Many we've heard, since school, that you have to wash your head thoroughly because if we don't do it we can attract head lice and head lice attract other diseases. But are all these things true? myths about head lice?

When the school year begins and the cold weather sets in, it is common to buy anti-lice products, to look for home solutions, to consider giving our little one a haircut... Scientists are warning us that lice are more resistant than before and can withstand temperatures ranging from minus 30 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius. This pest can affect children of school age and adolescence, and then spread to parents.

Types of lice and how they feed

Although there are more than sixty different kinds of lice, humans are the only ones that can contain lice. three different typesThe head, pubic and body - the latter can be considered extinct.

Lice have six legs and bulging eyes. How do they feed? Well, with a kind of denticles with which they scrape the surface of our scalp, secrete anticoagulant saliva and suck the capillary blood. They eat their food four to five times a day, and after ingesting it, they defecate, which can cause secondary skin infections.

Cutting the hair short and wearing it very short does not have much influence. in terms of infestation, because the most frequent site of lice is the hairline. The length of the hair can only have an impact when it comes into contact with a person who is already infected. Wearing it tied back to avoid physical contact would be enough. So if your children have long hair, we recommend that they wear it tied back to school.

Discover our anti-lice pack with Pyrethrin VIEW PRODUCT

 

Myths about head lice that need to be cleared up

  • You can jump from one head to anotherIt is dangerous to go near a child with head lice. It is not true. In reality, they are spread by walking - albeit at a high speed - through physical contact, clothing or accessories, etc...

 

  • Serious health risk. Nor is it true. They are not a serious disease. They are itchy, because of the rashes they cause, and it is annoying, but the serious health risks are few.

 

  • Lice are always on long, ungroomed hair. Not proven not at all contagious due to a lack of hygiene. They can be found in any type of hair, regardless of size or frequency of washing.

 

  • It is said that lice die if they are no longer in the hairbut this is not true either. They can live for up to 24 hours without contact with hair, and can be spread through cushions, pillows, sofas, etc...

 

  • Contagion can come from animals. It has also not been proven that animal lice can be transmitted to humans.

 

  • Another of the myths about head lice is the one referring to their bites. The itching caused by the itchy bites is not due to their bites, but to the saliva they inject into our scalp to feed.

 

  • Once removed, they disappear forever. Eggs laid by females are not eliminated by the treatments, and there is a high chance of new infections. So you have to be vigilant.

 

  • We have always been told that head lice can be detected very quickly. But the reality is that our skin's sensitivity to the louse's saliva can take more than a month to feel the annoying itching. In that time, a female louse has been able to lay up to 10 nits per day.

 

  • Lice belong to the past. This is not true. Figures from the Ministry of Health show that the problem continues, and one in five children may have head lice during the course of the school year.

 

  • Oily hair is less prone to to get lice. This myth is true. Greasy substances that generate this type of hair are not among the preferences of lice. In fact there are natural oils, such as tea tree oil with interesting properties to keep lice away naturally. On NOSA we include this oil in our products.

 

  • Hair needs to be washed a lot to make the lice disappear. This is not true. Lice are very resistant to water, and are even contagious in swimming pools and aquatic enclosures.

 

  • Another of the myths about head lice is the one referred to in vinegar. Vinegar does not kill lice, but can only make it easier for the nits to detach from the hair. On the other hand, the strong smell that is given off can create a strong aversion in children.

 

  • Associating head lice only with children is a mistake.. Parents of children must also take measures to avoid contagion. Children suffer more from these infestations because of head-to-head contact in the school environment.

 

  • Nits are also contagious. This is not the case. Nits cannot move. If nits are found on a scalp, it is because there has already been a previous infection.

 

 And if you want to know more about how to combat head licefind out about it in our special section 😉