Checking Properly It's just routine.

Checking for lice might not be your idea of fun but it’s also no big deal and shouldn’t be a stressful experience for you or your child. This section of the site will show you how to check properly:

  • Where to peek
  • What to peek for
  • How to peek

Checking is just a normal part of every family’s personal hygiene routine, like brushing your teeth or washing your hair, so a good time to do it would be in front of the TV after having a bath and hair wash. You could make this experience even more stress-free by:

  • Showing your child how to check their own hair using a lice detection comb
  • Using the weekly peek as an opportunity to tell a story or ask about their day
  • Asking them to check your hair for you
  • Rewarding your child for each week’s successful search
  • Turning it into a fun game of hide and seek
  • Putting their favourite TV programme or DVD on
So how do you find Head Lice?

If you’re feeling unsure don’t worry, you’re not alone - 1 in 4 parents aren’t sure how to check for head lice properly.

To diagnose a case of head lice you need to find them alive. This is when you need to use a treatment. They move fast and are small – from the size of a full stop to a sesame - so they can be hard to find!


Sizing up Head Lice.?

Head lice range in sizes from a full stop to a sesame seed.


Actual Nit Size

Actual size in stages of growth.

And remember, if you find head lice on one member of your family you need to check everybody to make sure they don’t have them as well.

Where to Peek

  • Close to the scalp
  • Behind the ears
  • The back of the neck
  • The top of the head
  • Under the fringe

What to Peek for

  • Adult lice are 2-4 mm long. Immature lice are even smaller
  • Live lice remain close to the scalp
  • Nits are empty egg shells. Simply remove these by comb/hand
Remember:

If you find live lice take a peek at ALL your family, including yourself

Did you know?

The shorter the hair, the easier it is to pass lice to each other? This is because the louse has a smaller distance to travel between the scalp and the surface of the hair.

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Detection Comb New Comb

A reliable method for diagnosing head lice infection, the Hedrin Head Lice Detection Comb is 3.84 times more effective than a visual inspection alone.