AITA for buzzing my hair off? I am a teenage girl and my sisters keep bringing lice home?

At 16, battling relentless lice infestations, a teenage girl grabs her dad’s clippers and buzzes her thick, curly hair to a clean slate. Living in a house where her younger sisters keep bringing home lice, she’s reached her breaking point. The itch, the shampoos, the endless combing—it’s too much. Her bold move, meant to reclaim control, sparks a family firestorm, with parents labeling her “dramatic” and fuming over an Instagram post that calls out the lice chaos.

This story dives into a messy mix of personal choice and family tension. It’s a raw, relatable snapshot of a teen asserting her autonomy in a home where hygiene battles never seem to end. Can you blame her for taking charge, or did her public call-out cross a line? Let’s unpack this lice-ridden drama.

‘AITA for buzzing my hair off? I am a teenage girl and my sisters keep bringing lice home?’

I am 16 and my sisters are 13 and 10. They keep bringing lice to the house, I guess they get it at school or pass it back and forth between each other; for nearly the last year there has been lice on one or both of them more often than not. I've gotten it a few times and it's so hard to get rid of, my hair is thick and curly.

My sister's are also so gross, they won't be careful what brushes or hats or scarves they use, they'll lay down on anything, even the shared sofas or sometimes my bed with it. It's f**king n**ty. My parents get us shampoos and try to comb out my sisters hair, I do the treatment on my own, but it just won't go away.

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Even now when my sisters aren't even going to school anymore, lice is back and I'm so done. Each time they promise it's gone, it isn't, and I'm so fed up. I took my dad's hair clippers when the rest of the family had gone for a hike and gave myself a buzz cut, I mainly did it because I am so grossed out by this lice thing.

But I also think that it's gonna be a long time till I'll be seen by anyone; schools cancelled for the year and only restarts in September now. So who cares how I look? I think I look badass for the record, but I know short hair on women isn't a super common look and a lot of people don't like it.. My parents were so mad, calling me dramatic, impulsive, stupid, etc.

They also found out I put a picture on Instagram saying I'd buzzed my hair, and mentioning it was because I was stuck in a house with sister's who couldn't stop spreading lice, and I'd needed a new look anyway. And they were so mad I was publicly bringing shame to the family's reputation.

They are so mad that I did it because I'm supposed to get a job this summer, whenever businesses open again, and I'm ruining my chance of getting a job with that haircut I said that I didn't care about that, I was NOT going to have hair again until there had been no lice in the house for three months.. AITA for buzzing it off?

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This lice saga reveals a teen pushed to her limit by a persistent problem. The Redditor’s buzz cut wasn’t just about hygiene—it was a cry for control in a chaotic household. Dr. Lisa Damour, a clinical psychologist, notes, “Adolescents often use physical changes, like haircuts, to assert identity and cope with stress” (Psychology Today). Her drastic choice reflects both practicality and rebellion against a situation her parents haven’t fully managed.

The parents’ anger seems misdirected. With 5-15% of school-aged children affected by lice annually (CDC), their failure to treat the entire household consistently—bedding, clothes, and all—likely perpetuates the issue. The teen’s Instagram post, while impulsive, highlights their neglect, though it risks shaming her sisters.

This situation underscores broader issues of parental responsibility and teen autonomy. Families facing lice must treat everyone simultaneously and sanitize thoroughly, as experts recommend. The teen’s buzz cut, while extreme, was a rational response to an unresolved problem.

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For solutions, the family should adopt a rigorous lice protocol, including daily checks and professional cleaning services if needed. The teen could benefit from a calm discussion with her parents to align on hygiene goals.

Check out how the community responded:

Reddit’s crew chimed in with fiery takes, blending support with a dash of shade. Here’s what the community had to say:

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SonorousBlack - NTA. It's your hair.. My parents were so mad, calling me dramatic, impulsive, stupid, etc.. Your parents need to get their children's health in order.

Herdnerfer - NTA, it’s your hair and it’ll grow back.. Plus the shaved head look is actually pretty attractive on a lot of women.

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h0lyterrain - NTA.. Your parents need to do a better job at keeping your sisters’s hair clean.. Absolutely zero employers will care that you have a shaved head when you go to apply this summer.

[Reddit User] - NTA. Lice sucks. Force them to do more. CLEAN EVERYTHING!

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TogarSucks - NTA. You had a hygienic reason to cut your hair, but even if you didn’t, you’re a 16 year old. Time to make some wild decisions with your look.. Was it dramatic and impulsive, yeah kind of, but so what.

As for getting a job, women with buzz cuts have been pretty socially acceptable since the 70’s. Most places aren’t going to care. Just because your parents are the type who clutch their pearls at the sight of a woman with short hair doesn’t mean a respectable employer will be as well.

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GreyOlson - NTA - it's your hair, it's your body, it's your choice, and I completely understand why you did it.

Jackniferuby - NTA - your parents are. It’s their responsibility to treat this in your home. You can’t just shampoo and comb them out. EVERY person in the house must be treated every time ONE person gets it. Then they have to be checked EVERY SINGLE day for 2 weeks afterwards.

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The whole family. Not only that- but ALL bedding , towels , clothes etc must be washed.. Y’all are infested and unless your parents step up and take care of it it WILL keep happening.. Btw - constant recurring lice is parental n**lect.

whathappenedwas - NTA if your parents want to live with lice everywhere that's one thing, but it's messed up they allow it to continue when it's affecting their kids. You aren't TA for taking matters into your own hands. You may be TA a little for the post, but even then, yall have had it so many times that your parents kinda deserve to be shamed. It's not like you reported them to CPS.

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wearethegalaxy - first of all i think you're NTA, people who repeatedly bring home lice without caring about it are. and not caring about who they spread it to is just plain s**tty (13 and 10 is still young i guess but idk). second of all, as someone who also has thick curly hair i am so jealous! buzzing it all off sounds like a dream. if only my dumb face were able to pull that look off. kudos to you!

Jordak_keebs - Soft ESH. I don't think I need to explain why for your parents, that's obvious.. Lice-shaming your sister on Instagram was a cold move, that will probably have social fallout for her. Aside from the Instagram slip, I like your pragmatic thinking. By the time social distancing measures are done, you can decide how much to let it grow back. A short haircut won't cause any problem getting a job.

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These Reddit opinions pack a punch, but do they nail the full story? The lice struggle is real, yet the teen’s social media jab stirred the pot—fair or foul?

This teen’s buzz cut is more than a haircut—it’s a stand against a lice-plagued life and a family that’s dropped the ball. Her parents’ outrage and the Instagram fallout add layers to this itchy drama. Was she right to take control, or did her public post go too far? Share your thoughts—how would you tackle a lice invasion or a teen’s bold move in your home?

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