Can Straightening Iron (Flat Iron) Really Kill Lice?

Does flat ironing kill lice? Getting head lice is no fun, but it can be especially embarrassing if you are a teenager or an adult who suddenly gets head lice. If you want to get rid of head lice on your own, without anyone knowing, are there any options that don’t involve going to the store and doing the walk of shame down the “lice aisle?” Pondering what you have at home that might work, you may wonder does blow drying and flat iron kill lice? As a bonus, do hair straighteners kill lice and nits (lice eggs)?

Will a Hair Straightener Kill Lice?

Can you get rid of lice by straightening your hair? First of all, chemical hair straighteners do not kill lice nor do they penetrate the shells of nits.  With respect to a hair straightening device, there is no short answer to will a hair straightener kill head lice. Straightening devices possess enough heat to kill a louse that they it comes into contact with it, but can lice survive a hair straightener? The answer to the question does straightening your hair kill lice or can straightening your hair kill lice, is a solid maybe! Lice are mobile so if they are not directly hit by the straightener they will not be affected by it. They move so fast that it would be very tricky to try to catch lice with a straightening device. So in theory, a flat iron generates enough heat to kill lice, but practically speaking, it is very hard to corral the bugs in order for the flat iron to kill them.

Will Hair Straightener Kill Lice Eggs?

While killing all of the live bugs with a hair straightener is iffy due to their mobility, you may begin to wonder about the lice eggs since they are stationary. You might say “eggs are not mobile, does straightening hair kill nits?” Can you kill lice eggs with a hair straightener?  It is not likely. High enough direct heat is needed to kill lice eggs and heat from straighteners may not penetrate the eggshell. These nits have very tough exteriors.  Also, shells will stay on the strands of hair until they are removed by handpicking or combing. This may not bothersome, but if you are planning on getting your hair cut or you must pass inspection from a school nurse, you could be turned away if a nit, dead or alive, is found in your hair.

Can Lice Survive Flat Iron?

Can you burn lice with a flat iron? As we have said, yes, but it’s unlikely. Lice are mobile and run from anything, like heat or light, that makes them uncomfortable or feel in danger. If you’re still wondering, does a flat iron kill lice or will a flat iron kill lice, it can, but catching lice in the iron is difficult, and there’s no way to confirm if you’ve killed everything by using a flat iron. The only way to ensure the case is eradicated is by physically removing everything.

CONS OF HAIR STRAIGHTENER LICE

TREATMENT

When wondering can a hair straighter kill lice, beware of the downsides of using these products. If attempting to treat lice with a hair straightener, be cautioned that, in addition to not being an effective lice treatment, flat irons come with some risks.

Heat Is Dangerous For You

Treating head lice with a straightener has potential for harm. When dealing with the stress of treating head lice, some individuals may go to extremes in an attempt to ensure the case of lice is gone. We’ve heard from clients who have used straighteners before calling us that have burned themselves by using a flat iron that is set too high for multiple treatments or for a prolonged period of time. In addition, heat is damaging to hair. Most important, though, is the potential injury you could cause by burning your child’s head. Using heat on a child is a risky endeavor.

There Are More Lice On The Scalp

While eggs are stationary, the bugs that continue to lay eggs are most often on the scalp when they are not actively laying an egg. This means that any flat iron treatment focused on the strands of hair will miss these bugs. You simply can’t get the straightening iron close enough to the scalp without burning your head.  These remaining bugs, if left untreated, will continue to lay more eggs which will needlessly prolong a lice infestation.

Lice Are Moving Fast

If you happen to be able to spot a louse on the strands of hair where it can potentially be killed by a flat iron, keep in mind these bugs move fast! They are often difficult to find because they move so fast. In fact, most people with mild to moderate infestations may never see a live louse on the head as they scurry away from the light. If you are coming at it with heat as well, you likely will not be able to trap the bug in your straightener at all.

Conclusion

So can straightening iron kill lice and does flat ironing kill lice (or rather can a hair straightener kill lice? Hair straighteners may kill lice if they directly come into contact with the heat produced by it, but it is not a proven method of getting rid of lice. With respect to the eggs, the shell of the nit is just too tough. Call the experts at LiceDoctors at 800-224-2537, schedule an appointment and you’ll be lice-free after just one visit – and no eggs will be left in your hair after your treatment and follow up plan are complete.