What to actually look for:

• Nits close to the scalp. Nits (lice eggs) are tiny, oval, and glued firmly to the hair shaft — usually within a quarter-inch of the scalp. Unlike dandruff, they don’t flake off easily when you run your fingers through the hair.
• Behind the ears and nape of the neck. These two spots are where lice concentrate first. If you’re only checking the top of the head, you’re checking the wrong place.
• A tickling or “something moving” feeling. Even without itching, some people notice a faint crawling sensation, especially at night when lice are most active.
• Restlessness or trouble sleeping. In kids especially, unexplained irritability or poor sleep can be an early, easy-to-miss clue.

Nits vs. dandruff — the quick test: Dandruff brushes away. Nits don’t. If you’re combing through hair and something white or tan is stuck firmly to a strand and won’t budge, that’s the detail that matters most.

Why this gets missed so often: Nits are small, hair color and thickness affect visibility, and busy dayto-day life doesn’t leave much time for a strand-by-strand check. It’s also why over-the-counter treatments sometimes get used for the wrong problem — treating dandruff like lice, or missing lice because it was mistaken for something else.

When to get a professional check: If you’ve spotted anything unusual, or a treatment hasn’t worked and you’re not sure why, a same-day professional check clears up the uncertainty fast — no guessing, no waiting it out.

Lice Cleanse provides thorough, judgment-free lice checks and removal for Denver and Lakewood families. Call (303) 261-6550 to book.