Red Lice:
Why Are Some Lice Red?

Question:

I've read online that lice can be tan or brown, but I am finding red bugs in my child’s hair. What does it mean?

Answer from a Lice Expert:

If you're finding bright red or dark red bugs in your child's hair then you are not alone. Yes, head lice can be red and in this article I will explain what it means when you find RED LICE in your child's hair.

Let me introduce myself...

Lice nurse helping others

Hi there! I'm Theresa, I'm a lice expert, lice coach, and Registered Nurse. I help people with lice every day! You can get rid of lice in ONE DAY at home by using the same proven professional technique that I use in my lice center.

Just follow the step-by-step videos and be done with lice by the end of the day.

red-lice-after-feeding

Types of Lice

There are three main types of human lice: Body lice, pubic lice, and the most common, HEAD LICE

Body lice are the least common. It is associated with poor hygiene, and it’s usually only seen in America in the homeless population. 

Pubic lice, also known as “crabs” live in pubic hair, are an STD and are usually only passed during intercourse.

Head lice stick solely to the hair of the head and near the head. Head lice are NOT associated with poor hygiene. 

An enlarged super lice bug

Head Lice

Head lice are a widespread problem in the United States. Around 12 million kids get head lice every year, the second most common ailment for kids after the common cold. 

Most head lice are passed directly from one individual’s head to another during head-to-head contact, such as hugging, snuggling, and sleeping together. Still, it can also be spread by inanimate objects that come in contact with hair such as brushes, hats, hair accessories, jackets, helmets, and other clothing.

 
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Lice Change Colors

Arrow to _red_ lice

When lice first hatch, they are tiny, almost invisible to the eye. They have a translucent, almost clear body that is very difficult to see. As they age, they begin to take on a darker hue that usually matches the hair of the individual they are infesting. For instance, those with black hair typically have dark grey to black lice, whereas those with blond hair usually have tan to light brown head lice. But what about red lice?

What are Red Lice?

All lice frequently feed on humans. What do they eat? These lice are like vampires, feeding on human blood multiple times a day!

Lice need to feed regularly on human blood, or else they will quickly dehydrate and die. If lice fall off the head, they will usually die within 24 hours because they do not have a blood meal.

A translucent looking head lice bug on a blond hair strand

Especially in younger lice, you can see their intestine-looking stomach through their translucent skin. When lice haven’t fed in a while, the stomach is small and black.

lice that has just fed and has a red abdomen

After lice feed, their entire abdomen plumps up on blood.

red-lice-after-feeding

But, the weirdest, creepiest part is that the red color seeps into every part of their body. Shortly after feeding lice look completely red. It seems like something out of a horror film, but it’s true.

So, how can you stop them from sucking your blood anymore?

Are Super Lice Red?

The most common kind of head lice today are called Super Lice. If you've tried over-the-counter treatments and you still have lice then you ABSOLUTELY have Super Lice!  Super Lice and regular head lice are virtually the same bugs, but super lice are immune to traditional treatments that worked in the past (so lice kits and home remedies won't work)

The studies show that over 98% of lice have some immunity to lice kits, so MOST head lice today are immune to traditional treatments and are considered Super Lice!

That's why I don't recommend over-the-counter treatments or home remedies for lice, because for most people they don't work. Instead, if you want to get rid of lice then I recommend following along with the Step-by-Step Video System here.

Why Is It So Hard to Get Rid of Lice?

Now that you know what you're looking for I want to talk briefly about your biggest worry (that your child actually has lice) and the question I get asked by parents around the world that have been battling lice….

picture of lice bug under a magnifying glass

Parents around the world are all asking me the same question…. "Why is it so much harder to get rid of lice now?"

Lice have become immune to everything that used to work in the past. Perhaps you remember your mom using a typical lice treatment or mayonnaise and that doing the trick. The new strain of head lice is no longer killed by those treatments, that’s why lice today are termed by people, “super lice,” because they are immune to those treatments. 

I’ve cured thousands of people of lice in my lice center and let me tell you, I don't do it with over-the-counter lice treatments. 

magnifying glass looking at lice eggs and nits in brown hair

Most people struggle with lice because they focus all of their attention on killing lice bugs and not enough attention on GETTING RID OF LICE!

If you want to get rid of lice you have to address all 3 of the problems of lice:

  1. Lice Bugs
  2. Lice Eggs
  3. Getting Lice Back

The best way to get rid of lice is to tackle all 3 of these problems at the same time, which is what I teach in my step-by-step video system.

So, if you discover your child HAS lice, don't panic. Just head over to the video system. Follow along with the videos and you'll be done with lice by the end of the day.

lice bug under a magnifying glass

Lice Eggs

Lice eggs in black hair

If you focus only on killing lice and not removing eggs, you will not get rid of lice because new lice will continue to hatch from the eggs that you didn’t remove from the head. Today’s lice eggs are incredibly resistant to all treatments as well, so don’t neglect them. May people focus so much of their time on KILLING LICE that they neglect the lice eggs...the question you need to be asking yourself is what do I want to do....

Do I want to KILL LICE or GET RID OF LICE???

Because there’s a big difference! Killing lice today, does NOT get rid of lice. If you focus all of your energy on killing lice bugs, you will NEVER get rid of lice! 

Here’s why...

When you have lice you to deal with both lice bugs and lice eggs. Often people focus all of their attention on lice bugs, but neglect the much bigger problem- LICE EGGS! Those eggs are full of little lice bugs, just waiting to hatch and start this whole lice cycle all over again! That’s why you keep getting lice back!

I teach how to kill and remove lice eggs in the Step-by-Step Video System.

Summing it Up...

You shouldn’t be too freaked if you come across red bugs in your child’s hair. It is difficult to think about, but lice feed on your blood regularly, and if they’ve just fed, then they’re going to be red.

What you should freak out about is making sure that you get rid of them for good. Lice today are incredibly resistant, so don't waste your time and hundreds of dollars trying every lice treatment and home remedy, instead, learn how to get rid of lice in one day. With the Step-by-Step Video System. 

All the best,

lice expert

Theresa is a Registered Nurse and lice expert with years of experience curing children of lice. She owns a lice treatment center in the US which is where she perfected the Step-by-Step Video System proven to get rid of lice. She also works with government agencies and schools helping those with the worst head lice cases in America.

Her greatest passion is empowering parents by teaching parents online how to do a professional lice treatment on their child at home. She is the Lice Coach for the My Lice Advice Step-by-Step Video System.

 
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