What do lice on a child's hair and their eggs look like? - briefly
Head lice are tiny, 2–3 mm long, gray‑brown insects with six legs that move quickly through hair; their eggs (nits) appear as small, oval, yellow‑white shells firmly attached to each hair shaft about a quarter‑inch from the scalp.
What do lice on a child's hair and their eggs look like? - in detail
Head lice are small, wingless insects measuring 2–3 mm in length. Their bodies are flattened laterally, giving a crab‑like silhouette. The head is broader than the thorax, and the abdomen tapers toward the rear. Color ranges from pale gray to brown, often appearing translucent when the insect is unfed. Six legs end in clawed tarsi that cling tightly to hair shafts. Live lice move quickly, often visible as tiny, moving specks close to the scalp.
Louse eggs, commonly called nits, are oval and about 0.8 mm long. They possess a smooth, glossy shell that can be white, yellowish, or slightly brown, depending on age and exposure to scalp oils. Nits are firmly attached to the hair shaft by a cement-like substance secreted by the female. The attachment point is typically within 1 cm of the scalp, where warmth promotes incubation. The cement creates a firm, almost irreversible bond; attempts to slide the egg along the hair usually result in breakage of the shell.
Key visual cues for identification:
- Size: Lice 2–3 mm; nits <1 mm.
- Shape: Lice elongated, laterally flattened; nits oval, smooth.
- Color: Lice gray‑brown, sometimes translucent; nits white‑yellow, darkening with age.
- Location: Lice move on the scalp surface; nits attached close to the scalp, often behind the ears, at the nape, and along the hairline.
- Movement: Lice are motile, scurrying when disturbed; nits remain stationary.
- Attachment: Nits are glued at a 45‑degree angle to the hair shaft, leaving a small, clear space between the shell and the hair.
When examining a child's hair, use a fine‑toothed comb on a well‑lit surface. Observe the hair shaft for the characteristic cemented ovals; a magnifying lens can reveal the operculum—a small cap at one end of the egg. Live lice may be seen crawling, especially when the comb is brushed through the hair.