Do Head Lice Only Live on Hair of Children?

Most people think that head lice only live on the hair of children, but that is not the case. Head lice can also be found on other people’s hair and clothing. While these parasites are not dangerous, having a case of head lice can be embarrassing. While they tend to live on the heads of children, they can affect people of any gender, age or race.

Lice eggs, known as nits, are extremely difficult to detect. They look like tiny dots, and are hard to notice. Nymphs develop into adult lice about a week after hatching. Adult lice are tan in color, and are similar to dandruff. However, unlike dandruff, lice cannot be removed with brushing or shaking.

To control head lice, it is important to avoid head-to-head contact and to thoroughly wash bedding, clothing, and linens that have been shared with an infested person. You should also prevent your child from sharing hats or stuffed animals. Also, wash any items your child uses regularly in hot water and dry them on a hot cycle. However, if it is not possible to wash these items, you should put them in a plastic bag and keep them away from your children.

When infested, head lice will usually appear in the form of nits in the hair, or as live lice on the scalp. They develop through 3 stages: egg attachment, larval stage, and adulthood. Adult head lice can live up to four weeks on a person’s head, and the egg-like stage lasts about seven to twelve days.