There has been quite a buzz around the topic, “can black people get lice?“. Lice infestations in young children are a frequent condition that can cause scalp discomfort. According to recent results, body lice among homeless people appears to be positively connected with the male gender, African-American race, and sleeping outside.
The microscopic parasite insects can remain on the scalp, feed on blood, and form colonies when left untreated. While everyone may acquire lice, there is a widespread belief that Black individuals with curly, kinky hair are immune to infestations.
Table of Contents
What Are Head Lice Exactly?
Head lice are microscopic parasitic insects that can only thrive in the presence of a human. Lice have six legs, each with a bit of claw at the end. They can then attach themselves to individual hair strands.
The parasites may stay connected to their human for long periods, close to the scalp, where they feed on blood.
According to the CDC, lice aren’t hazardous since they don’t transmit illnesses. The itching will occur due to the bites, which might lead to infection.
Can Black People Get Lice?
Black individuals, like those of other ethnic backgrounds, can have lice. According to statistics, black people are less likely to get the parasite. The belief that Black people are immune to head lice is a shocking myth. This is untrue. Lice may infect people of all races and nations.
Body lice don’t seem to discriminate based on race. They are most common in impoverished regions of the world and nearly non-existent in the United States.
Head lice are parasitic insects that solely live in human hair and do not transmit illnesses. In the research, 50% of the youngsters had head lice. So, to cut a long tale short, yes, black folks can have lice!
Head lice are a common problem in the United States; it is believed that 12 million people, including Black Americans, are afflicted with head lice each year. Head lice may be found in people of all races; however, they are less frequent in Black Americans.
What Causes Head Lice in Black People?
The most typical way for head lice to spread is through direct head-to-head contact with someone who already has lice. This is particularly frequent among youngsters, especially during sleepovers, school, sports, and summer camps.
Children are significantly more physically active than adults, and head-to-head contact occurs on the playground more frequently than almost anyplace else. Lice can be spread via sharing clothing, towels, brushes, or combs with someone who has lice.
Lice cannot leap because they lack the rear legs required to perform the physical act of “jumping,” and they cannot fly because they lack wings. Because lice cannot jump or fly, they are restricted to crawling.
Lice must crawl from one person’s head to another’s head or from a shared object to another’s authority.
Because lice require the warmth of a human head to exist, and blood is extracted from the human scalp for nutrition, a louse seldom abandons a person’s head in favor of a hat, scarf, or towel.
How Can One Tell if One Has Lice in Black Hair?
It’s also possible to find head lice eggs by checking for signs of their presence. Empty egg casings are usually white, making them visible on black hair than lice.
Eggs are 0.8 millimeters by 0.3 millimeters and are found within four millimeters of the scalp.
The most straightforward technique to tell whether someone has lice in the early stages is to look for lice eggs in the “hot regions” of the head, section by section.
Lice can be found in the following places:
- Back Neckline
- A person’s crown and scalp
- Behind the ears
You may also like Benefits of Amla Powder for Hairs
Why Aren’t Black Americans as Susceptible To Lice As Other Races?
Hair comes in a variety of forms and textures, depending on ethnicity. There are thousands of various hair kinds and subtypes, so saying that one race has thick or thin hair and another race has straight or curly hair is just not correct.
Hair type, on the other hand, is frequently categorized into three “original” ethnic profiles: Asian, Caucasian, and Black.
There is sufficient evidence that head lice have evolved in various nations; therefore, they are likely to have adapted to multiple hair types in other countries. Lice, like other organisms, change and adapt to live in an ever-changing environment.
Most people with Caucasian-textured hair who arrived in America probably brought head lice. American lice have most likely evolved through the years to thrive in the hair types, textures, and shapes of Caucasians.
You may also like: Tick Nests and Tick Eggs: Everything You Need to Know
How Many Black People Are Affected by Lice?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 6 to 12 million lice infestations occur in children aged 3 to 11 years old in the United States each year.
According to the CDC, “head lice infection is substantially less prevalent among African-Americans than among people of other ethnicities.”
The claws of the most common head louse found in the United States may be better adapted to gripping the form and breadth of some types of hair but not others.
Given the unique form of black people’s hair combined with the morphology of head lice’s claws, the most trustworthy sources out there testify that African Americans do catch head lice.
How To Get Rid of Lice?
Even the most effective lice treatments do not eliminate all lice eggs. Here are the methods to getting rid of lice in African American hair, whether you use a lice comb or not:
- Use a lice treatment or a home cure (neem/jojoba oil) to get rid of them.
- If feasible, use the Nit-Free Terminator Comb to remove all lice and lice eggs by separating the hair into small portions.
- Head lice should be checked on all members of the household.
Getting Rid Of Lice With Oils
Many African Americans regularly use hair oils, including jojoba oil, coconut oil, and castor oil. Many people believe that one of the reasons why Black people acquire head lice less frequently is because they use these oils often.
Lice are expert hair “tightrope walkers,” but it becomes much more difficult to walk if you grease up the rope. Claws on each of their tiny legs are intended to cling to hair strands without slipping off.
Knowing this, the belief that oiled-up hair makes lice’s grasp more difficult makes sense. Of course, this is impossible to evaluate in a lab setting. Coconut oil and neem oil, on the other hand, have both been shown to be beneficial against lice in trials.
Hair gel has not been extensively examined as lice preventive, although one study found that when Black children and their Caucasian peers used hair gel daily, they were less likely to get lice.
What Causes Lice To Exist In The First Place?
It’s important to understand that a lack of hygiene doesn’t cause infestations. While lice have a negative connotation, it is exceedingly common and easy to treat.
Several have implemented a ” no-nit ” policy because of the significant risk of infestations in schools; several have implemented a “no-nit” policy. This implies that if a youngster has even a single nit, they cannot attend school.
While some schools believe this is a necessary precaution, several parents and healthcare experts disagree. If a person’s attempts to get rid of head lice have failed, they should see a doctor.
The Bottom Line
Head lice are less common among African Americans than in non-African Americans, which might be due to head lice’s difficulties holding onto the coils of the hair. Head lice, on the other hand, may still be a problem for African Americans, so they should be on the lookout.
Head lice may be treated in the same way regardless of the person’s type of hair. Because head lice may spread from person to person, everyone in the house should be examined for it.
I assure you by reading this article, “Can black people get lice?’, you can prevent them at ease and treat them if you have any.
