How To Check Your Own Head For Lice

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Caput lice are small wingless parasitic insects that alive on the scalp. They can exist difficult to spot because they're but 2 – 3 mm long.^[one] Close examination of the scalp and advisedly combing the hair are the only ways to check successfully. It is easier to check another person for lice, only you can also cheque your own head if you accept a few mirrors.

1. 1

   Check for itching of the scalp. An itchy scalp is the most common symptom of lice infestation. Withal, other atmospheric condition, including dandruff and scalp eczema, tin can cause as well itchy scalp.^[2] Itchy scalps can also exist a sign of an allergic reaction to hair care products such every bit shampoo, besides.

   • Some people who have head lice may not experience itching right away. It tin can take up to half dozen weeks after infestation for the scalp to begin feeling itchy.^[three]
   • Some people may also experience a "tickling" sensation on their scalp or head, as though something is moving or itch.

2. 2

   Check for white flakes on the scalp or in hair. White flakes may be caused by dandruff or scalp eczema. They may also be caused by an allergic reaction to shampoos and other hair care products. Still, these "flakes" may actually exist lice eggs (nits).^[4]

   • Dandruff commonly occurs throughout the pilus. Lice eggs commonly occur closer to the scalp and are non as widespread as dandruff flakes.
   • If you cannot easily brush or shake the flakes off the hair or scalp, they may be lice eggs.

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3. 3

   Examine clothes for lice. Lice may find their way into your domicile on clothes or bedding. They cannot fly, only they tin jump smashing distances.^[5]

   • You may see small-scale bugs that wait like light-brown sesame seeds on wearable, bedding, peel, or pilus.

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1. i

   Find a vivid lite source. Natural light is good if information technology isn't filtered through curtains or blinds. Bath light is often bright plenty. If yous need additional lite, utilise a brilliant flashlight or small desk lamp.

2. 2

   Moisture the person's hair. This tin be done under a faucet or with a spray bottle. Lice tin can be seen on dry out or wet hair, only many people have an easier time spotting lice if the hair is wet.

   • Working with wet pilus as well makes it easier to advisedly function sections, and clip the examined sections out of the way and so you can continue to check the remainder of the hair.^[6]

3. three

   Recognize adult lice. Adult lice are hard to come across, mainly because they tin can move apace and they do non like light. Every bit you separate sections of hair, the adult lice can chop-chop move back into the hair and into the shadows. Even though an adult louse is tiny, you should be able to run across them if you can read the modest print of a paper.

   • Adult lice are light brown in colour, and are near the size of a sesame seed. The adults are often found near the scalp area, in the pilus but in a higher place and behind the ears, and at the hairline around the base of the neck.^[7]

4. iv

   Recognize the eggs, likewise called nits. The eggs are firmly attached, practically cemented, to the hair. Eggs are yellowish-dark-brown, or tan, in color before they hatch, and wait similar tiny seeds. Freshly laid eggs are shiny, and are often found near the scalp.^[viii]

5. 5

   Place the hatched nits. Once the eggs, or nits, accept hatched, the egg casing remains firmly attached to the hair. The color of the casing is practically clear.^[9]

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1. ane

   Beginning by separating the moisture hair into sections. Separate the hair into small-scale sections, and begin by placing the comb well-nigh the scalp. Use either a regular fine tooth comb, or a lice comb, and comb through each section of hair, from shut to the scalp to the ends. Comb through each section more once.^[10]

   • Lice combs are bachelor at drug stores. They are smaller than a regular rummage, but the teeth in the rummage are much closer together to more than easily search for lice and nits.^[11]

2. two

   Continue to comb through the hair in sections. As you lot terminate combing a section of the wet pilus, utilize a clip to separate it from the hair yous have not yet examined. Rummage through each divided section of pilus, examining the comb later on each pass through the hair.^[12]

3. three

   Examine the surface area around the ears and the base of the neck closely. These areas are places where adult lice and nits are normally found.^[xiii]

4. iv

   Grab a live louse betwixt your thumb and forefinger. If you see something moving, attempt to catch it between your thumb and forefinger, then tape information technology to a piece of white paper so you can examine it more closely. It may be helpful to compare what you take found to documented pictures of lice.

