How Head Lice Eggs Look

Knowing how head lice eggs look can be important to catching the infestation. Lice are tiny, grayish-white insects that live on the head. The adult louse is about the size of a sesame seed. Their eggs, called nits, are white or grayish and resemble dandruff. However, unlike dandruff, nits are attached to hair near the scalp. To identify them, you can look for a small oval blob on the strand of hair.

Lice eggs are attached to the human hair shaft with a glue-like substance. This glue prevents the eggs from being washed off. Lice eggs are typically laid a fraction of an inch from the scalp, where they are warm. The eggs hatch in about 8 to 9 days. Once the eggs hatch, they stay attached to the scalp. While nits have no visible legs, empty nit shells move further away from the scalp than live eggs.

The best way to treat head lice is to wash your child’s clothing. The clothing should be washed in hot water and then dried on a high heat. Once it has dried, seal it in a plastic bag and keep it away from the child for at least two weeks. If you suspect that your child has head lice, check all household members regularly to see if they have them as well. If your child is suffering from head lice, it’s essential to treat them as soon as possible to avoid the spread of the infection.

Although head lice eggs look like dandruff, most people don’t notice the bugs in their hair until they start to experience the itching and the tickling sensation. In some cases, head lice will develop sores on the scalp, which may lead to an infection.