Hair Dye and Lice - Can Head Lice Survive?

Hair dye may have the effect of killing head lice, but this effect is only temporary. Lice can survive for a month in the hair, so it’s important to prevent an infestation before it becomes too advanced. Keeping an eye on the condition of your child’s head can help you avoid it. You can prevent lice from developing in the first place by regularly combing through their hair with a nit comb.

While hair dye isn’t 100% effective at killing head lice, it can kill many of the eggs that they lay on your scalp. This is because hair dye contains ammonia, which is alkaline. Lice are attracted to blood, and an alkaline environment will kill them.

If you’re not sure whether hair dye can kill head lice, you should consult a doctor or a professional hair stylist. Some dyes contain hydrogen peroxide, which kills adult lice. But they don’t kill the nits, so they may not be effective in eliminating your infestation. In such a case, you should use a lice comb in addition to lice-killing shampoos.

Another option is to apply a solution of 5% acidity white vinegar on the scalp. This solution should be applied to the hair shafts at the base of every strand. You should also apply it to the base of your neck and ears. You should then rinse it thoroughly. Then, you can apply a hot hair dryer to kill any remaining nits.