Lice are invasive parasites that have inhabited our scalps since the dawn of time, and getting rid of them is a real ordeal… They stay on all kinds of heads: babies, children, and adults, regardless of hair type. However, they are most often found on children’s heads. But why? We’ll tell you.
A school is a perfect place for the spread of lice
A school is a favorite place for lice. They move easily from head to head, and for good reason: children are in proximity both in the classroom and on the playground. While playing or as a sign of affection, they often stick their head to their friend’s head. As a result, lice can easily move from one head to another and use their powerful hooks to get into children’s hair (note that, contrary to popular belief, lice do not jump).
Being in a group and surrounded by others contributes to a greater likelihood that children children are more affected by lice. There are at least twenty children in a class and they often take part in group activities, sports or other. Therefore, lice repellents are important. Adults, on the other hand, have contact with fewer people and rarely maintain close physical contact with their peers.
Children are more tactile than adults
Children are not inhibited by any kind of embarrassment. Therefore, they do not know the idea of keeping the other person’s “vital space”. They hug, kiss, and cuddle several times a day, whereas adults are much more distant. This means that lice have a limited ability to spread to the scalp of adults.
Lice love children’s stuff
We know children like to trade with their peers. They swap hats, they swap scarves… The problem is that lice attach themselves to these objects and then spread easily.
Lice can survive for about 24-48 hours outside a head, which is why you shouldn’t share a hat with a friend! Remind your child regularly.
Adults are reluctant (at least in theory) to exchange their hats for a friend’s scarf. To each his own! Otherwise, a machine wash at 60° will get rid of the invader. For the most sensitive objects, locking them in a bag for about 3 days will be enough to eliminate the lice.
Lice prefer children’s scalp
Studies show that children secrete less sebum. The less sebum, the easier it is for lice to move around the head. But dirty hair will not prevent lice from settling on your head.
Furthermore, these little bugs like long hair: as we saw above, they cling to it more easily. Little girls often have longer hair than their mothers, which could also explain why children have more lice.
