• Question: Can people with no hair still get nits?

    Asked by mollieandkatey to Iain, Jo, Leo on 24 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Iain Moal

      Iain Moal answered on 24 Jun 2010:


      Yes. There are three types of lice which can live on humans. There is the head louse, the pubic louse and the body louse. Unlike head lice, you will only get the body lice if you don’t wash your clothes, bedding and towels. Body lice only live in cloths, and are believed to have evoled from head-lice about 107,000 years ago. For this reason, we know that people started wearing clothes at least 107,000 years ago. Amazing!

    • Photo: Leo Garcia

      Leo Garcia answered on 24 Jun 2010:


      Yes – but the nits may settle in other places where there is hair! So in other words, not on their head, but maybe in their armpits, chest hair etc.

      Just for your information, my mum is terrified of getting nits – and has a special nit comb she uses from time to time. I wonder what the proper name for nit-phobia is?

    • Photo: Joanna Watson

      Joanna Watson answered on 24 Jun 2010:


      I didn’t think so, but from Iain and Leo’s answers it looks like I was wrong!

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