How do people get head lice?
Lice are generally transmitted by head to head contact. Remember, head lice do not jump or fly, so an adult louse can only crawl from one hair to another. Children ages 3-12 are more susceptible to head lice because of their close contact during play and interaction. Girls get head lice far more often than boys, and women more often than men, because of the close nature of their interactions with each other. Lice can also be spread by sharing personal items such as combs, brushes and hair accessories, or towels, hats and clothing. It is also possible to contract lice by lying on a pillow, bed, couch, chair, carpet, or anywhere else that was recently used by an infested person, although this is far less likely than by head to head contact. It is estimated that less than 10% of lice infestations are picked up through the environment.
