Lice or Dandruff? - How to differentiate

November 21, 2017 Unknown 0 Comments

We all have faced an itchy scalp and witnessed dandruff flakes sliding easily off our hair fibres. Head lice and dandruff share similar symptoms including an irritated scalp. Head lice produce eggs called nits - tiny white specks, which are of the same colour as dandruff peel. Hence, differentiating them might get a difficult task. 

Following are few points which will help you while distinguishing between lice and dandruff:

NATURE: Lice are parasitic insects that crawl and spread to others through close contact. Lice can crawl onto clothing, bedding, towels and personal items like combs, caps etc. Dandruff is a non-contagious , non-inflammatory skin condition. It typically affects adolescents and young adults, but older adults and small children can also experience a flaky scalp. 

CAUSE: Head lice feed on human blood. Saliva secreted by lice irritates the scalp and causes itchiness. Dandruff, on the other hand, is caused by sensitivity to oleic acid which we all have in our scalps. Not everyone is sensitive to it, but in some cases it can cause itchiness and flakes.

 

TEXTURE: Lice eggs or nits are dark brown and firmly attached to hair shaft, a nit will always look like a small oval with a tail coming off the end. They always take the same shape, which helps them to properly identify them. Dandruff looks like thick, flakey skin and is usually white to yellowish in colour. 

IDENTIFICATION: Dandruff is usually not hard to identify. If you brush through your hair and the flakes easily fall off, then it is most probably known to be dandruff. Nits can be very difficult to see. If you are finding small specks that are hard and dark brown in colour and if they do not slide underneath your fingertips, one can assume it to be head lice and seek treatment for it. One might try using Licenil - an oil based treatment which helps you in killing any type of lice. Its neem oil helps you get rid of super lice effectively in just one treatment. 

LOCATION: Dandruff is usually located all over the scalp while lice eggs are usually primarily located behind the ears. But if someone is severely infested, you can find nits all over his/her head.

Looking after your hair and scalp is essential to maintaining a good standard of personal hygiene. Living in clean and hygienic surroundings should also be considered an essential part of our everyday lives. Appropriate medical treatments should be taken in order to get rid of head lice or dandruff.