What causes an infection of head lice?
Infection with head lice is a very common problem in the UK, especially among school children. Lice pass from one person to another during direct head-to-head contact. This is because lice cannot jump, fly or hop; they can only transfer to another head by walking along strands of hair. Children whispering secrets at school or families enjoying a cuddle at home provide head lice with the ideal opportunity to travel from one head to the next. Lice seen on pillows, hats or chair backs are not capable of transferring to another person. The belief that head lice are associated with poor hygiene is common but misfounded. Lice are equally likely to be found on clean or dirty hair. Head lice should be seen as nothing more than an unpleasant inconvenience that can be treated.
