However, what some people don't know is that lice are deterred by high levels of testosterone – or that they might be, according to scientists. As a result, dad's head – even if full of lustrous hair – is a less hospitable home for a louse.
The answer is pretty straightforward. It's not that the pesky critters prefer children's blood to adult's. It's the simple fact that kids are in closer contact with one another on a daily basis. Young kids don't have much regard for personal space.
People with short hair were least likely to have lice, and people with thick hair more often had lice than those with thin hair. Lice also can't survive if hair is less than 6 millimetres long, which is why shaving a person's head is a very effective treatment, Rukke said.
As far as we know, there have not been any clinical studies proving any human population to be immune to head lice. However, head lice can have difficultly attaching their eggs to hair that is thick or coarse; therefore, those individuals may be less likely to experience head lice infestation.
Head lice are common in children between the ages of 3 and 11 years old. These pests are more prevalent in Caucasian children. They are more frequently found in girls than boys. Head lice live in all types of hair, whether it's curly, straight, dyed or natural.
In the United States, infestation with head lice is much less common among African-Americans than among persons of other races, possibly because the claws of the head louse found most frequently in the United States are better adapted for grasping the shape and width of the hair shaft of other races.
Some sources claim that the reason for that is that head lice do not like testosterone. A parenting magazine, JUNIOR, in its October 12, 2012 edition did a feature on head lice and stated, “It's rare for fathers to get head lice, so some experts believe they don't like testosterone.”
Although head lice can feed on different blood types, they cannot thrive on different Rh blood factors. Therefore, lice will only prefer to move to somebody else of the same rhesus factor irrespective of the blood type.
Anyone can get head lice. They are not a sign of being dirty. Most people don't know they are infested until they see the nits or lice. They are found throughout the world, most commonly on children.
In fact, it can take up to six weeks for a child or adult to develop the typical itchiness that might prompt a head check. And even then, half the people with lice still won't exhibit any symptoms associated with lice.
In the United States, infestation with head lice (Pediculus humanus capitis) is most common among preschool- and elementary school-age children and their household members and caretakers.
Using a random effect model, the prevalence (95% confidence interval) of head lice infestation among primary school children was estimated as 1.6% (1.2–2.05), 8.8% (7.6–9.9), and 7.4% (6.6–8.2) for boys, girls, and all the students, respectively.
While the common ancestor of humans and gorillas lived around 7 million years ago, pubic lice and gorilla lice share a much more recent common ancestor — somewhere around 3-4 million years ago. The most likely explanation is a host switch, with gorilla lice adapting to live in human pubic hair.
Avoid head-to-head (hair-to-hair) contact during play and other activities at home, school, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp). Do not share clothing such as hats, scarves, coats, sports uniforms, hair ribbons, or barrettes. Do not share combs, brushes, or towels.
Head lice are spread primarily by direct head-to-head contact. So the risk of spreading head lice is greatest among children who play or go to school together. In the United States, cases of head lice most often occur in children in preschool through elementary school.
Head lice do not care about the blood type someone has, it is the Rh factor of the host that will determine if the infestation will thrive or not.
Lice are attracted to the blood they get through your scalp – short, long, clean or dirty. Doesn't matter! You have to clean every crevice of your house after a lice infestation.
By narrowing the lice target, we mean put long hair up in a bun, braid or ponytail. You can still get lice when heads touch but by putting hair up you are making an effort to keep your hair to yourself and are at less of a risk of having hair to hair contact.
So, while a bald person can have lice on their scalp because of the lack of hair, the lice have a hard time getting to the scalp, and once the lice get there, their environment is super uncomfortable and isn't conducive to long term survival.
Shaving Will Not Get Rid of Lice.
The reason shaving will not work is because lice live on the base of the hair, and on the scalp. The nits are laid right at the base of the hair oftentimes against the scalp. Shaving will not get close enough to make an impact on the lice and nits.
Yes, Black people do get head lice. If there is hair on the head, the bugs can, and will, make a home there; anyone with hair is a potential host for head lice and will need head lice treatment to get rid of the infestation.
Myth #2: Bad hygiene, poor grooming habits or a messy home can increase the likelihood of getting head lice. Head lice has absolutely nothing to do with personal hygiene or how clean someone's home is. In fact, washing a child's hair will not get rid of lice or nits (lice eggs), which cling to hair.
While head lice live in your hair and feed on your scalp, body lice usually live in your clothes and bedding. They travel to your skin several times a day to feed on blood. Your clothing seams are the most common places for body lice to lay their eggs (nits).
The peak season for lice infestation is August through October and again in January. Head lice are tiny parasitic insects that feed on human blood. Lice come in three forms: nits (eggs), nymphs (baby lice), and adults. Nits are white or yellowish-brown and about the size of a poppy seed.