How to Check for Lice
A close and careful examination is required to detect head lice with the naked eye. The following technique is recommended:
- Examine the head under bright natural light. The louse may be hard to detect because it moves quickly and is very small.
- Newly laid eggs are almost transparent. It is helpful to examine the head from different angles or light intensity. This is easily achieved by moving around the child/adult during examination under a bright light source.
- Part the hair and closely examine the scalp, especially the hairline at the nape of the neck and behind the ears.
- To find eggs on individual strands of hair, look for small white or yellowish-brown specks that are about the size of a poppy seed. You may see lice moving quickly away from a strong light source during your examination.
- To tell the difference between eggs and dandruff, try to dislodge a suspected egg from the hair shaft. If it is not easily removed, it is probably a lice egg (nit).