   • Catching a louse with your fingers is not dangerous. By doing this, you tin can confirm that the person yous are examining does have a lice infestation.

5. 5

   Don't confuse dandruff for lice or nits. People of all ages have stuff that gets caught in their pilus. Combing through someone's pilus then carefully is likely to reveal dandruff, knotted hair, fabric, and other pocket-size things that go lodged in their pilus. Nits will not easily comb out since they are cemented to the hair. Employ your magnifying glass to examine small things institute equally you comb through their pilus to be sure.

6. six

   Check your own hair for lice. Conspicuously this is non as easy task, and then try to get some help if possible. If you decide to check your own hair by yourself, then follow the aforementioned basic steps. Everyone in a household with one infested person should be checked for lice.^[xiv]

7. 7

   Wet your hair. Lice and nits can be seen on wet or dry out hair, but examining yourself for lice may be easier with your hair moisture.^[15]

8. eight

   Be sure you accept plenty light. Bathroom lighting is oft brighter than the lights in other rooms, plus yous will be relying on the bathroom mirrors. If needed, use a minor lamp for added lite.^[xvi]

9. ix

   Apply a hand mirror. You will need to closely examine the areas behind and around your ears. Utilize clips to hold your hair back, and position the paw mirror and then you lot can clearly come across the areas yous need to examine.^[17]

10. 10

    Position the mirror to see the back of your neck. Look closely for anything crawling, and for nits or nit casings attached to your hair in this area.^[18]

11. 11

    Use a fine tooth comb or a lice comb. To best examine your own hair, you will need to split up sections and rummage through them several times. Examine the comb thoroughly after each pass through your hair. Continue to utilize clips the split the hair y'all accept already examined.^[19]

    • Remember to focus on the area around your ears and at the base of your neck. Examining your own hair for lice is difficult, so focusing on the most likely places may assist yous to decide if you accept a lice infestation.^[20]

12. 12

    Await closely at the rummage. You may want to utilise a magnifying glass to examine the comb each time yous pass it through your hair. Place dandruff, tangled pilus, material, and other items carefully. Small, seed-like, casings will be firmly attached and will be difficult to remove, probable removing the hair follicle with information technology as you lot pass the comb through. This will let you to closely examine what is pulled out and what remains in the rummage, to determine if you have lice or nits in your hair.^[21]

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1. 1

   Care for the infested person. You can care for head lice using products available without a prescription. Follow the directions closely, including any measures recommended for safety.^[22]

2. two

   Brainstorm by request the person to put on old clothing. This helps just in case the ingredients contained in the treatment damage the habiliment. As well exist sure the person has washed their hair, but has not applied conditioner.^[23]

3. three

   Follow the production directions. Your dr. or chemist can help guide you to all-time production choices. Once the person has been treated post-obit the directions of the product, examine their pilus again in well-nigh eight to 12 hours. If yous still see lice, simply they are moving slowly, then the treatment is still working. Go on with the procedure of removing equally many dead lice and nits as possible by the combing technique.^[24]

4. 4

   Re-treat if lice are yet agile. As y'all examine the hair, detect if the lice are nonetheless as active as they were, prior to treatment. If this occurs, follow the package directions to re-care for the person infested.^[25]

5. 5

   Follow product instructions if re-treatment is needed. Usually, y'all should re-treat the person's scalp later one week. Most available products outline how to go on with a second treatment. Your doc or chemist tin help with communication on re-treatment, likewise as treating boosted family members.^[26]

   • Unfortunately, lice have become more resistant to the usual treatments — even some prescription treatments. Your doctor may have to prescribe stronger medications (sometimes to be taken orally) to get rid of the lice.

