What does a head look like when it has lice? - briefly
A scalp infested with lice shows small, gray‑white insects moving among the hair and tiny, oval, whitish nits firmly attached to individual strands close to the skin. The condition often causes noticeable itching and may reveal red or irritated patches on the scalp.
What does a head look like when it has lice? - in detail
A head infested with head‑lice presents several visible and tactile signs. The hair shaft often appears cluttered with tiny, mobile insects that move in a jerky, crab‑like fashion. These organisms are approximately 2–4 mm long, translucent to grayish‑white, and may be seen crawling along the hair shafts, especially near the scalp.
The scalp itself may show small, reddish‑brown puncture marks where the insects have fed. These lesions can be surrounded by slight inflammation, giving the skin a mildly irritated appearance. In many cases, fine, whitish‑gray nits (lice eggs) are attached firmly to the hair shaft about 1 mm from the scalp. Nits are oval, about the size of a pinhead, and have a smooth, glossy surface that makes them difficult to see without close inspection.
Additional observable features include:
- A fine, powdery debris resembling dandruff, produced by the lice’s excrement.
- Increased hair breakage caused by the mechanical action of the insects.
- Occasional scratching marks on the forehead, temples, or neck, resulting from itching triggered by the bites.
When the infestation is moderate to severe, the hair may look unusually dense with clusters of insects and nits, creating a “lumpy” texture that can be felt when running fingers through the hair. The overall visual impression is a scalp crowded with small, moving pests and their attached eggs, accompanied by subtle signs of irritation.