What do lice and nits look like in hair? - briefly
Adult head lice are tan‑brown insects roughly 2–3 mm long that move quickly and can be seen crawling on the scalp or hair shafts. Nits are tiny, oval, white‑to‑yellow eggs firmly glued to each strand about a quarter‑inch from the scalp, resembling specks of dandruff.
What do lice and nits look like in hair? - in detail
Lice are small, wing‑less insects that move quickly through strands of hair. Adult head lice measure 2–3 mm in length, about the size of a sesame seed. Their bodies are flattened laterally, which allows them to cling tightly to hair shafts. The exoskeleton is a pale gray‑white or tan color, sometimes taking on a slightly translucent hue that reveals internal organs under bright light. Six legs end in claw‑like tarsi, each equipped with a pair of hooked claws that grip the hair. When a head is examined under a magnifying lens, the lice appear as elongated, oval shapes with a distinct head capsule, thorax, and abdomen. Their movement is characteristic: they walk rather than jump, and they can be seen scuttling across the scalp or disappearing into the hair shaft within seconds.
Nits are the eggs laid by female lice. They are oval, about 0.8 mm long, and firmly attached to the hair shaft at an angle of roughly 45° to 60° from the scalp. The shell, called a chorion, is smooth, glossy, and initially translucent, turning white or yellowish as the embryo matures. Nits are cemented to the hair with a sticky, protein‑based secretion that resists removal by regular combing. The attachment point is often visible as a tiny, darkened spot at the base of the nit, where the egg adheres to the cuticle. Unlike adult lice, nits do not move; they remain fixed until they hatch, typically after 7–10 days.
Key visual differences:
- Size: Adult lice 2–3 mm; nits less than 1 mm.
- Shape: Lice are elongated with visible body segments; nits are uniformly oval.
- Color: Lice range from gray‑white to tan; nits start translucent, become opaque.
- Location on hair: Lice move freely; nits are cemented at an angle close to the scalp.
- Mobility: Lice are active, crawling; nits are stationary, attached.
When inspecting a scalp, use a fine‑toothed comb on a well‑lit surface. Separate hair strands to expose the shaft; examine both the base near the scalp and the length of the hair. Adult lice may be seen as small, moving specks, while nits appear as stationary, bead‑like structures affixed at an angle. Accurate identification relies on recognizing these size, shape, color, and attachment characteristics.