When a child comes home with head lice, many parents immediately feel overwhelmed. Unfortunately, misinformation about lice is almost as common as the insects themselves. These myths often lead to unnecessary worry, ineffective treatments, and the continued spread of lice within families and schools. Understanding the facts can help parents respond calmly and choose the most effective solution. Here are some of the most common myths about head lice—and the truth behind them.

Head lice have been surrounded by myths for decades. Many of those ideas get passed from parent to parent, even though they don’t reflect how lice actually spread. (We’ve all seen the comments sections on social media posts seeking lice advice). Lice don’t jump, fly, or live in your home environment the way people assume. They spread through direct head-to-head contact and rely on the scalp to survive. When prevention strategies focus on everything except that, they tend to