Mayo Clinic Health Manager

Get free personalized health guidance for you and your family.

Get Started

Free

E-Newsletter

Subscribe to receive the latest updates on health topics. About our newsletters

  • Housecall
  • Alzheimer's caregiving
  • Living with cancer

Symptoms

By Mayo Clinic staff

CLICK TO ENLARGE

Photograph showing head lice 
Head lice

Signs and symptoms of lice include:

  • Intense itching.
  • Lice on the scalp, the body, clothing, or pubic or other body hair. Lice can be 0.08 to 0.16 inches (2 to 4 millimeters) in size.
  • Lice eggs (nits) on hair shafts. Nits resemble tiny pussy willow buds. Nits can be mistaken for dandruff, but unlike dandruff, they can't be easily brushed out of hair.
  • Small, red bumps on the scalp, neck and shoulders.

DS00368

Feb. 28, 2008

© 1998-2009 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER). All rights reserved. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.com," "EmbodyHealth," "Reliable tools for healthier lives," "Enhance your life," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.

Print Share Reprints

Text Size: smaller largerlarger