at the scalp.

They are found within half a centimeter of the scalp and range in color from yellow to white.

• Nymphs:

Although they are extremely difficult to spot,

Nymphs resemble adult louses when they emerge from the egg.

They usually have a pinhead-sized appearance.

• Adults:

The adult louse has six legs, each of which has a tiny claw, and is about the size of a sesame seed.

They range from brown to grayish white, although on individuals with dark hair, they frequently appear darker.

Female lice can deposit up to ten eggs every day, and adult lice can survive for up to 30 days on a person’s head.

What are the opinions of experts?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released revised recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of lice.

‘Head lice are an unpleasant part of the human experience, but they can be successfully managed and are no reason for a child to miss school,’ says paper lead author Dawn Nolt, MD, MPH, FAAP.

According to the AAP, school-based head lice screening initiatives don’t really help reduce the number of head lice cases.

Head lice can be prevented primarily by not sharing personal objects such as hats and combs. Early detection and treatment might also be aided by a parent’s routine inspections.

How Are Lice Identified?

Severe itching around the neck and scalp may be a sign that head lice are present.

Head lice may also be detected by feeling as though something is moving or crawling inside the hair.

Look for indications of nits affixed to the hair shaft to ascertain whether head lice are present.

If it easily brushes off the hair, it’s probably just dandruff or hair product residue rather than a nit.

The most common method of diagnosing lice is to visually examine the scalp and look for either the adult lice, the eggs, or both.

However, it may be challenging to see the live lice.

This is due to their ability to avoid light and their rapid crawling speed, therefore, using a specific louse comb to diagnose lice may be simpler.

Certain experts advise using conditioner and/or soaking the hair beforehand in order to ‘slow down’ the lice’s movement.

Additionally, this eliminates any static energy that could be able to move the louse.

According to one study, combs that are dry and infested with lice can actually produce enough static electricity to propel the lice up to one meter.

To get more advice, you can contact your healthcare professional if you are not sure if the objects you see are lice eggs or something else entirely, like dandruff or hairspray particles.

Every member of the household needs to be examined if head lice or nits are discovered.

Notifying your child’s playmates, daycare, or school is very crucial because anyone who comes into close contact with a person who has head lice needs to be checked out.

Treatment of Head Lice

Lice can be treated topically using a variety of methods. Permethrin 1% is most often used.

The majority of over-the-counter (OTC) lice treatments have this as their primary ingredient.

However, since conditioner might adhere to the hair shaft and obstruct the medication.

It’s crucial to wash the hair with a non-conditioning shampoo first.

You should reapply the dose about nine days after the first application, if active lice are visible.

Perchlorin resistance has been documented, although the reason for its resistance as treatment for head lice is unknown.

Additional alternatives for treatment consist of:

Pyrethrins and poperonyl butoxide:

The combination of pyrethrins and piperonyl butoxide is neurotoxic to lice but not to mammals.

Higher rates of resistance are making them less effective.

Drugs with prescription strength:

Your doctor may recommend one of several more recent topical drugs with prescription strength.

These are typically used when over-the-counter remedies become ineffective.

The most commonly used is 5% benzyl alcohol.

Treatment by combing:

Lice treatment that is done by hand can also be quite successful in treating lice.

Additionally, it works best when applied following topical therapy.

To ensure that all nits and lice are removed, wet the hair and begin combing through little portions of hair at a time, starting at the scalp.

While time-consuming, the procedure is usually successful.

There are also electronic nit combs available.

However, there isn’t enough evidence to say whether they work better than standard fine-toothed combs.

Thorough cleaning of objects:

Remember that lice can live for one to two days outside of the scalp.

So use high-heat cleaning to thoroughly clean any objects that may have come into contact with hair.

For instance, wash hats, scarves, and pillows in hot water with a high air pressure setting.

Hairbrushes and combs are examples of items that should be wrapped in an airtight container or bag.

These can be kept for several days, although they should not be washed on high heat.

If one member of the family has head lice, the CDC advises treating the entire family.

It also implies that everyone gets therapy at the same time as the individual.

Other people who are in close contact with them receive treatment as well.

It is important to check for lice on every household contact.

