What are the signs and symptoms of head lice infestation (pediculosis capitis)?
It is quite common for infestations to occur without any symptoms at all. The most common signs and symptoms are: • Itching of the scalp, sometimes intense. This is an allergic reaction to the saliva that lice produce while they feed. • Tiny red spots or bumps on the scalp, neck and sometimes the shoulders. • The base of hairs may have small white pinhead sized nits (eggs). Nits can sometimes be mistaken for dandruff. However, dandruff is easy to brush out while nits are not. • When you check somebody for head lice look at the base of hairs for nits (eggs) and comb the hair over a piece of white paper or smooth cotton cloth and see if there are any dark mature lice there. • It is sometimes possible to spot lice behind the ears and at the nape of the neck – their two favorite places.
