Common Questions I’ve encountered over the years…..
Q: Can lice live in my home?
A: Head lice will not infest your home the way fleas or bed bugs can, they can only survive for a short period of time without a host.
Q: Can my pets get head lice?
A: Pets cannot contract nor carry head lice, they are human parasites and require human blood to survive.
Q: How long do they live?
A: Head lice usually live up to 30days on a host, and usually no longer than 24-48hrs. off of a host.
Q: What is the life cycle of a louse?
A: A female louse can lay around 6-10 eggs (nits) a day, the nits will hatch (one bug) in about 7-10 days, it takes the newly hatched louse 7-10 days to mature and reproduce its own eggs.
Q: Do head lice carry disease?
A: Head lice do not carry nor transmit any disease, the only medical concern is the possibility of a secondary infection from
scratching the bites.
Q: Where do headlice come from?
A: Head lice do not just appear out of thin air, they are transmitted through humans and human contact, they have most likely been around since the begining of time. Dried up lice and their nits have actually been found on the hair and scalps of Egyptian mummies. I tell all my clients that they didn’t invent lice and to not feel guilty..someone gave it to them!
Q: Do head lice jump or fly?
A: They can not jump or fly, they have no knees to bend for jumping, and they have no wings for flying, they will however trapeze from one hair to the next very quickly.
Q: How do head lice spread?
A: Head lice is most commonly spread through direct hair to hair contact, but can also be transmitted through contaminated clothing, hair accessories and less commonly through furniture used by a person with an infestation.
Q: Do lice shampoos really work?
A: Recent studies are showing that lice are becoming more and more resistant to the chemicals and pesticides commonly found in over the counter and prescription shampoos, so they are not working as well. They also do not kill the lice eggs which have to be manually removed before hatching. Plus they are quite toxic.