To be safe, some specialists believe that every household contact should receive one lice treatment.

A doctor may recommend drugs like these if over-the-counter remedies are unable to completely eradicate head lice:

• Lotion with ivermectin
• Lotion containing benzoalcohol
• Topical suspension of spinosad
• Malathion cream

Experts frequently advise repeat treatment seven to ten days after the initial treatment.

No drug can guarantee to eradicate every lice egg.

If a person’s head lice do not disappear after two drug treatments, they should think about visiting a doctor.

A medical expert can suggest an alternative course of action or offer guidance on how to take the medication as prescribed.

Do Lice Like Hair That is Clean?

Both yes and no. It turns out that lice are equally fond of unclean and clean hair.

Lice do not discriminate between hair types (curly or straight), colors, thicknesses, or cleanliness, although they are more frequently detected on long hair.

In fact, having lice on one’s body is almost an inevitable part of existence; this is particularly valid for young kids and the people in their homes.

The best strategy to stop the spread is to have children in the home checked on a regular basis and to begin treatment as soon as a diagnosis is made.

Although head lice can affect anyone, children are most commonly affected.

What Science Says About Head Lice

An estimated 6–12 million children in the United States between the ages of 3 and 11 are estimated to have head lice annually by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The precise number is unknown because the government and medical professionals are not required to record cases.

Head lice affect people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and are not a sign of personal hygiene.

School-age children in industrialized countries are more likely to have head lice infestations due to their frequent close social interaction, according to studies referenced in a 2023 review.

Moreover, girls are more likely than boys to have head lice.

Head lice can affect people of all racial and cultural backgrounds but according to the CDC, they’re less common in African Americans than in people of other races.

According to the CDC, this is likely because head lice have claws that are more suited to latch onto other groups’ hair shafts’ dimensions and forms.

Researchers looked at 500 primary schools in a 2018 study done in southern Jordan to determine the incidence of head lice infestations.

They discovered that the total spread was roughly 20%.

They also observed that certain groups of people tended to catch head lice more frequently than others.

Among them are:

1. Girls in contrast to boys.

2. People living in rural areas.

3. People sharing a room.

4. Those with smaller monthly wages.

5. People with long hair, households with more than five members, and those residing in houses with fewer than three rooms.

5. Those who share personal hygiene products with others.

6. Individuals who had an infestation the year before.

7. Kids whose parents are illiterate.

How to Keep Head Lice Away?

People who are close to one another might readily contract head lice by coming into direct hair-to-hair contact.

The following actions are advised by the CDC to help stop the spread of lice:

• Don’t share headgear like scarves and hats.

Refrain from sleeping on couches, cushions, beds, or other surfaces that someone who has lice has recently used.
Use a vacuum cleaner for the floor and other hard surfaces.

• Keep personal hygiene products like brushes and combs separate.

Any clothing or bedding used in the two days prior to starting a lice treatment program should be machine washed and dried on a hot cycle.

Toxic chemicals used in fumigation should not be used to get rid of lice; this can be harmful if inhaled or absorbed via the skin.

Hair Lice Remedies at Home

Try combing wet hair

The traditional method of getting rid of lice from hair is wet-combing.

The British Medical Journal reports that this approach has advantages like increasing the lice’s visibility, differentiating them from dandruff, and being reasonably priced.

Wet-combing entails applying conditioner to damp hair strands.

Also, this method helps remove individual lice by carefully inspecting each strand of hair with a fine-toothed comb.

And, in certain situations, using a magnifying lens.

While the wet-combing approach might work wonders, it takes a lot of time and patience to finish.

If you give it a shot, give yourself plenty of time and think of some kid-friendly entertainment choices in advance.

Use dimethicone

As a 4% silicone gel, dimethicone, a common ingredient in skin care products, works incredibly well against head lice.

Insecticides do not include dimethicone. Instead, it functions by suffocating and drying up the lice, making it impossible for them to eat or survive.

Lice are less likely to develop an immunity to dimethicone as a result of this activity than they are to pesticides.

Suffocate the lice

These are a few of the effective natural remedies for ‘smothering’ or ‘suffocating.’

As long as you follow the directions, they function well.

