MYTH #1: Clean hair is more likely—or less likely—to attract lice.
Lice don't care how often you wash your hair. They just want access to your scalp, and that means direct, head-to-head access. Lice can't jump or fly onto you, and they can't survive long off the scalp, rendering them far less mobile than we parents fear.
MYTH #2: Lice prefer long hair.
Lice prefer accessible hair, so yes, loose tresses are likelier to brush against an infested head. If someone in your long-haired child's class has lice, try hairstyles like braids, buns, and ponytails. There is evidence that girls are more susceptible, but the CDC attributes this to "more frequent head-to-head contact" rather than hair length.
MYTH #3: You can repel lice with specially formulated shampoos and conditioners, and organic ingredients like tea-tree oil.
None of these supposedly proactive remedies are scientifically proven repellants.
MYTH #4: You can suffocate lice with olive oil, mayonnaise, or some other slippery, smothering substance.
Again, there's no scientific proof of efficacy. The Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) has received "nearly an equal number of failures" alongside success stories. This said, if you want to avoid even FDA-approved pediculicides, try olive oil or Cetaphil cleanser (following the method outlined at www.nuvoforheadlice.com), in addition to manual removal by nitcombing. The HSPH suggests using food-grade oils or hair conditioner to facilitate the nitcombing. Abigail Rosenfeld (arguably the most famous professional nitpicker ever) recommends using hair conditioner with baking soda to comb out lice and their nits. Be advised that coating your child's head with mayonnaise could cause food poisoning.
MYTH #5: Thoroughly blow-drying infested hair works because lice cannot tolerate the heat.
Instead of blow-drying the scalp, which could be scalded, use heat to clean possibly infested household items. Soak hair implements in boiling hot water for 5 to 10 minutes or rubbing alcohol for an hour. Use the highest heat settings on your washer and dryer to clean bedding and clothing worn during the two days before the first treatment. Fabric that isn't machine washable should be dry-cleaned or sealed in plastic bags for two weeks.
MYTH #6: Now that your kid has lice, you have to clean everything in your house, and the suckers are going to spread everywhere.
Relax! Lice starve to death quickly off the host scalp, and since their puny claws don't provide much traction except on your hair, smooth surfaces stymie them. Focus on treating the head, not scouring the house—though this is easier said than done, since your laundry won't protest the way your child will when you approach, yet again, with your trusty lice comb.
MYTH #7: Parents who tell other parents to "Relax!" during a lice scourge are more likely to suffer another round of lice, as karmic payback.
I hope not.
