If you are wondering do lice like certain blood types - some studies suggest that yes, they do. Studies that have been conducted indicate that positive blood type attracts lice over negative blood types. So lice have a preference for positive types of blood.
Do lice prefer certain people or blood types? Lice prefer certain blood types. O+ being the most desired. Once feeding on one blood type, they will die if a different blood type is introduced.
Although head lice can feed on different blood types, they cannot thrive on different Rh blood factors. Therefore, lice will only prefer to move to somebody else of the same rhesus factor irrespective of the blood type.
Although parents and teachers may feel like some children are more attractive to lice than others, there is no research evidence that suggests that head lice prefer one person over the other, Rukke, who is a researcher at the NIPH Pest Control Department, said.
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.
Coconut, tea tree oil, lavender, eucalyptus, rosemary, lemon grass, and peppermint are scents popularly believed to repel lice. Using any coconut scented shampoo and conditioner is an easy way to increase your defense. At 1% concentration, tea tree oil killed 100% of head lice after 30 minutes.
There is no specific hair type that lice prefer. All lice need is a clean strand of hair to attach to. It doesn't matter the thickness, the length, if it's been colored, if it's straight, or if it's curly.
If lice from the head of an individual with a lice infestation with the blood type A positive (Rh +) transfers to the head of another individual whose type of blood is B negative or O negative (Rh -), they cannot survive.
In the United States, infestation with head lice is much less common among African-Americans than among persons of other races. The head louse found most frequently in the United States may have claws that are better adapted for grasping the shape and width of some types of hair but not others.
Head lice do not care about the blood type someone has, it is the Rh factor of the host that will determine if the infestation will thrive or not. Transferring from blood type to blood type does not affect their infestation but going from a negative to a positive host will play a role.
Head lice seem to be more common in Caucasian, Hispanic, and Asian American people than in African American people. For example, fewer than 0.5% of African American schoolchildren experience head lice compared with about 10% of schoolchildren of other races.
As far as we know, there have not been any clinical studies proving any human population to be immune to head lice. However, head lice can have difficultly attaching their eggs to hair that is thick or coarse; therefore, those individuals may be less likely to experience head lice infestation.
White people get head lice more often than other racial groups. And girls and women tend to get them more often than boys or men because their hair is longer, says Dr Mervyn Elgart, emeritus professor of dermatology at George Washington University.
You may be able to see the lice, but they're often hard to spot because they're small, avoid light and move quickly. Lice eggs (nits) on hair shafts. Nits stick to hair shafts and may be hard to see because they're very tiny. They're easiest to spot around the ears and the hairline of the neck.
Body lice live in your clothing and bedding and travel to your skin several times a day to feed on blood. The most common sites for bites are around the neck, shoulders, armpits, waist and groin — places where clothing seams are most likely to touch skin.
"We find that you can get head lice on almost every type of hair imaginable — thick, thin, long, short, clean, dirty — it really doesn't make a difference," Dr Webb said. Having particularly thick or long hair might increase your chances of picking up head lice, simply because you have more available hair.
Getting Lice While Bald
They find it difficult to feed and quickly die off. Lice may attempt to attach, but the environment is unsuitable for their survival. While bald people may become temporarily affected by head lice they often leave for a better suited host or die off. Thin or sporadic hair can still attract 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.).
The ladybug is the natural enemy of the louse.
Washing, soaking, or drying items at a temperature greater than 130°F can kill both head lice and nits. Dry cleaning also kills head lice and nits.
Head lice reproduce sexually, and copulation is necessary for the female to produce fertile eggs.
One method that people have attempted to use is a blow dryer or hair straightener, thinking the heat would dry up and kill any lice. This idea is heading in the right direction, and while desiccation can be used to kill lice, it's important to note that a regular hair dryer or straightener will not treat lice.
Lice and nits can't survive the high heat. It's true that lice and nits can't survive temperatures above 113°F (45°C). This makes them susceptible to any heat source, such as a hairdryer or the plates of a hair straightener.
Hair color does not make a difference with head lice. Whether you have blonde or dark hair, you are as susceptible to lice as anyone else. So it's better to prevent the infestation before it spreads. Early detection is key to preventing a severe infestation.