What does a head with lice look like? - briefly
An infested scalp displays tiny, translucent nits glued to hair shafts close to the roots and may reveal moving gray‑brown lice about the size of a sesame seed. The skin often appears itchy, with small red bumps or a fine, dry scaling.
What does a head with lice look like? - in detail
A scalp infested with head‑lice presents several visual cues that can be identified without magnification, although a close‑up view reveals finer details.
The hair shafts often appear dull and may feel gritty when run through the fingers. Small, yellow‑brown insects—approximately 2–3 mm long—can be seen clinging to the base of strands. Their bodies are flattened, with six legs that grasp the hair tightly; the legs are visible as tiny, dark specks near the head of each louse.
Nits (lice eggs) are the most reliable indicator. They are oval, about 0.8 mm in length, and adhere firmly to the hair shaft at an angle of roughly 30–45 degrees, pointing toward the scalp. Fresh nits are translucent or pale yellow; older ones turn white or gray. Because they are cemented to the hair, they do not slide when the strand is gently tugged.
Typical patterns of infestation include:
- Clusters of live insects near the forehead, temples, and behind the ears, where the hair is thinner and the scalp is warmer.
- A concentration of nits along the hairline and near the nape of the neck.
- Small, reddish‑brown bite marks or tiny papules on the scalp, sometimes accompanied by mild itching.
When the scalp is examined under a handheld magnifier or a light microscope, the louse’s three‑part body becomes evident: a head with antennae, a thorax bearing the six legs, and an abdomen ending in a pointed tip. The nits reveal a smooth shell with a slightly curved shape, attached to the hair by a whitish, glue‑like substance.
Overall, the combination of live insects, firmly attached eggs at an angle to the hair shaft, and localized irritation marks the appearance of a head plagued by these parasites.