How to Identify Lice

People ask me all the time about how to identify lice. Is it dandruff or is it a nit? Here’s s a simple way for you to tell!

Pull it off the hair and then look at your finger. If it’s white on your finger, then it’s dandruff. If it’s reddish/brown, it’s a nit. Nits, on white paper towels are always reddish/brown. And that’s another way you can tell if it’s a nit or if its dandruff. Put the specimen on a damp paper towel and inspect it. If it disappears on the white paper towel, it’s dandruff. If it’s reddish/brown and it looks like it has a teeny tail on it, it’s a nit.

Lice is about the size of a sesame seed and they are always grayish in color. If you put them in water, lice eggs will float on the top but they will still be brown, not white like dandruff! Check out my video to learn more: