Use these nine simple tricks to spot and identify lice eggs (also known as “nits”) within seconds. In this video tutorial, we take a look at nits and lice eggs in the hair.
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Tip #1: When in Doubt, Try to Pull it Out--Nits are Stuck!
When determining whether you are finding nits in your child’s hair, use the motto “When in doubt, try to pull it out.” Nits are difficult to pull out because nits are glued to the hair. Lice create a powerful glue with their saliva to attach lice eggs to hair, so a nit has no chance of falling off a hair strand.
Nits cannot be washed, brushed, or soaked out of the hair. The only way to remove a lice egg from a hair strand, other than a high-quality lice comb, is by performing a tedious manual removal process known as nitpicking.
To remove a lice egg, you must squeeze it between two fingers or nails and pull the nit down the entire hair strand. If you find several things in the hair that are “glued” and they can only be removed in this manner, then you are likely dealing with lice.
Tip #2: You Will Usually Find Several Lice Eggs, Not Just One
Female adult lice lay around six to ten eggs per day. That means that in just one week, each bug can lay up to seventy eggs!
Luckily, not every lice bug lays eggs (only adult females), but still, that’s a lot of eggs in a short time.
If you find something in the hair that you think might be a nit, don’t stop looking after finding just one. Keep searching because the chance of finding just one nit in the hair is rare. If you start finding a lot of the same things, begin pulling them out so you can examine them more closely, using these tips.
Tip #3: Lice Eggs are Most Often Found in the “Hot Spots”
There are a few places on the head that lice absolutely love to lay their eggs. These places are called the “hot spots” of the head, and you will find a more significant amount of nits in these places. Common hot spots are behind both ears, at the nape of the neck, and on the crown of the head. These hot spots are the places you should most closely examine for nits. If you find several nits in these areas, you are likely dealing with lice.
Tip #4: Check Close to the Scalp for Nits
Nits are laid and glued within ¼ inch (6mm) of the scalp. Once fixed to the hair, a nit does not move or slip down the hair strand. You should look for nits close to the scalp, rather than at the end of the hair. If you find nits further down the hair, more than 1⁄4 inch (6mm) away from the scalp.
Tip #5: Take a Closer Look on a WHITE Paper Towel
After pulling out the potential nit, place it on a WHITE paper towel for further examination. A simple stack of WHITE paper towels is the very best place to examine a nit. The color of the paper towel is very important--do not place nits on something black or otherwise colored. Although nits can look white in hair, once they are pulled out of the hair and set on a white paper towel, you will find that they are actually amber, golden, or brown.
Tip #6: Lice Eggs Have Color to Them
As we just discussed, a common misunderstanding is that nits are white. Nits have a shiny appearance and can appear white, especially in dark hair, but if removed and placed on a white paper towel, they will be golden, light brown, dark brown or even transparent. Nits are colored differently depending on your own hair color, and whether the nits are hatched or unhatched.
Tip #7: Lice Eggs Have a Tail
Because of the strong glue lice use to lay their eggs, when pulled out, nits look like they have a "tail". It is impossible to remove a nit from the hair without the glue coming off with it. The glue is what gives the impression that the nit has a tail. You will always find this tail if you’re dealing with lice eggs.
Tip #8- Nits are teardrop-shaped, not circular.
If you find something in the hair that is circular or irregularly shaped, it is not a nit. Most likely, this is a form of dandruff often confused with lice. Remember, if you’re looking for more clarity on lice compared to dandruff, please check out our article, Lice vs Dandruff- Differences Between Lice Eggs and Dandruff, where we discuss in depth the comparisons between lice and scalp conditions.
Tip #9: Lice Eggs’ Shape And Size Remain the Same
While you will find nits in a variety of colors, the shape of a nit is always the same.
So You Have Lice… What Now?
Using these nine tips, you will be able to spot lice eggs like a pro. If you are in fact finding nits in your or your kid’s hair, then you’re unfortunately dealing with a lice infestation.
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