How Do You Know If You Have Lice?
Maybe your scalp started itching. Maybe there was a lice notice from school. Or maybe someone in your household found something suspicious in their hair.
Now you're wondering: How do I know if I actually have lice? The most useful way to answer that question is to check the hair and scalp carefully.
Look for live lice
Live head lice are small, six-legged insects that tend to remain close to the scalp. Because they're small and can move quickly, finding one isn't always easy.
Use bright lighting (but be careful, lice run from light), separate the hair into small sections and inspect close to the scalp.
Look for nits
Nits are lice eggs attached to individual strands of hair. They can sometimes be mistaken for dandruff, lint or hair-product residue. Unlike loose debris, however, nits are attached more firmly to the hair shaft.
Pay attention to itching, but don't rely on it
Scalp itching is commonly associated with head lice, but itching alone cannot tell you whether lice are present. Some people may not immediately experience itching, particularly with a first infestation.
Check the right six areas
Pay particular attention to:
Behind both ears
The nape of the neck
The crown and scalp
Hair close to the scalp
A systematic check is much more useful than quickly looking through the surface of the hair.
When you're still unsure
The frustrating reality is that many things in hair can resemble lice or nits.
Comb & Calm uses guided image capture and AI-assisted visual analysis to help review images for visual characteristics consistent with head lice. Wondering what you're seeing? Begin a screening with Comb & Calm.