It’s crucial to remember that some experts think combing—rather than ‘suffocating’ treatments—is what actually kills lice.

Causes them to become slower and easier to comb.

Apply an olive or almond oil coat to the hair before using this procedure.

Mayonnaise and Vaseline are not advised; they can be difficult to wash off and are needlessly dirty.

Some advice applying oil to the comb and reapplying it as necessary, covering the comb rather than the hair.

To determine which approach suits you the most, you might need to test out both.

Use essential oils to treat the lice

In addition to combing, a variety of essential oils have been demonstrated to be successful in getting rid of head lice.
Never consume essential oils through ingestion. Indeed, a few are poisonous.

Always dilute essential oils with a carrier oil before using them, and apply a tiny drop of the diluted combination to your child’s hand’s back.

It should be safe to use the essential oil if there is no reaction.

Some of the oils that have demonstrated efficacy are:

Clove oil, eucalyptus oil, red thyme oil, peppermint oil, tea tree oil, lavender oil, neem oil, clove oil, and nutmeg oil.

How to apply:

Combine 15–20 drops of essential oil with 2 ounces of olive oil.

With cotton balls, apply this mixture to the scalp.

At least 12 hours should be spent with it on the hair and scalp overnight.

Shampoo, rinse, and repeat after combing out.

Clean Around the House

However, anything that has come into close contact with the lice-affected person, like caps, pillowcases, brushes, or combs, can benefit from cleaning or washing.

Stuffed animals and other items that can’t be washed should be placed in a plastic bag.

To kill lice and their nits, wash any object that has been infested with lice in hot water that is at least 130°F (54°C).

Place it in a hot dryer for at least 15 minutes, or place it in an airtight plastic bag and leave it there for two weeks.

Additionally, vacuum any furniture and floors where lice might have dropped.

Steer Clear of These Items and Techniques

When it comes to getting rid of lice, the following are the things that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advise against doing:

• Avoid using higher than necessary dosages of any advised or prescribed lice medication in an attempt to treat the lice ‘faster.’

Overdosing can be harmful and result in serious consequences.

• Refrain from taking any treatment for ocular lice.

Make sure to flush out the eyeballs if you come into contact with them.

• Limit the number of times you apply the same lice treatment to two or three.

Overuse of a medicine could cause you or your child to become resistant to it, necessitating the use of an alternate treatment.

• Avoid using more than one head lice treatment at once.

Combining treatments won’t help get rid of the lice more quickly and may even make things worse.

• Avoid fumigating a home or living space where a person with head lice has lived.

Fumigation may be hazardous to people and pets and is not always essential to eradicating lice.

• Steer clear of conditioner.

Conditioner prevents lice medication from fully adhering to the hair shaft by acting as a barrier.

• For youngsters, avoid using lindane shampoo as a first-line treatment.

Overuse and misuse can be harmful to the brain or some areas of the nervous system.

The American Academy of Pediatrics no longer advises it.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What quickly destroys lice on hair?

When applied as prescribed, benzyl alcohol lotion, 5%, has been approved by the FDA to treat head lice and is thought to be safe and effective.

Although it is not ovicidal, it kills lice.

Seven days following the initial treatment, a follow-up treatment is required to eradicate any newly hatched lice before they may lay eggs again.

How can lice be quickly removed from hair?

Treatment for Lice at Home

1. Moist comb. To get rid of lice and their eggs, just moisten the hair and use a fine-tooth comb.
2. Essential oils. Although it’s unclear how effective they are at killing lice, plant oils like those from tea trees and anise may suffocate them.
3. Smothering substances.

How do you get rid of lice from your hair at home for good?

Natural Treatments for Lice:

1. Using a damp comb. Wet combing is the only method safe for toddlers two months of age and under, and it’s one of the best ways to get rid of lice.
2. Petroleum Jelly
3. Vinegar
4. Mayonnaise
5. Cetaphil Cleanser
6. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
7. Oil from Coconuts
8. Oil from tea trees

What eradicates lice completely?

At a temperature of 130°F or more, head lice can be gotten rid of through washing, soaking, or drying.

 

Disclaimer

This information is not meant to replace medical care from a licensed healthcare or beauty expert; rather, it is meant for educational and self-awareness purposes.