The Itchy Truth About Head Lice And Why They’re So Hard to Beat

For as long as humans have had hair, we’ve had company—tiny, bloodsucking freeloaders called head lice. These sesame seed-sized pests have been a part of human history for at least 10,000 years, and despite our best efforts, they just won’t go away.

Lice don’t jump, fly, or hitchhike on hats as much as people think. They spread mostly through head-to-hea…