“ My husband and I acquired bed bugs from a stay in a motel. Now it has been weeks of sleepless nights. Currently we are dealing with the infestation using OTC bed bug products and trying to reduce the small amount of clutter we have. The worst part is that we feel the bed bug eggs are hatching in our hair. Now, I know this might sound crazy and that most experts will refute these claims saying bed bugs do not get in the hair. But my husband and I are pretty sure that that’s the case. We have even used lice combs to comb out the nymphs and eggs. Help! What can we do?”
Sounds familiar? Are you also dealing with bed bugs in your hair and scalp? Then read on: we have important information for you…
Can bed bugs get in our hair?
Yes. Bed bugs can go pretty much everywhere. If you are dealing with an infestation, chances are that you have brought it through one of your travels: either from an infested motel, bus, train or even the air plane! Bed bugs multiply rapidly and, within a short time, tend to grow to large numbers. They lay eggs in cracks and crevices, and come out to feed on your blood at night. Naturally, during their nightly travels, they might hide in your hair. Most experts are not in agreement. They feel that, unlike lice and hair mites, bed bugs simply do not have the body parts with which they can attach themselves to human scalp or pet hair. However; many reports from people suffering bed bug infestations have showed that bed bugs do get in the hair and, once they do, they are rather difficult to get rid of.
So what can you do to get bed bugs out of the hair?
- Bed bugs in hair and scalp can be an exhausting experiencing owing to the fact that you will need to comb, comb and comb some more and also undergo frequent hair washing.
- Many people have had some success by using 91% rubbing alcohol with their regular shampoos, but despite this, some bed bug eggs might still be left behind in the hair and scalp. Hence, repeat treatment is necessary.
- People with a beard must thoroughly comb it out to remove eggs, nits and nymphs from there. Additionally, you might want to consider trimming or shaving it completely to rid of the bed bug eggs.
- Cedar oil products have proven themselves very effective in treating bed bugs on the body and hair. You can add Cedar oil to your bath gel and shampoo and this can help kill bed bug eggs and nymphs hiding in the scalp and hair. Note that the oil can irritate your scalp, so do use some anti-itch scalp medication to counter this.
- You could apply mineral oil or olive oil to your hair and cover it with a shower cap overnight to prevent bed bugs from biting the scalp. This remedy can also help kill the eggs and suffocate the nymphs. You can wash the hair the next morning using anti-lice solution or medicated shampoos etc.
- Sauna treatment which includes sitting in steamed room (where temperatures reach 120deg C etc) is another great remedy since bed bug eggs can be killed off at such high temperatures. Naturally, it is best to talk to a doctor if this remedy is right for you particularly if you have pre-existing health conditions like heart trouble, blood pressure etc.
- Bed bugs in hair are more common in people wearing wigs or infested hair pieces. In extreme cases, one might have to get rid of these infested items.
Treat bed bugs in the premises first
Bed bugs get in your hair and scalp usually come from infested headboards and bedding items. Naturally, you must treat these items first rather than just combing and shampooing.Here are some steps you must follow:
- De-clutter the house as bed bugs love to hide in cluttered premises.
- Vacuum, vacuum and vacuum some more.
- Wash all mattresses, linen, sheets, comforters, blankets, pillow cases, pillows etc in hottest water with detergent and bleach where allowed.
- Dry the items in the highest setting of the dryer to kill eggs, nymphs and adult bugs.
- Place the mattresses in encasements.
- Treat the box springs with bed bug products like bed bug sprays, powders etc. Rubbing alcohol is also useful though it is flammable.
- Place the bed legs in mineral oil. Alternatively, sprinkle diatomaceous earth powder all around the bed to kill the bed bugs.
- Throw away heavily infested items using plastic bags that have been marked as ‘bed bug infested’. This will prevent them from being picked by other people.
- Invest in a good steamer to steam all the bedding items, including encasements. Isolating bedding and mattresses will prevent new infestations and also prevent the bugs that are already inside from getting out.
- If needed, contact a professional pest control company to have the premises professionally inspected and treated for bed bugs.
Bed bugs in the hair can be disgusting and hard to get rid of. These pointers should help you regain a good night’s rest.
