How do lice look on children's hair? - briefly
Lice appear as tiny, wingless insects about 2–3 mm long, with a gray‑brown, flattened body that clings to hair shafts close to the scalp. Their eggs, called nits, look like small, oval, white‑to‑yellowish shells firmly glued to each strand.
How do lice look on children's hair? - in detail
Adult head‑lice are tiny, wingless insects measuring 2–3 mm in length. Their bodies are flattened, oval, and covered with fine, translucent to light‑brown scales that give a dull, gray‑ish hue. Six legs end in claw‑like tarsal hooks, allowing the parasite to cling tightly to individual hair shafts. When observed closely, the head appears speckled with these small, moving insects, especially near the nape, behind the ears, and at the crown where the hair is dense.
Eggs, commonly called nits, are oval, about 0.8 mm long, and translucent or pale yellow. They adhere firmly to the side of the hair shaft about ¼‑½ inch from the scalp, using a cement‑like secretion that hardens within hours. Nits remain attached even after the hair is washed, and their shells become more opaque and brownish as the embryo matures. A cluster of several nits may resemble a string of tiny beads lining the hair.
Key visual differences from normal debris include: lice are mobile, can be seen moving or scuttling when the hair is examined under magnification; nits are immobile and attached at a fixed angle to the hair, whereas dandruff flakes are loose, white, and easily brushed away. Lice do not cause the scalp to flake; instead, they may provoke itching due to saliva injection.
Detection typically involves parting the hair in small sections, using a fine‑toothed comb on a well‑lit surface, and looking for live insects or attached eggs. A magnifying glass or handheld microscope can reveal the characteristic oval shape of nits and the three‑segment abdomen of adult lice.
Effective removal requires repeated combing with a nit‑comb, washing the hair with a prescribed pediculicide if necessary, and cleaning personal items (combs, hats, bedding) to prevent reinfestation. Continuous inspection for two weeks after treatment confirms eradication.