Is it true that people of Africans or people of African descent cannot get head lice.?

Question

My girlfriend told me that an African American cannot get head lice if he or she did not have their hair relaxed. She told me that black people are immune to head lice, her reasoning was that lice would suffocate in a black person's hair. If its true they are the only race that cannot get it.


Black people please tell me if this is true or is it just an urban legend?

My girlfriend is african American so its not a racist theory from a white person. She tells me a lot of black people believe this

Answer 1

Yes,it is true they cannot gt lice because of hair grease,the lice have to have dry scalp to live on. They need the roots of the hair dry that's where they lay eggs. so if you smoother the scalp with any kind of hair grease or oils they can't live. That why they tell white people to use mayoor something oily. But black people can get body lice (crabs) on the pubic areas. Because there isn't oils down there lol.

Answer 2

i'm black and i've never had head lice, the reason that lice are not commonly found in African American hair is that the hair is not washed very ofter (maybe 2 times a week). as u should kno, special shampoo in needed to get rid of lice. since people of other races wash their hair more frequenty (every day), the lice find it easier to move around.

Answer 3

It is very likely to pass it on to people. You will probably have to go buy some remedies for it at the supermarket,I believe there are oils you can use or something in your hair but yes you have to get someone to go through and remove all the nits (Eggs) as well with a special comb. Lice is really annoying, you can catch it anywhere. I'm sorry to hear you caught them :( You will need to remove the braids i believe, but im not sure if you would be allowed to enter a hairsalon with lice as it will spread!

Answer 4

Wow OK. That's not true black people can get head lice. Did your girlfriend make up her reasoning all by herself, cause that's what it sounds like. That's the silliest thing I've ever heard (suffocate in the hair). It's rare especially in this country but black people can and do get head lice.

Answer 5

It may be possible but I'm 47 years old and my mom is 70 and neither of us have ever heard of a case of an African American person with head lice.

Answer 6

umm I'm black and that's not true. We can get head lice we're just less prone to it
that's becuse lice loves a clean surface to breath... and because of the styles we put our hair in [like relaxed] we dont wash our hair everyday.
"white" people get lice quicker becuse of the habit of washing your hair if not everyday, every other day or whatever.
That's the only difference really between the races. You can tell you're girlfriend she's wrong

Answer 7

I am Black and that may have been true several years ago but, now due to newer processing hair styles using less oils we are just as prone to head lice.

Answer 8

As a teacher's aide, I come across this more than when not workgin in schools.
People with that kind of hair TEND not to get them, because the lice prefer the texture or whatever of non-kinky hair.
I don't remember why, but that is what the nurses toldme in two different schools.

Answer 9

Not true - in fact more kids of african decent in USA schools are infected with head lice than all other ethnic groups and whites combined.

Answer 10

That is not true. Anyone, of any race, can get head lice.