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Head lice - Symptom

Alternative Names

Lice - head; Nits; Pediculosis capitis - head lice

Symptoms:

Symptoms of head lice include:

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 there are a lot of them.

Signs and tests:

Head lice can be hard to see. You need to look closely. Use disposable gloves and look at the person's head under a bright light. Full sun or the brightest lights in your home during daylight hours work well. A magnifying glass can 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.

Head lice

Nit on human hair

Lice, head - nits in the hair with close-up

Head louse emerging from egg

Head louse, male

Head louse - female

Head louse infestation - scalp

Reviewed last on: 1/24/2011
Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Morelli JG. Arthropod bites and infestations. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 667.

Schlossberg D. Arthropods and leeches. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 380.

Diaz JH. Lice (pediculosis). In: Mandell GL, Bennett JE, Dolin R, eds. Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2009:chap 293.

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