How to Check for Lice & Nits (Lice Eggs)

Dry Checks vs Wet Checks

If you’re in a pinch for time, do a quick dry check.

If there is a high risk of exposure and you have time, do a wet check. We only do wet checks on our clients because they are much more accurate.

How to Do a Dry Check

Go to a well lit area.
Use a rat-tail comb or pencil and part the hair on the nape of the neck, around the ears, and the crown of the head.
Inspect the scalp for anything in the lice identification section below.

How to Do a Wet Check

Supplies: paper towels, hair conditioner, detangling brush or comb, and a metal-toothed lice comb.

Wet the hair and massage a small amount of conditioner throughout to prevent snagging.
Hold the lice comb at a 15-degree angle to the scalp and comb from roots to end in one smooth motion.
Wipe the comb with a paper tower and compare anything you find to the lice identification section below.
Comb through the entire scalp in every direction, checking with the paper towel as you go.

A professional wet check takes about 20-30 minutes, depending on the thickness, length, and texture of the hair. Expect to take at least double that time for your checks.

Lice & Nits Identification Mini-Guide

Head Lice

Six-legged
About the size of a sesame seed when fully grown.
Translucent when not digesting and brown to reddish brown when digesting.

Nits

Shaped like a teardrop
As small as a grain of salt
Light to dark brown
Securely glued to the hair shaft

If it’s easily flicked or blown away from the hair, it is not a nit.

Head Lice Resources

Lice Charmers

How to Identify Lice and Nits

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