6. 6

   Treat the environment. Wash and dry all bedding, towels, and vesture that the person came in contact going dorsum ii days prior to treatment. Use hot water, and gear up the dryer temperature to a high heat setting.^[27]

   • Items that cannot be washed can be dry cleaned, or put in a tightly sealed plastic bag for 2 weeks.^[28]

7. 7

   Soak combs and brushes. Each time a comb or brush is used to remove lice and nits, soak the items for 5 to 10 minutes in hot water that is at least 130°F.^[29]

8. viii

   Vacuum the floor and furniture. Caput lice only live for about 2 days once they are not on a person. Nits are not able to hatch if they are removed from the normal temperature of a human being torso, and die within a week.^[30]

9. 9

   Launder clothes and soak combs. Make sure you don't accidentally cause re-infestation. Wash all clothing and bedding in hot water.^[31] Shop unwashable items in airtight plastic numberless for two weeks. Soak combs and other hair accessories, such as bobby pins and clips, in hot water for at least five minutes.

   • Brand sure to wash any soft items, such as stuffed animals or pillows, in hot water.

10. x

    Avert sharing soft items. Lice are ofttimes spread to children when they share clothing, hats, scarves, or blimp animals. Practise not allow your kid to share these things with others.^[32]

    • Practise non share soft items between family unit members until all signs of infestation take disappeared.

11. 11

    Go along to closely examine the hair of the infested person. Follow the combing procedure every two to 3 days, and for two to iii weeks, to be sure the person has not been re-infested.^[33]

12. 12

    Let your kid to return to school. Afterward a successful treatment, your kid tin can return to school the next solar day. Do non keep your child home from school for several days because of lice infestation.^[34]

    • Make certain that your child does non make head-to-head contact with other children at school.
    • Alarm your school nurse that you lot have found lice or nits on your child and that it has been treated. The schoolhouse may be required to tell other parents that an exposure has taken place so families tin be on alert and the nurse can check the perhaps exposed students. Practice not feel embarrassed as this is extremely common.

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Add New Question

• Question

  I am a boy and I don't know for sure if my head is totally infested by lice, simply it itches and I have constitute two small black-coloured lice so far! What should I do?

  

  Dr. Marusinec is a board certified Pediatrician at the Children'due south Hospital of Wisconsin, where she is on the Clinical Practice Council. She received her M.D. from the Medical College of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1995 and completed her residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Pediatrics in 1998. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Clan and the Society for Pediatric Urgent Care.

  

  Lath Certified Pediatrician

  Expert Reply

  Talk to your parents correct abroad. They should be able to assist figure out if you have lice. They can get y'all a treatment to try. If this doesn't work, or you are still not sure if it is lice, have your physician cheque for you.

• Question

  How tin can I tell if I have lice?

  

  Dr. Marusinec is a board certified Pediatrician at the Children's Hospital of Wisconsin, where she is on the Clinical Practice Council. She received her M.D. from the Medical Higher of Wisconsin School of Medicine in 1995 and completed her residency at the Medical Higher of Wisconsin in Pediatrics in 1998. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Clan and the Social club for Pediatric Urgent Care.

  

  Board Certified Pediatrician

  Skillful Respond

  Follow the instructions in the article to tell if you may have lice. Notice for itching and look for white flakes, or brown or blackness small bugs. If you are not sure, take another person help you wait, or see your doctor.

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• Checking for lice on your own head can be extremely difficult. If possible, get someone to assist.

• Consider examining other members of the household if you lot notice someone with a lice infestation.

• Lice are transferred from person to person contact. Lice can also spread by contact with items that have been in contact with someone with lice, such as hats, combs, scarves, and headbands. Never share these items with others.

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Things Y'all"ll Need

• Fine molar comb, or lice comb
• Good lighting
• Magnifying glass
• Spray bottle with water
• Tape
• White paper
• Hand mirror

About This Article

Article Summary 10

To check for lice, commencement past wetting the person'due south hair and separating it into sections. Then, use a fine-tooth comb or a lice comb to brush through each department of pilus, starting at the scalp and working your fashion to the ends. After you rummage through each section, check the comb for lice or eggs. You should likewise examine the pilus around the person's ears and neckline since that's where adult lice are ordinarily found. To learn how to become rid of head lice, scroll down!

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