Lice Resources

Head lice are tiny parasites (bugs) that live in human hair. Having head lice is not a result of poor hygiene. Anyone can get head lice, regardless of age, race, or cleanliness. 

Head lice do not fly or jump. Most head lice spread through direct head-to-head (or hair-to-hair) contact. 

Head lice do not spread diseases, but having head lice can be very uncomfortable as it makes most people’s scalps very itchy. 

Head lice vary in size depending on their age and stage. When lice first hatch, they are tiny and translucent, making them very difficult to see. Fully mature head lice are about the size of a sesame seed.

Head lice have six legs attached to the top of their body. They do not have wings. Their color can vary from translucent or tan to dark brown or black. 

Lice begin as lice eggs, sometimes referred to as nits. After about 7-10 days those lice eggs hatch from the lice eggs. When lice hatch they are tiny and translucent, making them very difficult to see. Lice reach full maturity in about 3 weeks. Once they reach this stage they are capable of laying lice eggs in the hair.

Head lice lay tiny eggs in the hair, which later hatch and further infest the hair. Lice eggs vary in color ranging from golden brown to a very dark brown color. 

Lice eggs are glued to a single hair strand close to the scalp. They cannot be brushed or washed out of the hair. You are most likely to find lice eggs behind the ears and at the nape of the neck. These areas are called "hot spots" (see details in the How to Check for Lice section below)

After lice eggs, hatch, the remaining shells left in the hair are called “nits.” Nits look white in those with dark hair.

The most obvious signs of head lice are finding lice bugs or lice eggs/nits in one’s hair.

Other symptoms of head lice vary based on each individual. Most symptoms are not present in the beginning stages of head lice but become severe after about a month of a lice infestation. Some people are more sensitive than others to head lice and their symptoms are more severe.

The most common symptoms of head lice are:

• Moderate to severe itching of the scalp

• Rashes at the nape of the neck and behind the ears

• Small scabs on the scalp

Video Tutorial:

There is a great video tutorial on how to check for lice here:
https://myliceadvice.com/how-to-check-for-lice-video-tutorial/ 

Supplies needed:

Good lighting

Hair elastics or clips

A fine-tooth comb

White paper towel (for if you find lice eggs)

Getting Started:

Before checking for head lice, find a place with good lighting. The best places to look for head lice are in full sunlight outdoors or next to a sunny window because sunlight reflects off lice eggs and makes them easier to spot. If sunlight is unavailable, then any area with good lighting will do.  

Step 1: Know What To Look For

Head lice move quickly and often blend in with the hair, which makes them difficult to see. So, when checking for head lice one should look for lice eggs instead of lice bugs. Lice eggs are often mistaken for dandruff, dirt, or other debris in the hair. 

What makes lice eggs very unique is that they are glued onto a single hair strand and cannot be brushed out or washed out of the hair. Removing a lice egg from the hair requires one to pinch the egg between two fingers and pull the egg all the way down the hair strand. This kind of thing is often called nit-picking.
 

Step 2: Check the “Baby Hairs” for Lice Eggs

Most children have small wispy hairs around their hair line often referred to as “baby hairs” or “peach fuzz.” These “baby hairs” are common places to find lice eggs.

Here’s how to check those "baby hairs" for lice:

• Put all hair up in an elastic band (ponytail) or clip the hair out of the way.

• Next, examine all the “baby hairs” around the hair line looking for anything that appears as dirt or dandruff.

• If you find anything, examine it by attempting to flick or blow it away.

• If unable to flick or blow it away, attempt to pull it down the hair strand.

• If it is a lice egg, it requires you to pinch it between two fingers and pull it down the entire hair strand.

• If you pull one of these suspected lice eggs out of the hair, put it on a white paper towel and examine it. Below is what lice eggs look like on a white paper towel.

Step 3: Examine the "Hot Spots" of the Head

There are areas where lice most often lay their lice eggs. These places are called “hot spots.” These hot spots are at the nape of the neck and behind the ears.

Checking the nape of the neck: 

• Have the child lean forward, looking down at the floor or their lap

• Comb all hair forward, so that the nape of the neck is fully exposed.

• Use an elastic band or clip to keep the hair out of the way as you examine small sections of hair.

• Take a small, paper-thin section of hair. Place your hand behind that paper-thin section of hair and examine anything that looks like lice eggs.

• If you find anything, examine it by attempting to flick or blow it away.

• If unable to flick or blow it away, attempt to pull it down the hair strand.

• If it is a lice egg it will require you to pinch it between two fingers and pull it down the entire hair strand.

• If you pull out one of these suspected lice eggs, put it on a paper towel and examine it. See the picture above for what lice eggs look like on a white paper towel.

• Examine 10 paper-thin sections of hair behind the nape of the neck looking for lice eggs before moving on.

Checking behind the ears:

• Have the child look to one side

• Comb all hair towards the other side of the head so that one ear is fully exposed.

