Researchers are unsure where lice originated, but they know that lice have affected primates for at least 25 million years, eventually spreading to humans. Head lice only affect humans, and they will not jump onto pets or other animals. Lice can also travel on objects that have touched the head.
Head-to-head contact with an already infested person is the most common way to get head lice. Head-to-head contact is common during play at school, at home, and elsewhere (sports activities, playground, slumber parties, camp). Although uncommon, head lice can be spread by sharing clothing or belongings.
Head lice do not come out of the air or from the ground. They are human parasites and have probably been here since the beginning of time. Desiccated (dried up) head lice and their eggs (nits) have been found on the hair and scalps of Egyptian mummies.
One is universal and evolved on modern human heads. The other, found only in the Americas, they think probably evolved on an earlier and now extinct human species, and jumped onto Homo sapiens during an encounter in Asia 25,000 to 30,000 years ago, perhaps during fights, sex, the sharing of clothes or even cannibalism.
A person gets head lice because the insects crawl from person to person by direct contact or by sharing items — including combs, brushes and hats — with another person who has head lice. Poor hygiene doesn't cause head lice.
Your clothing seams are the most common places for body lice to lay their eggs (nits). You can become infested with body lice if you come into close contact with a person who has body lice, or with clothing or bedding that is infested with body lice.
Body lice infestations (pediculosis) are spread most commonly by close person-to-person contact but are generally limited to persons who live under conditions of crowding and poor hygiene (for example, the homeless, refugees, etc.).
Some stories suggest that simple-minded folk believed if they wore fur coats and clothes that the lice would make their way down onto the warm fur. It may not have been a realistic cure for lice, but at least they would've been warm through the winter weather.
Genetic studies suggest that lice developed about 1.68 million years before homo sapiens emerged, and that they started their relationships with humans about the same time human evolution separated from chimpanzee evolution.
Since lice are spread from head to head, it's possible to contract them from shared equipment at the gym. Using weight machines, sharing yoga mats, and any contact made with others in fitness classes can put you at risk for lice, according to Lice Doctors.
It has long been a myth that African Americans and those with similar hair textures can not get head lice. Unfortunately, this isn't true. Those with natural hair can still get head lice the same as any other hair type.
Lice are attracted to the blood they get through your scalp – short, long, clean or dirty.
Kill head lice by washing infested articles in hot water (at least 140°F) and drying in a hot dryer. Items that cannot be laundered such as headgear, earphones, and bike helmets, can be placed in a plastic bag and put in a freezer. If the freezer is 5°F or lower, all lice and eggs should be dead within 10 hours.
Adult lice can live up to 30 days on a person's body. To live, adult lice need to feed on blood several times daily. Without blood meals, the louse will die within 1 to 2 days off the host.
A preventative shampoo and spray can break the life cycle. A shampoo that kills lice before they can lay eggs is critical for closing the “bridge” from one head to another. Ladibugs experts recommend parents seek effective, pesticide-free options.
Ancient Head Lice Treatments
If you became infested with head lice, the Egyptians treated themselves with an aromatic head lice formula made of water, vinegar, oil of cinnamon, oil of rosemary, oil of terebinth. They would treat ancient head lice with the formula and use a fine tooth comb.
We've got three different kinds of lice because, unlike our closest relatives, we aren't covered head-to-toe in a furry coat. Each louse species is adapted to its particular niche in our body; by working out their evolutionary history, we can learn something about when those niches appeared.
In the middle ages, humans couldn't get away from lice. They were an unavoidable part of their life and lice didn't discriminate; they infected all parts of society from serfs to royals. People in the Middle Ages took lice to their grave as well.
Roughly 100,000 BC scientists believe that human lice developed into two different types- head lice and body lice. Egyptians mummies and archaeological findings within tombs have been preserved since 3000 BC. Early mummified heads have been studied and found that they were literally crawling with lice.
Lice are a type of parasite because they feed off of human blood to survive. Pubic lice are different from the lice you may get on your head or body, so you won't find crabs on your scalp or skin. Conversely, you won't find head lice in your pubic area.
Some common bugs that can be mistaken for lice are ants, bedbugs, and fleas. A few things all these bugs have in common is they're small in size, can be dark colored, and can give you an itchy head. A few things that can be mistaken for lice nits are dandruff, hair product, or dirt.
Not everyone feels lice moving around on their scalp, but some people do. Dr. Garcia says that most of her patients say they “don't feel anything,” but others may get a creepy, tickling sensation as lice move around their head.
You Have to Treat Them
Head lice will not go away on their own. If you think your child has an infestation, there are several steps you should take right away. Call your doctor to confirm the diagnosis. Notify your child's day care or school so other students can be checked.