Can Hair Straighteners Kill Lice and Nits?

If you have ever dealt with an infestation of head lice, you know that these lice are not exactly pleasant. They are difficult to remove, and everyone in your household will need to be treated to eradicate them.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), head lice are tiny insects that live on your scalp and feed on blood. They lay their eggs in your hair, called nits. Nits are tiny oval egg cases attached to the hair near your scalp. They are usually yellow or white and can be as small as a grain of sand.

Head lice can spread by close contact with others who have them or by sharing clothes or towels. Although head lice are disgusting, they are not considered dangerous or a sign of poor hygiene (although this is often assumed). Almost everyone has had head lice at some point in their lives!

Can hair straightening irons kill lice and nits? This sounds like a trick question.

Straightening irons are a haircare tool used by many women today. Hair straighteners can help you create a smooth, sleek mane. They can also tame blow-dry styles and control your hair when you wear certain hairstyles.

Straightening irons are often recommended to kill lice and nits as a safe alternative to pesticides. But do they work? Is it a safer method?

Head Lice vs. Hair Straighteners

Some people believe that pulling their hair through hair straighteners, also known as flat irons will kill the lice and their eggs (nits). The idea behind this method is that the heat from the iron kills the lice by cooking them. These are 2 main reasons why using hair straightener is a bad idea in dealing with head lice:

1. The heat from a hair straightener can damage the scalp, especially if it is used multiple times. Lice and nits can’t survive the high heat. It’s true that lice and nits can’t survive temperatures above 113°F (45°C). This makes them susceptible to any heat source, such as a hairdryer or the plates of a hair straightener. But hair straighteners get much hotter than that, which means they can do real damage to your scalp — and if used improperly, it can cause severe burns and blisters to the scalp.
2.  Hair straighteners won’t kill the nits on your hair shafts. Even if the high heat does kill any adult lice or nymphs (young lice) that might be on your scalp—which isn’t guaranteed—it won’t kill the eggs (nits). In order to do that, you need to remove them physically with a metal nit comb or use an over-the-counter or prescription treatment made specifically for head lice.

Recommendation

If a lice infestation is not treated quickly, the problem will only get bigger and harder to control over time. Because head lice are highly adaptable and resistant, it is essential to find treatments that work quickly and efficiently.

Unfortunately, many parents still believe that one of the best ways to treat head lice is by using an at-home hair straightener on their child's hair. Instead of using a straightening iron, you should try another approach in dealing with head lice. Here are much better alternatives for hair straightener;

1. Use non-toxic over-the-counter (OTC) anti-lice solutions
   • Using a fine-tooth metal comb. It involves gently moving hair away from the base of the head with a fine-toothed comb to get at the nits (eggs that hatch into adults). The process is tedious and time-consuming, but it does not require any drugs or special equipment.
   • You can also fight head lice infestation with an all-in-one product if you want less stress associated with the problem. For more non-toxic anti-lice solutions, visit us!
2. Use chemically-based over-the-counter (OTC) head lice treatments
   • Unlike non-toxic treatment, some anti-lice shampoo available on the market eliminates live lice and nits (eggs) from the hair using chemicals such as permethrin or pyrethrum. Lice have shown resistance to these chemicals so they are not always an effective form of treatment.
3. Use prescribed medication.
   • Usually, this is done when OTC drugs aren't working correctly due to improper usage. These may be more effective than some over-the-counter remedies. Still, some head lice have become resistant to these medications and may cause scalp irritation.

Conclusion

Dealing with lice is no fun, and often, it's not something you'd want to do. Even if it's long or short hair, it needs attention. Each nit can take ages to get out. It is time-consuming, but there's also the fear that lice could spread from person to person .

In summary, you should not use your hair straightener to kill lice and nits. There are too many safety concerns, from burning yourself to setting fire to your house, making this method a dangerous choice. Rather than putting your hair in hot irons, try a safe, non-toxic, and effective alternative to hair straighteners and traditional shampoos.

Licefreee has been producing safe, effective, and non-toxic anti-lice solutions for more than 20 years, earning a reputation as one of the most trusted and dependable anti-lice brands.

You don't have to worry about all the harmful effects of chemical lice treatments if you use LiceFreee, shop online at our store today!