Can Lice Cause Hair To Fall Out?

The tiny, unpleasant critters we call “lice” bring a plethora of problems. There’s that insatiable itch. Then you have got your missed school and work days, having to explain to people around you the reason for your incessant scratching, the troubled sleep, and more.  

These are all the common, expected outcomes of a lice infestation. But what happens when you find that your hair is falling out in more numbers than usual? By now, you’ve likely jumped to this conclusion: my head lice are causing hair loss.

Is it true? No. But that’s the general answer. The complete answer is not quite so clear-cut.

And here’s why…

Lice feed in small amounts if blood

While it is true that blood loss in the scalp affects the health of the follicles burrowed within, the amount of blood lice in an average lice infestation suck is not a lot. Only in severe cases, when a head lice infestation remains ignored and untreated, is when the scalp starts losing out on nutrition.

Scratching causes the hair quality to drop

The bite itself is not what causes the itch. It’s the louse saliva—deposited on your scalp when a critter munches through the skin—that prompts you to start scratching.

Regardless of what you may have heard, a 100 brush strokes per day do not actually benefit your hair. In other words, hair thrives when it is left alone longer. Unfortunately, in case of a lice infestation, you’re scratching your hair repeatedly, pulling and moving the strands, causing them to stretch and break.

You end up weakening your scalp

An itch is usually followed by a scratch. The longer the itch continues, the more you scratch, and more you scratch, the more your scalp is rubbed, chafed and punctured.

And if you’re using OTC lice treatment, you’re essentially exposing it to pesticides which deteriorate the quality of your hair, scalp and in some cases, health.

To sum it up, head lice do not directly cause hair fall. In fact, lice do not carry any diseases whatsoever. The combination of blood loss and stress takes its toll on your hair and scalp. You can prevent scratching your hair for long or exposing your scalp to any toxins by opting for a safer, effective route to lice treatment.

Lice Busters Plantation, USA offers pesticide free professional lice treatment services in Plantation, which include salon and home lice removals, lice screenings, and complete home inspection and cleaning services. Call us today at 800-403-5423 to let us help you out!