5 Common Myths About Head Lice
As a kid, there is a good chance that either you or someone you knew got headlice. Despite the plethora of available information about lice and treatments for them online, there are still a handful of rumors and myths about these pesky parasites. Here are a few of the most common myths about lice that people still believe today.
#1 Lice Prefer Dirty Hair
Many people associate dirty hair and head lice. As it turns out, head lice are not picky when finding a new host. It makes no difference to them if your hair is clean and shiny or caked in grease. To head lice, a meal is a meal.
#2 Lice Can Live Anywhere
Head lice spread like wildfire in elementary schools and summer camps, but the cause of this spread does not stem from sharing hats and hairbrushes. As it turns out, head lice can only spread from direct head-to-head contact. Head lice need to be attached to a host, and as soon as they leave the scalp, they are hard-pressed to find a new host. Once they are out of the hair, head lice have a hard time surviving more than a day. Even if they do make it for that long away from a host, they rarely find their way back to one.
#3 Made Up Home Remedies
Made-up home remedies are one of the most popular myths about head lice. From mayonnaise to peanut butter, people have tried nearly everything to rid themselves of lice. Trying to drown head lice in chlorine pools is ineffective as well and can damage the scalp. If you think you have lice, the best thing to do is perform a self-check for lice and seek professional treatment.
#4 Lice and Pets
Pets can carry a variety of parasites such as fleas, ticks, and bed bugs, so it wouldn’t come as much of a surprise if they could host lice as well. Thankfully this is not the case. As it turns out, humans are the only suitable hosts for head lice. While this is unfortunate for us humans, at least you don’t have to worry about contracting a case of lice from your favorite furry friends.
#5 Head Lice Carry Diseases
Ticks and mosquitos have a reputation for carrying diseases like lime disease and malaria, but thankfully this is not a trait that they have in common with head lice. After extensive research, scientists have not found any conclusive results that would point toward lice-carrying diseases.
Lice Removal in Charlotte, NC
If you have any experience with head lice, you know how aggravating they can be to deal with. Here at Lice Clinics Charlotte, we offer a chemical-free head lice treatment that will have you 100% lice-free and ready to go in just one visit. The AirTral uses warm air to detach the head lice and nits from the roots of each hair without damaging the scalp or hair. If you would like to learn more about our head lice removal service or schedule an appointment, don’t hesitate to contact us today.