Are My Lice Dead? 3 Steps To Diagnosing Your Hair

Head lice treatments are always a tad frustrating to deal with, even though your child has had them more than once.

However, the lice treatment itself may not be the hard part; the challenge is overcoming the fear of lice that may or may not be left behind.

After watching your child scratching their head for so long, it’s natural to imagine that the dreaded critters are back when your child even looks at their hair in the mirror.

To help you curb your concerns, we’ve provided some tips on how to make sure your lice are truly dead:

1. Recognize The Nits

Before you panic, make sure what you are seeing (or not seeing) are truly lice. While most treatments will definitely eliminate lice, some will leave behind nits. Nits CAN resemble dandruff, so make sure to test which one it really is:

Dandruff is quite flaky, and will come off the hair and scalp easily if you simply run your hand vigorously through your child’s head.

Nits are stubbornly sticky, and will not detach unless you use a good nit comb, or pull at the it with your fingers.

2. Confirm The Critter

The second step is to do a simple check for head lice itself. Location is everything; lice remain very close to the scalp, so target your search near the roots. Divide your child’s hair in partitions to check for lice. Look closely on the top of their head and near the upper neck—lice commonly reside on these areas.

3. Watch For Signs

Home lice screenings are subject to human error, so there is a chance that you may have missed out on discovering any potentially surviving lice. Look out for these symptoms of a lice infestation in your child’s head:

1- Itchy scalp (Know that itching does not start till head lice multiply to considerable numbers)
2- Raised red bumps on the backside of the scalp
3- Troubled sleep; lice can be quite active during your slumber hours
4- A “ghostly” crawling feeling at the roots

If all else fails, seek out a professional’s service. Urgent Lice Removal offers effective head lice treatments; our lice specialists are expert in seeking out the tiniest critter or nit using high-grade combs.

Visit any of our lice salons in Key Biscayne and Miami Beach, or call us at 800-748-9451 for home appointment. We’ll perform meticulous lice checks to help you gain the peace you deserve!