Head lice

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Head lice	Head louse, male	Head louse emerging from egg	Head louse - female
Head louse infestation - scalp	Lice, head - nits in the hair with close-up	Nit on human hair

Lice - head; Nits; Pediculosis capitis - head lice

• Intense itching of the scalp
• Small, red bumps on the scalp, neck, and shoulders
• Bumps may become crusty and ooze
• Tiny white specks (eggs, or nits) on the bottom of each hair that are hard to get off

Lice on scalp and clothing may be difficult to see, unless the infestation is heavy. If you see something moving, it's called a louse.

To see head lice, you need to look closely. Use disposable gloves and look at the person's head under a bright lead. Full sun or the brightest lights in your home during daylight hours work well. A magnifying glass can also help.

Part the hair all the way down to the scalp in very small sections, looking both for moving lice and eggs (nits). Look at the entire head this way. Look closely around the top of the neck and ears, the most common locations for eggs.

Treatment is recommended if even one egg is found.

Review Date: 03/17/2006
Reviewed By: John Goldenring, MD, MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.