Can Fleas Live in Human Hair?

Fleas will pose a threat to the health of our pets anyway, anytime. And we ourselves are not free from their bites and other ways they make us uncomfortable. Though we are not the primary hosts of these pests, there is still that uncomfortable and uneasy feeling that comes from knowing that we have fleas lurking around our homes. One thing most people are afraid of is the case of these fleas taking up living space in their body, most especially their hair, as this area of the body provides a vantage spot for these fleas to thrive. This becomes all the more possible for people with really long hair. But how possible is this? Can fleas live in human hair? Let’s quickly examine this possibility.

Can Fleas Get into Your Hair?

For fleas to get into your hair, you would have to be placing your hair in a spot that gives them such access. Such scenarios may include holding a pet, which is flea-infested close to your hair or simply laying down in a flea-infested environment.

If you’re thinking that fleas, due to their legendary jumping abilities can jump off from the ground into your hair and take-up residence there, then erase such assumptions from your head because it is not possible.

Relative to their size, fleas are pretty good jumpers. Fleas are known to leap to distances of about six inches, with the highest recorded jump being 7.9 inches. That’s pretty impressive for their size, but nowhere near the average human height. If such an impressive jump were to occur near you, it would only bring up these fleas to your ankle level. The more reason you will only feel their bites on your ankles than on another part of your body. So, apart from a chanced entrance into your hair by way of your bringing your hair close to where they are, fleas cannot get into your hair through any other means.

Can They Live in Your Hair?

So, can fleas live in human hair? A lot of us are so eager to hear this one out. Maybe it would calm those feelings of outright disgust that’s beginning to build-up in you by the mere thought of it.

While fleas will bite humans occasionally, especially if their preferred hosts are not available, they’re very choosy about their source of blood. Their eggs become more viable if they feed off the blood of a preferred host. There is a particular species of flea that requires human blood to survive, called the Pulex irritants, but it’s unlikely you would find that species in any part of the developed world. The most common type of fleas, the cat flea, feeds on cats and dogs. Dog fleas also infest cats and other mammals. So, if fleas should manage to gain access to your hair, they are unlikely to spend time on it, because biologically they’re designed to live on the dense furs and skins of our pets and not humans. So, most times, these fleas will only use our hair as transits to a more permanent residence. This is in the event that they’re able to access it in the first place.

Can They Lay Eggs In Our Hair?

Again, most people are also afraid that these fleas will not just take up residence in their hair, but also lay eggs there. Is this possible? Just like we’ve mentioned earlier, we are not the preferred hosts of these pests. Feeding off human blood to survive is possible. Being able to breed and reproduce through human blood alone is not sustainable. Fleas must continuously feed on the blood of their preferred hosts to make their eggs viable. Therefore, if a female flea feeds off human blood only, her reproductive cycle will be hampered and she cannot lay eggs. So, don’t get caught up in the thought that your hair may become a nursery bed for fleas to lay eggs. It is very unlikely.

Finally, can fleas live in human hair? Well, practically there is a small chance of this happening, because if at all they do, they can’t thrive in there. And most pests will prefer where they can thrive.