What do lice look like on people? - briefly
Human lice are tiny, wing‑less insects about 2–4 mm long with a flattened, elongated gray‑brown body and six clawed legs that grasp hair shafts. They appear as moving specks on the scalp, often accompanied by small white nits attached to hair strands.
What do lice look like on people? - in detail
Lice that infest humans are small, wing‑less insects belonging to three species: head lice, body lice, and pubic lice. Adult head lice measure 2–3 mm in length, have a gray‑brown, flattened body, and six legs ending in claw‑like tarsi that grasp hair shafts. Their heads are broader than their abdomens, giving a slightly teardrop silhouette. The exoskeleton is semi‑transparent, allowing the digestive tract and ingested blood to be faintly visible as a reddish hue.
Body lice are slightly larger, 2.5–4 mm, with a more robust, oval shape. Their coloration ranges from light brown to tan, and they possess a broader abdomen that expands after feeding. Unlike head lice, body lice cling to clothing fibers rather than hair, but they can be seen on the skin when they crawl to lay eggs.
Pubic lice (crabs) are the smallest, 1–2 mm, and have a crab‑like appearance. Their bodies are broader laterally, and the front two pairs of legs are markedly larger, used for grasping coarse hair. The color varies from gray to dark brown, often appearing darker after a blood meal.
All three species lay oval, oval‑shaped eggs called nits. Nits are 0.8 mm long, firmly attached to the base of a hair shaft or fabric fiber with a cement‑like secretion. They appear white or yellowish and are difficult to remove because the cement hardens within 24 hours. A viable nymph can be seen emerging from a nit after 7–10 days; nymphs are translucent and become pigmented after successive molts.
Visible signs of infestation include:
- Small, moving specks on hair or skin, often noticed when combing or scratching.
- Red, irritated bites arranged in clusters or linear patterns.
- Fine, powder‑like debris (feces) near the base of hair shafts.
- Presence of nits attached close to the scalp or skin surface, usually within 1 mm of the hair root.
Recognition of these characteristics enables accurate identification and timely treatment.