Head lice are tiny insects that live in hair. Nits are the empty egg cases attached to hair that head lice hatch from. Head lice are a common problem, particularly in school children aged 4-11. They're largely harmless, but can live in the hair for a long time if not treated and can be irritating and frustrating to deal with.
How to spot head lice
Head lice can be difficult to spot, even when the head is closely inspected. They are very small whitish or grey-brown insects that range from the size of a pinhead to the size of a sesame seed.
The only way to be sure someone has head lice is to find a live louse by combing their hair with a special fine-toothed comb. This is called detection combing. Less reliable signs of head lice include:
- small
white eggs or nits (egg cases) in the hair behind the ears or at back
of the neck – see image above
- an
itchy scalp
- a
rash on the back of the neck
- feeling as though something is moving in the hair.