Types of Head lice

Types discussion:

There are three forms of lice: the nit, the nymph, and the adult.

Nit: Nits are head lice eggs. They are hard to see and are often confused for dandruff or hair spray droplets. Nits are found firmly attached to the hair shaft. They are oval and usually yellow
to white. Nits take about 1 week to hatch. 

Nymph:The nit hatches into a baby louse called a nymph. It looks like an adult head louse, but is smaller. Nymphs mature into adults about 7 days after hatching. To live, the nymph must
feed on blood. 

Adult:The adult louse is about the size of a sesame seed, has six legs, and is tan to greyish-white. In persons with dark hair, the adult louse will look darker. Females lay nits; they are usually
larger than males. Adult lice can live up to 30 days on a person's head. To live, adult lice need to feed on blood. If the louse falls off a person, it dies within 2 days. (Source: excerpt from Head Lice Infestation: DPD)

Head lice: Related Disease Topics

More general medical disease topics related to Head lice include:

• Insect parasite conditions
• Lice
• Hair conditions
• Louse-borne diseases
• Pediculosis
• Head Conditions

Research More About Head lice

• Head lice: Introduction
• Symptoms: Head lice
• Complications: Head lice
• Treatments: Head lice

 » Next page: Causes of Head lice

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