Lice in a child's head is something that all parents dread. The question is can African-Americans get lice too, as their hair is much different in texture from that of Caucasians/Asians. This writ-up will answer your question and clear all your doubts.
One of the biggest worries for parents about kids is head lice. These wingless parasites are found in hair which feed on blood from the scalp. They do not go about spreading diseases, but they are irritating and usually spread from either body contact or other indirect means, like using the comb, towel or other personal property of the infected person.
Not only children, but if not careful, even adults might get head lice. Some people often ask the question “Can black people get lice?”. This question arises because the hair of African-Americans is different from Caucasians, Hispanics or Asians. Here are some points that will answer your questions and clear all your doubt.
Head Lice
Lice are parasites usually grayish-white or brown in color and are the size of sesame seeds. They can survive only on human blood, and that is the reason why they cannot survive on your pets. They can survive without blood for a day or two.
Lice are parasites that feed on a small amount of blood from the scalp, and although they do not spread any kind of deadly diseases, they can be pretty annoying. Lack of proper hygiene has nothing to do with spread of hair lice, but of course, if you keep your hair dirty and do not wash it frequently, then there are more chances of lice in your head.
Head lice are contagious and they can spread by various means, such as towels, pillow covers, or sometimes even by using the comb of an infected person. They usually occur in children from the age group of 3 to 12 years and it’s specially the girls who have this problem because of their long hair.
The various symptoms of head lice are usually a tingling sensation in the hair, itching, and sometimes even formation of red sores due to the constant itching. If your kid or someone in your family is suffering from this problem, then there are various home remedies that you can try out.
African-Americans and Head Lice
Now, lice are not racist, so they do not choose to breed only in the hair of Caucasians and not in that of the African-Americans. Thus, the answer to your question is, Yes, they can. But, the chances of Caucasians, Asians, or even Hispanics getting lice is far more than that of the African-Americans.
It is due to the difference in the hair structure. Studies show that less than 1% of African-American children suffer from the problem of lice. The result varies from one place to other. In countries like Brazil or Nigeria, number of black children suffering from this problem are more. So why don’t black people get lice, or rather why are so few infected?
The structure of the African-Americans hair is the reason why they have less lice in their hair. You must have seen how hair of the African-Americans vary from those of Caucasians or Asians. They have curly and frizzy hair and the strands are more elliptical than that of the other races. The lice finds it difficult to grasp on to these kinds of hair strands.
The number of black people getting infected with head lice is less. However, children in Brazil or Nigeria have got more lice in their hair despite having the same hair structure, as the lice in these areas are more adapted to get a better grasp of elliptical hair.
If you or your child is suffering from the problem of head lice, then there are various treatments that you can carry out. These treatments will help you to get rid of these parasites pretty soon.
