Bed bugs do not like heat, which means they are unlikely to hang around on your skin or your clothes which are close to your skin. The hair and scalp can also be too warm for bed bugs so even though it certainly is possible for there to be bed bugs in your hair, they will not be there for long.
Bed bugs are hitchhikers but they do not like being on human skin except when they need to feed. After their meal, they usually crawl back to their hiding spot.
If you found bed bugs in your hair, do not fret because bed bugs do not carry any communicable diseases.
Can I get bed bugs in my hair?
Yes, it is possible to get bed bugs in your hair. Bed bugs are not like lice or mites that have the necessary hook-like body parts to attach to your skin or hair follicles. Bed bugs can still crawl into your hair but they will not be able to stay there for extended periods of time especially if you are constantly moving around.
Bed bugs will be unable to lay eggs in your hair because they prefer to lay their eggs in dark secluded areas with minimal movement. Even if you are asleep, you still move around enough to be a less than ideal place to lay eggs on.
What are the symptoms of bed bugs in hair?
As mentioned above, bed bugs will most probably not hang out on your scalp because they do not like the warmth and would much rather settle down in their harborage, probably somewhere in your mattress or boxspring.
Because you are unlikely to find bed bugs on your scalp, look out instead for more indirect evidence of bed bugs such as bug bites on your scalp. Some of the bites may be more obvious than others, such as on your forehead or on your hairline.
Bed bug bites are small, raised bumps that appear in clusters. At first, they will feel irritated, but as they start to heal, they will become itchy. Applying shampoo or conditioner on them may make them sting.
How do I remove bed bugs from my home?
If you find bed bugs in your hair, then it is safe to assume that you have a bed bug infestation in your home. There are probably colonies existing in your mattress and boxsprings. Ridding your home of bed bugs is the first step to take to make sure that they will not just find their way back to your hair the next day.
Wash your sheets, comforters, blankets, pillowcases, and any other beddings you might have. Use the highest water temperature setting on your washing machine, because the heat is going to kill the bugs and the eggs. If you can, use laundry soap with bleach.
After washing the linens, place them in the dryer and turn it up to the highest possible temperature to kill any bugs and eggs that may have survived the washer.
Vacuum the entire bedroom, mattress, and surrounding area including all the furniture. Wrap your mattress in plastic to starve any bed bugs still in there.
If you want to be completely sure that all the bed bugs are dead in your home, hire the services of professional exterminators and have them do a heat treatment on your entire home. This is when they place heaters inside your house to raise the temperature to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for several hours so all the bed bugs and their eggs are killed. Take note that though it is the most effective method, it can be quite pricey.
How do I get the bed bugs out of my hair?
Once you have cleared out the bed bugs from your home, you can concentrate on getting them out of your hair.
First, choose a shampoo. Lice shampoo will kill bed bugs. This will have to do since there really is no shampoo specifically for getting rid of bed bugs on your hair.
91% rubbing alcohol is also quite effective in treating bed bugs in hair, but results may vary. To increase its effectiveness, add a small amount of the rubbing alcohol to a medicated dandruff shampoo.
No matter what shampoo treatment you do, be aware that you will have to wash your hair multiple times, over several days. Bed bugs can be difficult to remove, especially if your hair is thick and long.
Apply a generous amount of shampoo to your wet hair. Lather it enough to cover your scalp and hair roots. Leave the shampoo on your hair for 20 minutes or depending on the instructions specific to the shampoo brand you are using. Rinse your hair with water, and wash your body to remove any shampoo residue. Dry your hair with a towel, after which place the towel in the washing machine immediately.
If you have facial hair, specifically a beard, wash and comb it. For best results, shave your beard completely, but you only really need to do so if you have a large-scale bed bug problem.
A nit comb is a special-toothed comb that effectively gathers any bugs in your hair. Use it to comb your wet or dry hair. Rinse the comb after each run through your hair to make sure you discard any bugs you remove.
Repeat this process every two days until all evidence of bed bugs is gone. Bed bug eggs take about a week to hatch, so if there were any left in your home, they may still make their way to your hair. Always stay vigilant for the next few weeks until you are absolutely sure that they are all gone.
If you still have bed bugs in your hair after two shampoo sessions, try treating your house again as there must have been bugs and eggs that survived the initial treatment.
Conclusion
Bed bugs can find their way onto your hair but they are unlikely to live and thrive there. If the bed bug problem in your house is serious, it is possible for bed bugs to be found on your scalp.
Take care of bed bugs in your hair by addressing your house’s bed bug infestation first. Wash all of your linens and clean every nook and cranny of your bedroom and home. If you are able to afford it, pay for heat treatment as that is the most effective bed bug eradication method.
When you have taken care of the house, use medicated shampoo or rubbing alcohol mixed with dandruff shampoo to treat your hair bed bug problem.
Image: istockphoto.com / LarsZahnerPhotography