05/27/2026
A patient showed me an email from a nurse explaining that lice prefer “clean” hair.
Words matter.
For many Black and Brown children with curly and coily hair textures, lice are actually less likely to attach to the hair shaft. But when we casually use words like “clean” to describe whose hair gets lice, what message are we sending to the children whose hair doesn’t?
A young child may hear that and begin associating their natural hair texture with being “dirty,” “less clean,” or somehow wrong. That kind of messaging has real emotional consequences, especially in environments where textured hair is already misunderstood or stigmatized.
Healthcare communication should educate without reinforcing harmful assumptions about race, texture, or hygiene.
Listen and let me know your thoughts in the comments.