13 Facts Of Lice

Head lice are a fact of life, and this right here is 13 facts of lice. Facts that you really do, and really don't want to know! 

1. Head lice have been around since pre-historic times and even mummies have been found with evidence of head lice. Your milk baths won’t help you in their Cleopatra.
   
   
2. Head lice are roughly the size of a sesame seed and are a grey sometimes tan-ish colour. However, these crafty little guys can camouflage depending on what hair colour they’re in.
   
   
3. A new strain of lice termed super lice, now represents 98% of all infestations today. Super lice are resistant to traditional drugstore treatment products, which also contain harmful chemicals and pesticides.
   
   
4. Lice can hold their breath for up to 2 hours, so washing your hair won’t drown them.
   
   
5. Adult female lice lay 4-5 eggs a day!
   
   
6. Did you know that the eggs are immovably cemented to shafts of hair? These eggs, even when the lice have hatched, will remain and grow out with the hair strands.
   
   
7. Did you know that itching when reading or thinking about nits is so common there is even a term for this: psychosomatic itching!
   
   
8. Not even shaving your head gets rid of Head Lice. Baby lice can embed in the scalp and will develop into adult lice if not properly removed. How determined?!
   
   
9. Heads Lice are only attracted to human hair so pets don’t spread lice, they only bring fleas, dirt, and mud PHEW!
   
   
10. Head lice can run, juggle and do Pilates but they cannot fly, swim or jump. The only way to contract head lice is through head-to-head contact or by sharing head-bands/ties, brushes, or hats.
    
    
11. Head lice are not reflective of poor hygiene! In-fact Head Lice prefer clean hair. With a scalp so nice you may get them twice!
    
    
12. It’s important to check your child’s hair regularly, because only 50% of people with Head Lice will show the common symptoms like scratching or irritations, so it is very possible to be infested and not know!
    
    
13. Because of their specialized claws, lice cannot move very well on surfaces other than human hair and will die within approximately 24 hours after being off the host’s head.

Do you suspect your child has head lice? Read everything you need to know about how to find them, common symptoms, how to prevent them and how to get rid of them in our blog "How To Tell If Your Child Has Lice" and "Itching To Know How To Get Rid Of Head Lice?"