How to know if you have lice? - briefly
Inspect the scalp and hair for live insects or small, whitish nits firmly attached near the base of hairs, focusing on the behind‑ear area and the neck. Confirm findings by running a fine‑tooth comb through damp hair to detect any lice or nits.
How to know if you have lice? - in detail
Lice infestations are identified by a combination of visual evidence and characteristic symptoms. The adult parasites are about the size of a sesame seed, gray‑brown, and move quickly across the scalp. Their eggs, called nits, are oval, about 0.8 mm long, and adhere firmly to hair shafts near the scalp. Because nits are glued to the hair, they cannot be brushed away easily.
Typical indicators
- Persistent itching, especially after a few days, caused by an allergic reaction to lice saliva.
- A tingling or crawling sensation on the scalp.
- Small red bumps or sores from bites.
- Presence of live insects or nits when the hair is examined under good lighting.
Inspection procedure
- Separate the hair into small sections, preferably using hair clips.
- Use a fine‑tooth lice comb, ideally with metal teeth spaced 0.2 mm apart.
- Starting at the scalp, pull the comb through each section from root to tip.
- After each pass, wipe the comb on a white tissue or place it on a contrasting background to detect any captured insects or eggs.
- Examine the hair close to the scalp, especially behind the ears, at the nape of the neck, and along the hairline, where nits are most likely to be found.
- Repeat the process on both sides of the head and on any other hair‑bearing areas (e.g., eyebrows, facial hair).
Distinguishing nits from dandruff
- Nits are attached at an angle of 30–45 degrees to the hair shaft and cannot be easily moved.
- Dandruff flakes are loose, flat, and fall off when the hair is brushed.
- Nits appear as solid, oval objects; dandruff looks like powdery debris.
Secondary clues
- Scratching may cause secondary infection, leading to swelling or pus.
- A sudden increase in hair loss in localized patches can indicate severe infestation.
If any live lice or firmly attached nits are observed during the examination, an infestation is confirmed. Absence of these findings, despite itching, suggests alternative scalp conditions such as dermatitis or fungal infection, which require different diagnostic approaches.