Head lice are tiny, fast-moving insects about the size of a sesame seed that live on the scalp, and their eggs often look like stuck-on dandruff close to the roots of the hair.

What lice look like (quick breakdown)

Think of three “forms” you might see: eggs (nits), babies (nymphs), and adults.

1. Nits (lice eggs)

  • Very small, oval, and stuck firmly to the hair shaft, close to the scalp.
  • Color: whitish-grey, yellow, or tan; sometimes the same color as the person’s hair.
  • Size: about the size of a grain of sand or half a pinhead.
  • They do not flick off easily like normal dandruff; they feel glued to the hair.

If you try to slide one off and it resists, it’s more likely a nit than dandruff.

2. Nymphs (baby lice)

  • Look like tiny versions of adult lice, but smaller and paler.
  • Color: usually grayish-tan or translucent.
  • They move quickly on the scalp and are harder to see than eggs.

3. Adult lice

  • Size: about 2–3 millimeters long (roughly a sesame seed).
  • Shape: elongated, flat body with a distinct head and six legs.
  • Color: tan to grayish-white; they may look darker after feeding on blood.
  • Legs end in claw-like structures that help them grip hair tightly.

How to tell lice from dandruff or lint

  • Dandruff and lint:
    • Flaky, irregular pieces that fall off easily when you shake or brush the hair.
* Not firmly attached to one hair strand.
  • Lice/nits:
    • Perfectly oval, always the same shape, and attached at a fixed point on the hair shaft.
* You usually need fingernails or a fine-toothed comb to remove them.

A simple at-home check: use a bright light and a fine-toothed lice comb, part the hair into small sections, and comb from scalp to tip; wipe the comb on a white tissue to look for tiny tan/gray bugs or oval eggs.

Where you’re most likely to see them

  • Common spots:
    • Behind the ears.
* At the nape of the neck.

* Along the hairline.
  • Nits are most often on the first 1–2 cm (about ½–1 inch) of hair closest to the scalp.

Mini “forum-style” perspective

“I thought my kid had bad dandruff, but the ‘flakes’ wouldn’t brush off. Under a bright light they looked like tiny yellowish ovals glued to the hair. Turned out to be nits.”

“When I finally saw an adult louse, it looked like a tiny sesame-seed bug running away from the light when I parted the hair.”

In recent years, parents on forums often describe using smartphone flashlights and fine metal lice combs as the most reliable way to spot lice early, especially after school or camp outbreaks.

What to do if you think you see lice

If what you’re seeing matches the description above and especially if there’s persistent scalp itching, it’s a good idea to:

  1. Check all close contacts in the household with a fine-toothed comb under bright light.
  1. Follow a proven treatment plan (over-the-counter or prescription) and repeat combing to remove nits.
  1. Talk to a healthcare professional if:
    • You’re not sure it’s lice.
    • Over-the-counter treatments didn’t work.
    • The person is very young, pregnant, or has skin conditions.

TL;DR: Lice look like tiny sesame-seed-sized tan/gray insects with six clawed legs, while their eggs look like tiny, oval, yellowish or whitish specks glued to the hair near the scalp and don’t brush off easily.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.