Can bed bugs live in your hair? This is a question that many people are likely asking, especially after reading about the increasing number of bed bug cases in recent years.
While it’s not entirely clear whether or not bed bugs can live in human hair, there are a few factors to consider that could make it possible.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the possibility of bed bugs living in your hair, as well as what you can do if you think you might have them.
Do Bedbugs Live in Hair?
Having bed bugs can be a nightmare. Not only do they leave behind itchy and irritating bite marks, but they can also spread quickly throughout your home or other living spaces.
One of the most common questions related to bedbugs is whether or not they can live in your hair. Although it is technically possible, the likelihood of this occurring is very slim.
Bed bugs typically dwell in mattresses, box springs, and other areas around the sleeping area such as furniture, cracks, and crevices. They can also be found behind baseboards, picture frames, and electrical outlets.
It’s possible for bed bugs to wander onto a person’s clothing or hair but they do not live there permanently. So can bed bugs live in your hair?
While this is technically possible, the chances of actually getting bed bugs in your hair are very slim. However, if you do think you may have gotten bedbugs in your hair, what do you need to do?
How Do Bed Bugs Get Into Your Hair?
Bed bugs are incredibly small, flat, and oval-shaped insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals. Although they are typically found in bedding, furniture, and carpets, they can also make their way into our hair.
They are also small enough to sneak through tiny cracks and crevices in walls and crawl right up onto a person’s head while they sleep. When bed bugs get into our hair, they take refuge there until after we wake up.
Bed bugs usually end up in human hair by accident due to their close proximity with us as we sleep; however, there are certain conditions that can increase the risk of having bed bugs in your hair.
These include living in high-density housing areas such as apartment complexes or hostels, staying in hotels with poor sanitation or cleanliness standards, or having a housemate who unknowingly brings the pests home from elsewhere.
Once they find a suitable place on our head where they can comfortably hide away until nightfall, bed bug bites will occur while a person sleeps without them even knowing it!
The bite marks left behind often look like mosquito bites with similar redness, swelling, itching and burning sensations may be felt around the affected area – though this is more likely if the individual is allergic to the saliva injected by bedbugs during feeding time.
Bed bugs feed on blood every few days so bites may become increasingly frequent if an infestation goes unchecked for too long.
How do you get bed bugs out of your hair?
To effectively remove bed bugs from your hair, there are several steps you can take. Firstly, it is important to understand that these pests do not actually live in your hair, but rather seek out the warmest and most comfortable areas of the body.
So before attempting removal, make sure that your entire body has been inspected for bed bug bites or evidence of their presence. The first step in removing bed bugs from the hair is to thoroughly wash and condition your hair with a shampoo designed to kill any eggs or live bugs that could be hiding within the strands of hair.
After washing, comb through your hair with a fine-toothed nit comb to capture any remaining bugs or eggs on the surface of your scalp and strands. After cleaning your hair, wash all clothing and linens in hot water and dry them on a high heat setting for at least 20 minutes.
This will ensure that any remaining bed bugs in these items will be killed off as they do not survive temperatures over 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45 degrees Celsius).
Additionally, it is recommended that you consult a pest control specialist if you are unable to effectively eliminate the infestation on your own. This will ensure that all traces of bed bugs are eliminated and help guarantee that they do not return in the future.
By taking the steps above, you can help get the bed bugs out of your hair and take a proactive stance in preventing future infestations.
FAQ
How do you know if bed bugs are in your hair?
Despite the fact that bed bugs are notorious for their prime spots to draw blood, they can often be found around your scalp and hair. Unlike lice or ticks, you won’t feel them crawling due to a lack of claws on this species. Nevertheless, among the most recognizable symptoms of bed bug infestation is an itchy sensation left behind in those areas!
Do bed bugs stay on your skin after a shower?
Prioritizing the most critical facts, let me assure you that simply showering or bathing will prevent bed bugs from staying on your skin. Contrarily to fleas and lice, bed bugs don’t live in hair; their residences are mattresses, furniture pieces, even small cracks in walls.
Can I use a hair dryer to get rid of bed bugs?
While theoretically a blow dryer could be enough to take out one bed bug, it isn’t the most viable approach. To ensure the death of even only one insect, you must focus on directing the heat from your hair dryer onto that single bug for up to 30 seconds.
Summary
Although bed bugs are not known to live in hair, they may crawl into the warmest and most comfortable areas of the body while searching for a place to bite.
To effectively remove them from your hair, you should thoroughly wash and condition your hair with a shampoo designed to kill any eggs or live bugs that could be hiding within the strands of hair.
Additionally, make sure to wash all clothing and linens in hot water and dry them on a high-heat setting. You may also want to consult a pest control specialist if you are unable to effectively eliminate the infestation on your own.
Also read:
- Best Shampoos for Smelly Scalp
- Best Tourmaline Flat Iron
- How to Unclog Hair From Shower Drain
- How to Dye Hair Grey Without Bleach?
- Can You Bleach Synthetic Hair?
Allyson Carter
Ally is a professional hairstylist with more than 6 years of experience, but hair has been her passion since early childhood. Here, at Hair Spies, she blogs about all things hairdressing, hair tools, and everyday hair care. Read more about Allyson here.
