What Colour Are Head Lice and How Do You Know If You Have Them?
WouterA simple way to determine if you have head lice is to look at the nits. These are tiny, oval specks that are firmly attached to hair near the scalp. You can usually find them behind the ears and behind the hairline. You can also look for nits that are white, brown, or clear. While nits are a clear indication of lice infestation, they’re sometimes mistaken for dandruff.
Head lice are tiny, tan or gray-coloured insects that feed on the human blood from the scalp. These insects have six legs and camouflage in different shades of hair. The female head louse lays her eggs about 3/16 of an inch (5 millimeters) away from the scalp. The lice themselves are tiny, so you may have to look with a magnifying glass to spot them.
Symptoms of head lice include a crawling, itchy sensation, and an itchy head. You may also notice small bumps around the neck, behind the ears, or on the scalp. Additionally, you might find dried black dots, which look like grains of sand, on your scalp. Head lice also produce yellow or white nits that are similar to dandruff or hair product buildup.
Lice live on your hair for about 35 days. They are hard to see with the naked eye, but you can still spot them by noticing that they’re attached to the hair shaft. Lice lay about eight to ten nits each day, which can be as light or as dark as the colour of your hair. Once they are off your head, they’ll die and move on to another host.
