Head lice are equal opportunists—they will attack you regardless of whether your hair is dirty or clean, short or long, or whether you are rich, poor, young, or old. Children contract head lice more often than adults simply because their play often involves direct head-to-head contact, and they share personal items like combs, brushes, and coats.
NOTE: Head lice is an are age-old problem. Even in 16th Century Germany, a document on proper manners advised, “Never scratch your head, or fish out lice when you are having a meal.” Recorded by a predecessor of Miss Manners?