How To Tell If You have Licw LLH

How to Tell If You Have Head Lice: Symptoms, Signs & How to Check Properly

When it comes to lice, early detection is key—but it’s also trickier than most people think. Whether you’re a concerned parent or just curious, here’s how to confidently determine if someone in your household has lice, without falling for common myths.

🚩 The First Red Flag: Someone in Your Child’s Social Circle Has Lice

If there’s been a known case of lice in your child’s classroom, neighborhood, camp, or friend group, that’s your first cue to check your child—whether or not they’re scratching.

You don’t need to panic, but you do need to be proactive. Lice spread through direct head-to-head contact, and once one child has them, it’s common for others to follow shortly after.

Don’t Trust a Visual Check

Here’s where most parents go wrong: looking through the hair with their eyes.

Lice are incredibly skilled at hiding. They avoid light, so as soon as you part the hair, they scurry away from view. Nits (lice eggs) are tiny and especially hard to spot if it’s early in the infestation—usually within the first three weeks.

Instead, you need to use a professional-grade nit comb like the Terminator Comb. This allows you to pull lice and nits out of the hair for proper identification.

The Right Way to Check for Lice

Dampen the hair and section it.
Use a Terminator Comb to comb from the scalp all the way out.
After each swipe, wipe the comb on a white, damp paper towel.
Look for anything brown. Nits and bugs will always be brown. If what you’re seeing is white or translucent, it’s likely dandruff or product residue.

What You’re Looking For:

Nits: Teardrop-shaped, glued firmly to the hair strand near the scalp. They don’t move and feel like a knot when you run your fingers along the hair. You’ll need to pinch them off with your fingernails.

Bugs: These vary in size depending on their age—from tiny baby lice (nymphs) to adult lice, which can be about the size of a sesame seed. They’ll be moving, brown in color, and located right on the scalp.

Don’t Rely on Itching Alone

Itching is not always present. In fact, it usually takes 4–6 weeks for someone to start itching if it’s their first time with lice. Some kids never itch at all!

Itching is caused by lice bites, and the most common areas where this irritation occurs are:

Behind the ears
The nape of the neck

Children who don’t show symptoms often go longer without being noticed, which can result in more severe infestations.

Don’t Waste Time Checking Bedding or Hats

Lice don’t live in your home—they live on your scalp.

You’re not looking for bugs on pillows, hats, or furniture. Once they’re off a head, lice can’t survive for long. So focus your energy where it matters: the scalp and hair shaft.

What About Babies?

If your child is under 18 months, do not use a nit comb on their scalp—their soft spot (fontanelle) is still forming. Instead, use a headlamp and gently inspect the hair for glued-on nits.

What to Do If Lice Are Found

If lice are confirmed:

Check the entire household using the same combing technique.
There’s no waiting period—a professional can detect lice as soon as one bug has transferred.
Book a professional head check if you’re unsure. It's better to know than to guess.

Final Thought

The sooner you detect lice, the easier it is to treat and contain. Using the right tools—like a professional comb and damp paper towel—can save you time, money, and stress. When in doubt, reach out to professionals like Minnesota Lice Lady for a head check and peace of mind.