Head Lice Myths | Expert RN Lice Management

Head Lice Myths

Have you heard any of these myths? NONE of them are true!

Head lice can jump from head to head? NO!

Head lice can NOT jump. You’re probably thinking of fleas, they can jump!

Head lice can’t fly either, they only crawl. They’re quicker than you think, they travel at 23cm (or 9 inches) per minute.

Shaving the head is an instant way of getting rid of a head lice infestation? NO!!

DO NOT EVER try shaving your head (or your child's head) to get rid of lice. It doesn't work. This is a myth that is constantly perpetuated in the media and in healthcare. It didn’t work during WWI (that’s how old this myth is!) and it won’t work now.

If there’s hair, even short hair, lice can live there. You will have a much harder time combing hair that short (...and OUCH?!).

Ultimately, there’s still hair, and lice live too close to the scalp. Even if you shave right down to the scalp, you won’t get all of the nits (eggs) and they’ll be back. And now more visible.

It can also seriously damage a person’s self esteem.

Do most head lice cases come from sharing hats or hair brushes? NO!

Most cases of head lice are not from shared items, they’re from direct head to head contact. Experts estimate that 95%-98% of head lice cases are a result direct head to head contact with an infested person.

Kids are well known for being high contact, encourage them to keep their heads away from your head and others’ heads to prevent lice from spreading.

This is always a great time to teach about basic infection control practices, and why sometimes we need to respect other people's boundaries when we get into their personal space.

Other unlikely (but not impossible) ways to get head lice:

linens on a bed
couches, pillows
sharing hair clips

There are products that you can buy to kill or remove nits? NO!

ANY PRODUCT that says it can kill or remove nits will not work.

Nits are the lice eggs that are attached to the hair shaft near the scalp. They are glued (more like cemented) on to the hair shaft and will only fall off once the nit has hatched.

Sometimes near the end of your wet combing treatments, you'll notice empty nits that look like little leftover shells. These can usually be combed out using the finer side of a lice or flea comb and are much easier to remove.

Wet combing is by far the most effective way to treat head lice.

Over the counter medicated shampoos are less than 50% effective. And they’re expensive.

You can get rid of head lice in just 1 or 2 treatments? Or in just one week? NO!

Head lice wet coming treatment takes at least 2 weeks, usually 3-4 weeks in the average case. You have to repeatedly interrupt their life cycle

Again, be wary of products that guarantee to get rid of head lice in less than 3 weeks. They may temporarily kill the live lice, but will not kill the nits (eggs).

Are metal lice combs better than plastic lice combs? NO!

No. We (and health authorities) do not recommend using metal combs for wet combing or any kind of head lice treatment.

Metal combs can easily scrape and scratch the scalp. Repeated scraping of the scalp can result in hair loss and other long term side effects.

We recommend using a plastic lice comb or the fine side of a flea comb. If you have very thick hair, expect to go through a few lice combs. They need to be replaced if a tooth breaks or the comb is otherwise damaged.

We specifically sourced flea combs for our Expert RN Head Lice Check Kits-- they are more durable than plastic lice combs, have a wider-toothed option for coarse hair textures, and are generally more pleasant to use than the other options on the market. The fine side of a flea comb is the same as a lice comb.

Can head lice spread diseases? NO!

While annoying and itchy, head lice can not spread diseases. Not from one human to another, not from another animal to a human, and vice versa.

Head lice do not spread disease. They are not a vector (carrier) of diseases, like mosquitoes that carry west nile virus or malaria.

Most public health authorities state that "Head lice is not a public health concern" on their website for this very reason.

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