What are nits?

nits making head itchNits are white, empty egg shell left behind when a louse has hatched usually found further down the scalp, particularly behind the ears and around the nape.

Nits are often mistaken for dandruff, the easiest way to tell is when you try to remove them, dandruff can easily be shaken off, but nits are glued to the hair and can be difficult to remove.

Using a ‘nit comb’ or gripping the eggshell between tweezers and pulling them off is often the best way to remove them.

Mums will find a nice strong set of acrylic nails are useful here too! (a good excuse to get them done!!)

 

Nit Picture:

nit attached to hair

Picture showing an unhatched nit (head lice egg) attached to hair.

Head lice eggs occur in three states:

Live egg

Dead egg

Hatched egg

 

Being able to identify the state of the egg is important so you can asses any risk of infestation. The different states of eggs are covered and shown in pictures on the following website http://www.jcu.edu.au (opens in new window)