Do Lice Prefer Specific Hair Types

Getting lice is no fun, and it begs the question, why me? Are the lice attracted to my hair specifically? Well, as nice as your hair may be, head lice are not picky when it comes to finding new homes. Head Lice needs one thing, and that is a hair that they can latch onto with a food source. There are a lot of misconceptions about head lice and their preferences regarding hair type. 

Lice do prefer clean hair that is not thickly coated in gel hair spray but that does not mean that they won’t try anyway. A lot of people think that it is impossible for African American people to get head lice, but this isn’t true either. They can get head lice just like the rest of us, but wearing your hair in braids or cornrows can go a long way in preventing the spread of headlice. If a louse can get into your hair and attach to a strand, then the hair texture, color, and length are not going to stop it from turning your head into its home.

Hair Length Does Not Affect Head Lice

One thing that a lot of people get wrong is that they believe that lice only go for people with long hair or clean hair. This too is just another myth. Lice like short hair just as much as long hair, but having long hair can increase the likelihood of hair to hair contact with another person. If you are face to face with an outbreak of headlice, whether it’s in the home or at school, always check both people with long and short hair. Ph.D. and headlice specialist Bjorn Arne Rukke conducted a study across several Norwegian elementary schools to get to the bottom of what really mattered to these parasites when choosing a host. After combing through thousands of students, Rukke found that head lice were in fact most prevalent on students of medium-length hair, and those with short and long hair were about tied.

Lice Have No Preference on Hair Texture and Color

The same study also took a look at what type of hair color and texture the lice liked the most. Unsurprisingly, hair color turned out to not be a determining factor when it came to head lice decision-making. Hair texture on the other hand was a slightly different story. Rukke found that wavy hair had the highest number of cases, while straight hair had the least, and curly hair was in the middle. This doesn’t mean that you don’t have to worry about head lice if you have straight hair. Lice are just as capable of attaching to straight hair as it is to any other hair, so always try to avoid head-to-head contact if you are worried about head lice.

Lice Clinics of America in Green Bay

If you are looking to get rid of lice or know someone that is seeking lice treatment, then get in contact with us as soon as possible. Here at Lice Clinics of America in Green Bay, we offer top-of-the-line lice treatment, and we can have you lice-free in just one visit. If you would like to book an appointment or learn more about headlice, click the link at the top of the page or call us at (920) 600-8918.