Head Lice: The First Of Their Kind

Ever wondered where lice originated from? “A long time ago” is what most people will say. The history of lice is more interesting; these critters cannot be dated accurately. The longest period of time you’ll get for your question is 5 million years. Most experts believe that human head lice evolved from chimpanzee lice, a process which may have occurred back 5.5 million years ago. From there on out, head lice began taking over humans, and soon enough, split into two categories: head lice and body lice. Lice seem to have accompanied humans through significant points in their historical trajectory. Studies on head lice extracted from 1000-year-old mummies in Peru suggest that lice were present amongst the first major migration of humans out of Africa approximately 100,000 years ago. These ancient lice underwent through very slight changes over the centuries, as the lice today are not wholly different from their ancestors.

Lice Problems: Everyone Had Them

Scientists have continued their research on ancient lice. One of the fascinating discoveries during these lice expeditions were lice combs, found in the same tombs as mummified bodies. This proves that regardless of the century, the decade, or the year, the preferred choice of eradicating lice remains the same. Here is an interesting fact: ancient lice combs were also a few of the items discovered in Cleopatra’s accessory collection. The last pharaoh of ancient Egypt was no exception to lice troubles; her elaborate golden nit comb is proof that lice do not care about social classes. The royalty and common alike suffer through critter ordeals. Digging further into lice history, we arrive at 1st century BC Israel, where lice were discovered still tangled in the teeth of ancient nit combs extracted from archeological sites. Additionally, a lice comb with a louse was discovered from a dig site in Cumbria County, England in 1st century AD. Lice combs were even excavated in Mediterranean Europe, particularly in Rome, as well as in several parts of Asia. The first ever record of a head lice infestation in the U.S. comes from early 1800’s Wisconsin, through the discovery of a bonehead lice in Crawford. This comb now is exhibited in the Wisconsin Historical Museum.

Lice And Nits: Then, Now And Forever

If this centuries-long history is any indication, it is safe to say that head lice are not going anywhere. These parasites are efficient in passing around from hair to hair. All you can do is make sure your lice have no part in the continuous conquest. At Lice Troopers, we pay homage to the ancients’ wisdom of keeping lice treatments effective and minimally invasive through combing. Our lice doctors specialize in tackling any kind of lice infestation. In addition to professional lice removal services, we also offer complete lice removal service Pembroke Pines. Call us today at 800-403-5423, and let us help you!