How can you distinguish lice from dandruff? - briefly
Live insects such as « lice » can be observed moving on the scalp or attached to hair shafts, and their eggs appear as tiny, oval, firmly glued nits near the skin. « Dandruff » consists of loose, white‑to‑yellow flakes that detach easily and show no movement.
How can you distinguish lice from dandruff? - in detail
Distinguishing head‑lice infestation from scalp flaking requires careful visual inspection and awareness of characteristic signs.
The particles produced by lice are live insects, their eggs, or shed skins. They appear as small, tan‑brown bodies about the size of a sesame seed. Eggs (nits) cling tightly to hair shafts, positioned within a millimetre of the scalp, and are oval, translucent, and difficult to dislodge. Adult lice move actively, can be seen crawling when the hair is examined under bright light.
Scalp flakes result from the shedding of dead skin cells. These particles are white or yellowish, irregularly shaped, and easily brushed away. They do not adhere to hair shafts and are not attached near the scalp. Flakes lack the oval shape of nits and exhibit no movement.
Key observational differences:
- Location: lice and nits are found within a few millimetres of the scalp; flakes are distributed along the hair length.
- Attachment: nits are cemented to the hair shaft; flakes are loose.
- Mobility: live lice crawl; flakes remain static.
- Appearance: nits are oval, translucent; flakes are flat, white, and irregular.
Diagnostic steps:
- Separate a small section of hair close to the scalp and examine it with a fine‑tooth comb on a white background.
- Look for oval, firmly attached objects (nits) at the base of hair strands.
- Observe any movement; live lice may be seen crawling when the hair is gently brushed.
- Shake the hair over a dark surface; detached flakes will fall, whereas nits will stay attached.
If live insects or firmly attached nits are identified, the condition is an infestation. If only loose, white skin flakes are present, the condition is dandruff. Treatment protocols differ: infestations require pediculicidal agents and thorough combing; dandruff is managed with medicated shampoos and scalp hygiene.