How to Attract Lice

Sharing winter caps make you an easy target for head lice.

Unfortunately, there are many ways you can inadvertently attract lice. People trying to stay healthy and well must be aware of the behaviors and choices that can put them at risk of infestation by these tiny insects. There are three types of lice to be aware of: head, body and pubic (sometimes called crabs). All of them live off your blood. Of these, only body lice spread communicable disease. Each kind of louse has its favorite environment and means of transmission, which means there are numerous ways you can become lice-infested.

Instructions

1. Share hats, scarves and hooded jackets. These make you susceptible to head lice, as they give the insects a quick and easy way to get from one head to the next. Lice are capable of living off a host for up to a day. However, they cannot jump or fly, which means that sharing clothing and headwear are the real louse-enabling behaviors.

2. Sit on a sofa or other piece of furniture with or shortly after someone who has lice. This mistake puts you at risk for both head and body lice, as both kinds can make their way from hosts onto furniture, although this is especially so of body lice.

3. Neglect bathing, showering and personal hygiene. While it's possible to get lice even if you do all these things, body lice in particular are most prevalent among homeless people who do not bathe regularly and who often have infested blankets and clothing. Good sanitation definitely helps prevent lice.

4. Engage in prolonged physical contact with someone who has lice. This is most true of body lice and public lice -- which rarely transmits in any way other than sexual contact. Preventing transmission requires you to be familiar with whom you're getting touchy. As with most sexually transmitted diseases, getting involved with new and unknown partners puts you at greatest risk. Unfortunately, condoms are not an effective barrier to public lice.

Tips & Warnings

• If you notice either numerous small, red bumps or tiny, white lice eggs, or nits on your head or body, see a physician immediately.

References

• Mayo Clinic: Lice - Causes
• WebMD: Lice - Topic Overview
• Centers for Disease Control: Lice
• American Academy of Dermatology: Parasitic Infestations
• Lice Solutions: Facts of Lice