Lice Aren't Nice

Lice Aren't Nice

Who Gets Head Lice? Head lice love chomping on human heads-particularly the heads of kids. These bloodsucking insects can cause tons of trouble!

Head lice have bugged people for many centuries. Even though they've been around a long time, many people don't understand what they are or where they come from. Some people think head lice are a sign of a filthy home. Others believe only people who don't wash enough get them. In fact, attracting lice has nothing to do with how clean your home or school is. It's not related to how often you wash or brush your hair. It's not related to your hair length, either. Head lice affect people who are rich and people who are poor. They affect people who live in cities and those who live in the country. They affect people all over the world.

Name That Louse! Different types of lice live on humans, and they all feed on human blood. Body lice and head lice look almost the same, but head lice are slightly smaller. From head to tail, an adult head louse is about 1/8 inch (2-3 mm) long. That's about the size of a pencil point! Their small size makes them tough to spot and tough to catch.

Like all insects, head lice have six legs and three body parts. Strong claws on their legs help them hold tight to human hair.

How Do We Get Head Lice? Head lice usually spread by direct head- to-head contact with someone who has head lice. People-especially young children-often touch heads when talking or playing.