• Use an elastic band or clip to keep the hair out of the way as you examine small sections of hair.

• Take a small, paper-thin section of hair. Place your hand behind that paper-thin section of hair and look for anything that appears like dirt or dandruff.

• If you find anything, examine it by attempting to flick or blow it away.

• If unable to flick or blow it away, attempt to pull it down the hair strand.

• If it is a lice egg it will require you to pinch it between two fingers and pull it down the entire hair strand.

• If you pull out one of these suspected lice eggs, put it on a paper towel and examine it. See the picture above for what lice eggs look like on a white paper towel.

• Examine 10 paper-thin sections of hair behind each ear looking for lice eggs.

If You Find Lice Eggs:

If you find lice eggs then it is most likely you have a lice infestation.

There's a variety of lice treatment options ranging from pesticide treatments to lice treatment centers. Below are the most common lice treatments.

Super Lice:

Recent studies show that about 98% of head lice have developed some level of resistance (immunity) to pesticide treatments. These lice are called “super lice.” 

If you use a pesticide treatment, and can’t seem to get rid of head lice you're likely dealing with super lice. In those cases, consider using something other than a pesticide treatment.

Pesticide Treatments:

Many lice treatments use the pesticides permethrin or pyrethrin to kill head lice. The most common of these treatments are NIX and Rid. Pesticides require two treatments: there is an initial treatment and then retreatment 7-10 days later. 

The purpose behind waiting 7-10 days between treatments is to allow any remaining lice eggs in the hair to hatch before the follow-up treatment. Be aware that many lice have developed immunity to these types of treatments (see "Super Lice" section above). To have a greater chance of eradicating lice, pesticide treatments should be paired with “wet combing” or “nit-picking” (see below).

Non-Pesticide Products:

With the rise of “super lice” many non-pesticide products have become available. Non-pesticide products include:

• Dimethicone products (Newer “super lice” oils such as Nix ULTRA)

• Salt sprays and foams (LiceFreee Spray, Vamousse)

• Enzyme lice treatments (Fairytales Lice Goodbye) 

Non-pesticide products vary in effectiveness and also require retreatments, but are generally more effective on super lice than pesticide treatments.

Home Remedies

There are many home remedies touted as “cure-alls” for head lice. Many of these home remedies are ineffective against head lice and can be dangerous. Be especially leery of any home remedy that includes putting a plastic cap or plastic bag on your child’s head, especially when going to bed. This can suffocate your child.

Nitpicking

Nitpicking involves dividing the hair into small sections, scanning for lice eggs (or nits), and then pulling those lice eggs/nits down the hair strand out of the hair. Nitpicking can be helpful in supplementing another treatment but is typically not effective on its own as it does not kill lice bugs.

Wet Combing

Wet combing focuses on removing lice bugs and lice eggs from the hair using a lice comb on wet hair. Wet combing can be very effective at eliminating head lice if done consistently with a sturdy metal lice comb. 

When choosing a lice comb, look for a metal lice comb with teeth very close together(see picture below). Plastic lice combs are far less effective at removing lice or lice eggs. 

To be effective with wet combing, one should comb through the wet hair with a lice comb regularly for two weeks. 

Lice Professionals and Videos

There are lice centers where one can pay to have a lice professional eliminate lice for them. These lice centers typically charge about $200 per person.

Another alternative is learning to do a professional lice treatment on your child at home by following along with professional step-by-step videos. You can find these step-by-step videos online at MyLiceAdvice.com.

When cleaning the home for lice focus on these principles:

Focus on the head: Head lice live primarily on the head. Instead of focusing lots of time on housecleaning be sure to focus your energy on eliminating lice and lice eggs from the head.

Think 48 hours: Head lice and lice eggs can not live any longer than 48 hours off the head. When cleaning your home after a lice infestation, clean the areas your child has been within the last 48 hours. 

Dry: Dry items such as bed linens, stuffed animals, and clothing in the dryer on the highest heat setting in the dryer for 40 minutes.

Boil: Items such as hairbrushes and hair accessories can be placed in very hot water for 10 minutes. Lice die in temperatures greater than 140 degrees Fahrenheit (about the temperature of hot coffee).

Bag: Anything that can not be put in the dryer or hot water, place in a plastic bag for 48 hours.

You can get a Lice Cleaning Checklist divided  room-by-room here: https://myliceadvice.com/lice-cleaning-checklist-download/

Head lice spread do not fly or jump. Most head lice are spread through direct head-to-head or hair-to-hair contact. This kind of contact happens most often when children are hugging, playing together, or doing anything where their hair may touch another child’s hair. 

Sharing items such as hats and hair brushes can also spread lice.

Preventative measures for head lice include:

• Having your child wear their hair up in a bun, braid, or ponytail at school

• Teaching your child not to share things such as hats, brushes, and jackets

• Teaching your child not to put their head against another child’s head.