Top 10 myths about head lice

“Head lice” — two words that make every parent shudder.

And yet, they’re hard to avoid if you have school-age children. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, six to 12 million lice infestations a year occur among children between the ages of 3 and 11.

It’s enough to make you scratch your head.

But head lice myths are almost as common as the little bugs themselves.

“Oh, we’ve heard them all,” says Renee Garcia, district manager of Three Blind Lice, an in-home lice removal service in the Rochester area. “When it comes to lice, a little education among parents can go a long way.”

Garcia shares the following top 10 head lice myths.

1. Only people with bad hygiene get head lice.

While it’s difficult to pinpoint “ground zero” for an infestation, anyone who has head-to-head contact with an infested individual can become infested.

2. Home remedies are effective.

“We’ve seen people try using mayonnaise or olive oil, thinking that slippery hair will force the nits (eggs) or lice to slide off, but it doesn’t work that way,” says Garcia. She adds that because lice have sticky feet, they stay attached to hair until proper treatment removes them.

3. Lice can jump and fly.

They are crawlers, so you don’t need to worry about them leaping from head to head.

4. You can get lice by standing near somebody who has them.

Lice are only transmitted through hair-to-hair contact, so unless your head is touching the head of an infested person, you don’t have to worry about them spreading.

5. Over-the-counter shampoos will eliminate infestations.

“Genetic mutations have led to ‘super lice’ that have become resistant to some of the most common treatments,” Garcia says. We use a combination of three elements to eradicate lice: organic shampoos, a sophisticated comb that catches all nits and bugs, and a special combing technique that makes sure we clean the entire hair strand.”

She adds that when families can’t eliminate the problem, they often shampoo repeatedly with lice shampoo.

“This can burn the scalp and further complicate the problem,” Garcia says.

6. Head lice transmit diseases.

They’re annoying and even creepy, but they don’t carry or spread diseases. They’re human parasites, though, meaning they feed off human blood obtained through the scalp. So, while they won’t infect you with anything, you do want to get rid of them as soon as possible (but you knew that).

7. You can kill lice on pillows, fabric and bedding by tying them up in a plastic bag for a few hours.

Because lice can hold their breath for up to eight hours, Three Blind Lice recommends instead a light vacuuming of the furniture and home and placing pillows and bedding in a high-heat dryer for 30 minutes. Isolating them from their food source — human scalps — and heat is what kills them.

8.Pets spread lice.

Lice attach themselves to human hair, not animal fur, so don't worry about shampooing the dog, cat or gerbil.

9. Head lice can live on upholstery, bedding and other fabric.

Adult lice can survive for only about a day or so without feeding off a human scalp, while baby lice can survive just for a few hours. The recommended light vacuuming and hot dryer treatment should eliminate any worries.

10. African-Americans can’t get head lice.

It’s less common in African-Americans—possibly because of the shape of the hair shaft—but head lice can attach to all human hair. As long as it can cling to hair, it is an equal opportunity insect.

This story is provided and presented by our sponsor,​ Three Blind Lice.