The truth about head lice

With kids back at school it won’t be long until some are scratching their scalps because of critters. Michelle O’Connor separates fact from fiction about the bugs

HOW’S the new term going? If you have kids in primary school you’ve probably already had an email warning you head lice are doing the rounds.

Unsurprisingly, six in 10 parents want to see the return of the nit nurse. So at the risk of triggering head scratching, let’s separate fact from fiction about these critters.

Head lice can jump

MYTH: “Head lice are tiny, wingless, six-legged insects that move by crawling. They cannot jump, hop or fly,” explained Duncan Reid, Pharmacy2U pharmacist.

“Their legs end in hook-like claws, which make them perfect for holding on to hair.

“As head lice cannot fly or jump they can only be spread by direct head-to-head contact. This is why children putting their heads together while playing is a common way to spread head lice.”

Head lice prefer clean hair

MYTH: A head louse has only one preference – a home where they can obtain blood through the scalp, says Daniel Brash, pharmacist at healthcare4all.co.uk. They can be found in any hair and washing it doesn’t remove lice.”

Head lice can be caught from bedding

MYTH: They can’t survive for long when not on the scalp, so there is no need to treat bedding, furniture, carpets or clothes, explains Duncan.

“Without a human host a head louse will die within one or two days.

“Eggs can survive a little longer away from the human host but, without the warmth of being close to the scalp, they are unable to hatch.”

Sharing items such as combs can occasionally be a factor but lice need a blood supply to survive.

You can catch lice from pets

MYTH: “Head lice are very specific to humans,” said Duncan. “Therefore, you cannot catch head lice from pets – and pets cannot catch head lice from humans.”

Lice glue their eggs on to your hair

TRUE: Lice produce a substance that sticks their eggs to hair, making them difficult to pick out.

Detection combing is an effective way to get rid of lice

TRUE: There’s a whole array of treatment sprays and lotions available but wet combing, if done meticulously, is effective, said Daniel.

Wash the hair and apply conditioner. Use an ordinary, wide-toothed comb to straighten and untangle the hair then switch to a fine metal detection comb. Make sure the teeth slot into the hair at the roots before drawing the comb down to the ends of the hair with every stroke, checking the comb for lice each time by wiping the comb with tissue paper. Work through the hair, section by section, so that the whole head of hair is combed through.

Do this at least twice to help ensure you haven’t missed any areas, until no more lice are found.

If a child is scratching their scalp, they must have lice

MYTH: “An itchy scalp could be due to irritated skin, seborrhoeic dermatitis (dandruff ) or eczema,” said Daniel.

Mayonnaise kills them

MYTH: There’s no scientific evidence to support using mayonnaise or olive oil to kill or deter head lice. And wrapping your child’s hair in a plastic bag and leaving it on overnight poses a suffocation risk.