What do lice and nits look like on a child's hair? - briefly
Adult head lice appear as 2–3 mm, gray‑brown insects that move quickly across the scalp, while nymphs are similar but smaller and translucent. Nits are tiny, oval, white‑to‑yellowish eggs cemented firmly to the hair shaft within a quarter‑inch of the scalp.
What do lice and nits look like on a child's hair? - in detail
Adult head lice are gray‑brown insects about the size of a sesame seed, measuring 2–3 mm in length. Their bodies are flattened laterally, allowing them to move easily through hair. Six legs end in claw‑like tarsi that cling tightly to each strand. When alive, lice may appear slightly translucent; after death they turn a duller, darker hue. Under good lighting, the head of the insect can be seen as a small, oval shape with a darker posterior abdomen.
Nits are the eggs laid by the adult females. Each nit is a tiny, oval capsule about 0.8 mm long, roughly the size of a pinhead. The shell is smooth, glossy, and ranges from pale yellow to tan when freshly laid, darkening to brownish‑black as the embryo matures. Nits are firmly cemented to the hair shaft about ¼ inch (6 mm) from the scalp, a distance that protects them from being brushed off. The attachment point is a narrow, white, wax‑like seal that resists removal without a fine‑toothed comb.
Key visual differences between lice, nits, and common hair debris:
- Size: lice 2–3 mm; nits <1 mm; dandruff flakes larger and irregular.
- Color: live lice gray‑brown, dead lice darker; nits start pale, become brown; dandruff white or yellowish.
- Shape: lice have a distinct head and abdomen; nits are smooth ovals; dandruff is flaky and irregular.
- Location: lice move across scalp and between strands; nits remain glued close to the scalp; dandruff is scattered along the shaft.
- Mobility: lice are active, can be seen crawling; nits are immobile; dandruff does not move.
When inspecting a child's hair, use a bright light and a fine‑toothed nit comb. Separate sections from the scalp outward, looking for the characteristic oval eggs attached at a shallow angle to the hair. Live insects may be spotted moving quickly, especially near the nape of the neck, behind the ears, and at the hairline. The combination of size, color, attachment method, and mobility distinguishes head lice and their eggs from ordinary scalp debris.