How to Check for Lice

At-home guide for a head lice check

Not sure if it is lice, dandruff, or just an itchy scalp? Here is how to check your child’s hair, what to look for, and when to schedule a professional head check.

Quickest way to check for lice

The best way to check for lice is to use bright light, separate the hair into small sections, and look close to the scalp, especially behind the ears, at the nape of the neck, and along the hairline. A fine-toothed lice comb can help you find live lice or nits that are firmly attached to the hair shaft.

6 steps to check for lice at home

Use bright light

Natural light or a bright lamp makes it easier to see movement, eggs, and anything attached to the hair.

Part hair into sections

If the hair is long and difficult to manage, start by dividing it into sections using clips to hold.

Look close to the scalp

Focus on areas where lice hide: behind the ears, nape of the neck, along the hairline & near the crown.

Use a lice comb

Comb from the scalp to the ends of the hair. Wipe the comb on a white paper towel after each pass.

Detect lice or nits

Look for movement, since live lice crawl very fast. Nits stick to the hair shaft and do not brush away easily.

Come to the experts

If you're unsure, we can give you peace of mind and next steps.

What are you looking for?

Nits

Small eggs attached to the hair shaft near the scalp.

Live Lice

Tiny tan or gray insects that crawl along the hair shaft.

Not Lice

Dandruff, lint or product buildup usually brush away more easily.

Questions Parents Ask

You can check at home, ask a school nurse if available, contact your pediatrician, or schedule a professional head check at a lice clinic. If you want a fast answer from someone who checks for lice regularly, a professional lice clinic is the most direct option.

Yes! A professional lice screening can confirm whether lice are present before you start treatment. This matters because dandruff, dry scalp, lint, and product buildup can look like nits. Our process starts with a head screening to confirm whether an infestation is present before treatment.

If you’re sure they’re nits, then the safest next step is a professional head check before treating.

Not always. Itching can be caused by lice, but it can also come from dry scalp, dandruff, eczema, irritation, or hair products. The only way to know is to check the hair and scalp carefully.

If lice are present, itching may not even be a symptom right away. In fact, some people may not even experience itching due to lice.

They could be nits, but they could also be dandruff, dry skin, lint, or hair product. If it brushes away easily, it is probably not a nit. If it remains stuck to the hair shaft, it may be a nit.

Lice Clinics of America locations are best, if you want trained technicians who are local lice experts, but are also part of the world’s largest network on lice removal specialist. In-home services may feel more private or convenient, but the clinic setting is built for thorough checks and efficient treatment. 

At-home lice check vs. professional head screening

At-home check

Professional

Not sure if it's lice?
We can check.

You do not have to figure it out alone. Lice Clinics of America offers professional head screenings to help confirm whether lice are present before treatment. If lice are found, your local clinic can walk you through the fastest treatment options available.

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